Panama City (Florida)

Panama City [1], is situated on St. Andrews Bay in Bay County, along the Gulf Coast of Florida.

Culture and History

Panama City is located adjacent to Panama City Beach, which is a separate city and should not be confused. However, many tourists frequently call Panama City Beach, Panama City. Panama City Beach is home to the beaches of the area and is a hugely popular destination for spring breakers and families alike. Panama City, is much different being the more established city in Bay County, and is therefore seen as the governmental, cultural, business, and educational capitol of the county.

It is also important to note that Panama City along with the western portions of the Florida Panhandle are located in the Central Time Zone. This is unlike the rest of the state being in the Eastern Time Zone.

Climate

Panama City is in the warm subtropical zone, which is not as warm as South Florida, but it is still has mild winters, hot summers, and pleasant spring and fall weather. The nearby waters of the Gulf of Mexico helps to moderate the climate.

Travel to Panama City (Florida) - Visa Requirements

Flights and airtickets to Panama City (Florida)

Panama City is served by the Panama City-Bay County International Airport (IATA: PFN) in northwest corner of Panama City along St. Andrews Bay. PCBCIA, while International in name, currently does not offer any regularly scheduled international flights. Delta Air Lines offers daily non-stop service under the Delta Connection brand from Atlanta and Orlando, as well as a Saturday-only flight from Cincinnati. Northwest Airlines offers daily non-stop service under the Northwest Airlink brand from Memphis. From the airport it is a short drive to all points in Panama City, and to the east end of neighboring Panama City Beach. However, transit times to the west end of Panama City Beach and to areas towards Tyndall AFB can be significantly longer.

Often, it may be cheaper to fly in to a nearby airport and drive to Panama City. Many local residents and business travellers do this via VPS or JAX.

Opening in 2009 will be the new Panama City-Bay County International Airport located in West Bay, Florida. This will be much more convenient to travelers heading to the beaches and could result in more airlines and destinations served.

By Car

Travelers headed to Panama City often drive to the destination, due to the strong regional appeal the area has. There are several routes to take depending on which direction a traveler is coming from. If coming from the North, US Highway 231, State Route 77, State Route 79 are all excellent roads into the area. US Highway 98 is the major East-West Highway along the and crosses through Panama City as 15th Street.

Arriving by SR 79, one will have to turn east onto US 98 in Panama City Beach and proceed across the Hathaway Bridge to reach Panama City.

If using Interstate 10 to reach Panama City, there will be several exits to take depending on your direction of travel. If arriving from the East, use the exit for US 231. From the exit it is a 50 mile drive to Panama City. One can also use the exit for SR 77, and it is also about 50 miles to Panama City.

Buses to Panama City (Florida)

Panama City has a Greyhound bus terminal located on Harrison Street/US 231.

Tours and Getting around Panama City (Florida)

Private pilots can also fly into Sandy Creek Airpark, located in the East Bay.

Panama City (Florida) tourist attractions and sightseeing

• St. Andrews State Park
• Visual Arts Center
• Pine Log State Forest

Panama City (Florida) city tours

Panama City (Florida) souvenirs and shopping

Panama City (Florida) Restaurants: cheap, moderate and expensive

• Black Angus Restaurant and Lounge, 4500 W Highway 98. Tel.: +1 850 784-1788

== == Uncle Ernie's Bayfront Grill and Brew House =='If you're looking for great, fresh seafood and a gorgeous view of the bay (remember, this is in the city, not on the beach), then look no further. This is where the locals eat when they want a view of the water and a fabulous meal.' [ http://www.uncleerniesbayfrontgrill.com/florida-restaurant-history.html]

Panama City (Florida) nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs

Panama City (Florida) cheap and luxurious hotels, youth hostels and lodging

See also Panama City Beach

• WaterSound Beach Rentals, 37 Compass Point Way S., Santa Rosa Beach, 1-888-541-0801. [2]
• Aqua Resort by Waterstone Resorts, 15625 Front Beach Road, 1-800-211-8906, [3].
• Calypso Resort & Towers by Waterstone Resorts, 15817 Front Beach Road, 1-800-211-8906,[4].
• Emerald Isle Condominiums by Waterstone Resorts, 17545 Front Beach Road, 1-800-211-8906, [5].
• Ocean Villa Condominiums by Waterstone Resorts, 10625 Front Beach Road, 1-800-211-8906, [6].
• Twin Palms Resort Condominiums by Waterstone Resorts, 10519 Front Beach Road, 1-800-211-8906, [7].

Get out

The following locations are less than a 3 hour drive away, perfect for a day trip:

• Appalachicola National Forest near Tallahassee.
• Florida Caverns State Park in Marianna.
• Destin, with 2 outlet malls for shopping and more great beaches.
• Tallahassee, the state capital.

This page was last edited by Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel. Based on work by George Miziuk, pbrahan@mac.com, David, Robert Gysi, darrell, Colin Jensen and Evan Prodromou, Wikitravel user(s) El captn, Infrogmation, Huttite and PierreAbbat, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others. - Content on this page is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 1.0 license