Panama City Beach has seen such tremendous growth lately, sometimes it’s hard to remember how things used to be before Pier Park and numerous other exciting additions became fixtures on our community landscape. One thing’s for certain, Panama City Beach is fast becoming one of America’s hottest travel destinations. Thanks to the international airport opening in May and an unlimited number of new dining, lodging and shopping options popping up at every turn, Panama City Beach will be almost unrecognizable from the small traditional beach town it once was. Of course, the laid-back, southern vibe will remain, and thankfully Panama City Beach will always be…well, Panama City Beach. Here’s a look at some of the best lodging, attractions, nightlife, dining and shopping – from the perspective of Panama City Beach both old and new.
Panama City Beach Yesterday
- Best Place to Stay – Regency Towers
- Best Place to Eat – Captain Anderson’s
- Best Place to Party – Club La Vela
- Best Place to Shop – Alvin’s Island Magic Mountain Store
- Best Family-Friendly Attraction – Miracle Strip Amusement Park
Panama City Beach Today
- Best Place to Stay – Legacy-by-the-Sea Resort
- Best Place to Eat – Captain Anderson’s
- Best Place to Party – Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge at Pier Park
- Best Place to Shop – Pier Park
- Best Family-Friendly Attraction – Shipwreck Island Water Park
Bear in mind that these are just a few of the fantastic ways to have fun and enjoy Panama City Beach and that there are far too many to mention on one small list! Some of the old favorites are sadly no longer around, but the possibilities for the future are endless. What’s your pick? Do you have a favorite Panama City Beach restaurant or a place that you always stay on your Panama City Beach vacation? Do you remember somewhere from long ago that you wished was still here? Share your opinion – I’d love to know what you consider the best of Panama City Beach!
PCBDaily 
The best places to stay today are generally the older condos, like The Summit. Many of the newer condos don’t have the space for large pool decks and other amenities.
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We stay at Celadon Beach Resort on the west end…a quiet family atmosphere.
I am starting to like the Boatyard better that Captain A’s
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Tidewater for lodging and Firefly for dining…
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Im fond of Calypso for lodging, right across the street from Pier Park. My favorite PCB dining is Scampis, man they have good food.
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Best place to stay is Emarald Beach and the Best place for ribs is Pineapple Willys although the food quality hasnt been as good as it used to, and for fun place to eat is Shuckems,I love that place.Cant wait to get back down to P.C.B. in 2010.
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Our favorite dining used to be Hamilton’s, with Pineapple Willy’s on the must dine list. Hamilton’s is gone, and the last couple times at Pineapple Willy’s weren’t as good as they used to be. Our favorite place to stay is still Long Beach – love the large views and big pool.
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I agree with Sherry on Dining: Firefly
For Lodging: Splash is in a great location, family-fun amenities and atmosphere
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My favorite places to eat are Boatyard (new trendy menu), Scampi’s (grilled shrimp) Hammerhead Fred’s (cold beer and good shrimp) I like most of the places at Pier Park too.
My favorite place to stay is Watercrest. They’ve done a good job updating everything. The units are HUGE! They have plenty of elevators and parking. I rented thru VRBO. I wouldn’t use an agency since you don’t know what floor you’ll end up on and can’t be sure it’s updated but the unit we stayed at was very nice. The balcony was huge and it was family friendly. They have a nice exercise room with sauna, a nice hot tub outside and a very clean pool. The beach isn’t over run with people. It was expensive to rent chairs out on the beach. They were $140 per week but the people who ran it were very nice. They moved my umbrella several times each day. Some of the older places don’t seem to be as well built as Watercrest. I couldn’t find anything to complain about!
I’ll never go back to Front Beach Road. They made me wear a stupid ID bracelet for the pool, which I lost and had to pay for a new one. The parking was a nightmare and the traffic noise of the road wasn’t all that we heard. We could hear people coming and going all night.
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