Panama City Beach

Post date: Feb 5, 2015 10:46:51 PM

We stayed at a very nice condo-overlooking a large resort pool & beach. We were on the 5th floor in a 23-story building.  We had 3-days of nice weather out of the week we were there.  Very windy & gray skies.  We didn't go to the pool or access the beach from the resort.  There was a $30 per day charge.  Please! Don't tell someone from California that you have to pay to access a beach.  Two of the nice weather days we walked next door to a closed restaurant and used their pier access to the beach.  As like the other Gulf towns we've visited, the sand was white, and the water was flat and calm.  Very pretty, but we miss the pounding waves against rocks.

We were not that impressed with the town.  It was one big amusement park, with race tracks, miniature golf, water parks, souvenir shops & beach shack restaurants.  Almost everything was "closed for the season"  I can only imagine the hundreds of people that will arrive during the season.  There was a newly built pier not too far from where we were staying, with restaurants, boutique shops, movie theater & a small amusement park. This area is very popular for Midwest & Eastern snow birds, so there were some people, but not crowded.

We did enjoy Panama City though.  Just a few miles south. It's a quaint little town, with a number of beautiful old preserved homes, small downtown square & a marina.  Lovely promenade along the water's edge. Much more to our liking. 

But the time spent there was relaxing.  Renee cooked a few dinners, we watched movies and enjoyed not driving. 

Speaking of driving - we're off to Gainesville!