1. St. Andrews State Park
Hours: 8 a.m. until sundown, every day
Address: 4607 State Park Lane, Panama City Beach FL 32408
Contact No: +1 850-708-6100
Activities: Fishing, Camping, Canoeing, Pontoon Boat Tours and Shuttles to Shell Island, Bird watching, Hiking, Surfing, Snorkelling and Cycling
Amenities: Visitor Centre, Picnic area with tables
Parking Availability: Yes
Restroom Facilities: Yes
Paid Entry: Yes.
Pets allowed: Yes
Disabled Friendly: No information available
An excellent 1200-acre park with a beautiful beach located 3 miles east of Panama City. The beach is generally uncrowded and hence an excellent destination to relax and revitalize. There are plenty of picnic tables to sit and enjoy a family brunch. It is a natural preserve area where you can go boating via Pontoon boat hires or enjoy fishing. There are shuttles available to Shell Island except on Mondays and Sundays. There are 2 fishing piers available for fishing activities.
The park is a preferred venue for weddings and celebrations. The place is also famous for Swimming, Hiking, Cycling, Surfing, Paddling, Scuba diving, Snorkelling, and Camping. There are 60 well-equipped campsites with modern amenities situated in the pinewoods near the Lagoon. Advance reservations are advised for campsites. The park has restroom facilities, and there is ample parking available onsite.
2. Shipwreck Island
Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM
Days open 2021: Open last three Saturdays and Sundays of May. Daily operations from May 22 to August 8; followed by the next three Saturdays and Sundays in August; and the Saturday, Sunday, and Monday of Labor Day Weekend, with a tentative date of Saturday, Sept. 11th.
Address: 12201 Hutchison Blvd, Panama City Beach, FL 32407, United States
Contact No: +1 850-234-3333
Activities: Water rides, Shopping, and Birthday Celebrations
Amenities: Picnic tables, Gazebos, Food and Beverage, Paid Locker facility, Changing rooms
Parking Availability: Yes
Restroom Facilities: Yes
Paid Entry: Yes.
Pets allowed: Yes
Disabled Friendly: No information available
Restrictions: No food, no beverages, and no coolers are allowed to be brought into the park.
This is a fantastic fun-filled pretty out-doorsy waterpark with thrilling waterslides, wave pools, stunning water rides, and many more. For more information on the list of rides. A perfect destination for thrill and excitement seekers. Kids love this place for its variety of fun things to do. This waterpark is also a common venue for Birthday celebrations during the summer. Visitors are allowed to bring U.S. Coast Guard-approved floatation devices.
The park has lounge chairs all over, picnic tables, gazebos, and umbrella tables. The park has a shopping area, and a good variety of Food and Beverage options are available on site. The park offers restroom facilities and provided ample parking space onsite. The park also has paid locker facilities.
3. Gulf World
Hours: 10 AM to 3 PM every day
Address: 15412 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, FL 32413, United States
Contact No: +1 850-234-5271
Activities: Sea Animal shows, exhibits, encounters, interactive shows, Bird shows, VIP experiences, Night tours
Amenities: Souvenir Shop, Food and Beverage, Restrooms with Baby-Changing facilities
Parking Availability: Yes
Restroom Facilities: Yes
Paid Entry: Yes.
Pets allowed: No information available
Disabled Friendly: Yes
Restrictions: Outside food, drinks, and coolers are not permitted. Although, you are allowed to bring swimsuits, strollers, wagons, extra clothing, and baby food.
Wanna go swimming with the Dolphins??? How about a rough-toothed Dolphin? The Gulf World is the only place nationwide where you can swim with a rough-toothed Dolphin!
The Gulf world hosts 3 interactive daily animal shows and seasonal exhibits. Come watch the Dolphins, Sea Lions, Sharks, and Turtles as they perform an amazing array of playful moves and activities guided by their trainers. You can also get to feed and pet the Stingrays. You can meet and interact with the birds, dogs, cats, and reptiles. Get some ideas on training your pets at home and watch the birds fly a wind machine live on stage.
The place offers a variety of interactive programs along with special VIP experiences. There is also an overnight Snooze with the Sea program, which offers a nighttime tour of the park to learn about the nocturnal behavior of the sea animals and loads of other nighttime fun.
The facility offers animal encounters and swims with different packages available. There is a professional Photo Center where you can buy photo packages. The park has multiple eateries onsite and a souvenir shop selling beach-themed jewelry, unique gifts, décor, swimsuits, and so on.
4. Camp Helen State Park
Hours: 8 a.m. until sunset, 365 days a year
Address: 23937 Panama City Beach Parkway, Panama City Beach FL 32413
Contact No: +1 850-233-5059
Activities: Bird watching, Swimming, Paddling, Beachcombing, Hiking, Fishing, Scheduled Guided Nature walks, and History tours.
Amenities: Visitor Center, Picnic facilities with tables and grills,
Parking Availability: Yes
Restroom Facilities: Yes
Paid Entry: Yes; $4 per vehicle. $2 per pedestrian or bicyclist. The honor box should be used to pay the entry charges.
Pets allowed: Service animals are allowed
Disabled Friendly: Yes
The park is the largest coastal dune lake in Florida, spanning 180 acres along the Gulf of Mexico and Lake Powell. It is a historical site with interpretive exhibits explaining the history and details of human settlements in the area 400 years ago. The park is a perfect and quiet spot for family picnics with plenty of picnic tables with grill facilities. You can swim, fish, paddle, or sit down idly and watch the local wildlife, reminiscing in the beauty of nature.
5. ZooWorld Zoological and Botanical Conservatory
Hours: 9.30 AM to 4 PM every day
Address: 9008 Front Beach Rd, Panama City Beach, FL 32407, United States
Contact No: +1 850-230-1243
Activities: Animal encounters, feeding experiences, and other unique experiences
Parking Availability: Yes
Restroom Facilities: Yes
Paid: Yes; Adults $19.95, Seniors (65+) $18.95, Children (2-12) $13.95, Under 2s go free.
Pets allowed: No
Disabled Friendly: No
Restrictions: No food or drink may be brought into the park.
Not in the mood to hit the beaches??? Head to this Zoological park to experience a different facet of nature – Wildlife.
Located in Panama City Beach, the ZooWorld is home to exotic animals from all over the world. Here, you can have different types of unique experiences as listed below:
Pet Sloths
Visit the African crested Porcupine nursery,
Play with the Goats,
Kiss a Giraffe,
Feed or Hold an Alligator,
Snuggle a Lemur,
Watch Crane Breeding.
Enjoy the thrill of interactive Lion exhibits, and
Meet the other variety of wildlife, up close.
If that is not enough, then the place proceeds to bring out the lumberjack in you with a Hatchet throwing experience. The place offers a unique experience called ‘Breakfast with the birds’, which gives you access to the park in the early hours to enjoy watching birds as they start their day with some specially planned itinerary. Check it out here. The place also hosts birthday parties and is known for its Cajun Christmas Event.
Taking it all further, the park also offers booking 10-day guided Kenya Safari Tours with complete Itinerary planning.
