Panama City, is on the Emerald Coast of Florida.

Understand

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.

Get in

By Plane

Panama City is served by the Northwest Florida International Airport (ECP  ^IATA) [1], off Florida State Road 388 about midway between State Roads 79 and 77. Delta Air Lines offers daily non-stop service from Atlanta with MD-88's; and Delta Connection has service from both Atlanta and Memphis with Canadair Regional Jets. Southwest Airlines has service from Baltimore, Houston Hobby, Nashville, and Orlando with Boeing 737's.

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.

By Bus

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

Get around

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

See

• Visual Arts Center, 19 E.4th Street, ☏ +1 850 769-4451. Tu,Th: 10am-8pm, We,Fr,Sa: 10am-6pm, Su,Mo: closed. 

• Ripley's Believe It or Not, 9907 Front Beach Rd, ☏ +1 850 230-6113. 

Do

• St. Andrews State Park, 4607 State Park Lane, ☏ +1 850 233-5140. 8am-sundown. $2 pedestrian, $8 vehicle up to 8 people. 

• Pine Log State Forest. 14 miles north of Panama City Beach, on State Road 79. 

Festivals

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Eat

• Black Angus Restaurant and Lounge, 4500 W Highway 98, ☏ +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. 

Sleep

See also Panama City Beach

• WaterSound Beach Rentals, 37 Compass Point Way S, toll-free: +1-888-541-0801. Santa Rosa Beach. 
• Aqua Resort by Waterstone Resorts, 15625 Front Beach Road, toll-free: +1-800-211-8906. 
• Calypso Resort & Towers by Waterstone Resorts, 15817 Front Beach Road, toll-free: +1-800-211-8906. 
• Emerald Isle Condominiums by Waterstone Resorts, 17545 Front Beach Road, toll-free: +1-800-211-8906. 
• Ocean Villa Condominiums by Waterstone Resorts, 10625 Front Beach Road, toll-free: +1-800-211-8906. 
• Suburban Extended Stay Hotel, 4432 W. Highway 98, ☏ +1 850 215-6655. 
• Twin Palms Resort Condominiums by Waterstone Resorts, 10519 Front Beach Road, toll-free: +1-800-211-8906. 
• Quality Inn & Suites, 3602 W Hwy 98, ☏ +1 850-522-5200. Check-in: 3pm, check-out: 11am. 
• American Quality Lodge, 4810 West Highway 98. 

Go next

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

• Apalachicola 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.
• Falling Waters State Park - just north of Panama City on Hwy 77 in Chipley, you will find this State Park an amazing site. With sinkholes and a Waterfall which you can walk down into, this is a great location to visit for the day or even camp over night.

Routes through Panama City

Pensacola ← Fort Walton Beach ←	W  E	→ Mexico Beach → Lakeland
Montgomery ← Dothan ←	N  S	→ END