Panama City Beach

[stryg8r]

I'm heading down to PCB with the family after the 4th. Its been a few years since I've been there. Where's the best place to get some good seafood? And are there any recommended tourist type things to see...or avoid?

We're staying at a place across the bay from St. Andrews state park.

Derek

 

[donaldb]

.....are there any recommended tourist type things to see...?
We're staying at a place across the bay from St. Andrews state park.

Derek

yea..................boobs!

they are worth the trip from MN

 

[my2dogs]

I'm heading down to PCB with the family after the 4th. Its been a few years since I've been there. Where's the best place to get some good seafood? And are there any recommended tourist type things to see...or avoid?
We're staying at a place across the bay from St. Andrews state park.

Derek

Best places are the local owned establishments. Great food and drinks try Schooners on Gulf Dr which is about 2 miles down the beach from St. Andrews Park

https://www.schooners.com/

Another great seafood and Cajun based food joint is th Calypso Cafe on the west end of front beach road.

https://www.calypsobeachcafe.com/

If you get a chance ride west on front beach road for about 25 miles to Seaside, Fl. Great little resort community.

https://www.floridainfo.com/travel/stories/seaside.htm

If you see a blue 06 FJR with AL plates riding around laden with bags and large breasted petite women on the back it will be me. We have property close to Ebro and ride down at least every other weekend. We are in Dothan, AL.

 

[stryg8r]

If you see a blue 06 FJR with AL plates riding around laden with bags and large breasted petite women on the back it will be me. We have property close to Ebro and ride down at least every other weekend. We are in Dothan, AL.

Thanks for the info.

I'll keep an eye out for your bike! It shouldn't be hard to find. Exactly how many women can you get on your bike at one time?

 

[wfooshee]

Depending on budget, there's tons of good food around here. This is one of those places that claims to have more restaurants per capita than anyplace else in the world. Dunno about that, because lots of towns make that claim, but we have a few.

Captain Anderson's and Angelo's Steak Pit are the ultra-promoted must-do tourist restaurants, and they are actually pretty good. Captain Anderson's also has a dinner cruise with an all-you-can-eat buffet on board, and music and dancing. Kids are OK on the boat, but they might get bored. Cruise runs from about sunset to 10:30 or 11:00, I think. Also, the Boar's Head (on front beach road just west of Hwy 79) has very good food, with prime rib a specialty.

Here's a "guide" I found on the interweb: clicky

Cross the bridge into town, you'll find the Captain's Table in St. Andrews, along with Uncle Ernie's a block over, overlooking the marina.

The trip west along Hwy 30A to Seaside is worthwhile. Don't expect to be zipping along at 80 miles per hour through there, though. Can get congested.

There's a nice water park right in the middle of the strip, good for a day's use: water slides, wave pool, etc. We also have a very good marine animal show at Gulf World, and if you still have money, go see the Believe it or Not! museum.

You said family. Don't let the kids spend all day in the sun, "because they have to take a tan back home." They will fry, then suffer, then itch, then peel, and all they'll take home is blistered patches of raw skin. SPF 50 is your friend. Insist on it. The sun here is different. Count on it. Even when it's cloudy. You've been warned.

BTW, I'm local, drop a PM when you're around. If we can get through each other's accents, maybe we can find sumthin ta do.

 

[stryg8r]

Thanks for the info wfoosheee!

I was stationed at Tyndall during the 80's. Back then Captain Anderson's was one of the best places to eat. Good to hear they're still in business. One of the things I miss being in Minnesota is fresh seafood.

Is Shell Island still relatively uncrowded?

Is that old wooden fishing pier still open at Mexico beach? We used to fish off that pier all night catching blues, trout, and the occasional flounder or shark.

Is there anything to see at Pier Park? I've seen it advertised but look to be just another mall.

Good advice on the tan. It's easy to get lobster red in the Florida sun after a Minnesota winter. Those gentle sea breeze's keep you deceptively cool.

Ya sure, you betchca. I'll shoot you a PM when we get there. We could probably understand each other. I grew up in Jax and haven't picked up too much of a Minnesota accent, don't cha know.

 

[flapsup]

I've been up and down US98 monthly since 1992 between Tallahassee and Pensacola. PCB ain't the place you remember! Lot's more people and traffic, but the beaches are still clean and the food is still good! Enjoy!!!

 

[wfooshee]

No piers left in the gulf, a bit of looseness in the pilings after Opal, Ivan, etc. As a matter of fact, Pier Park is called Pier Park because of the pier that's not there any more. Pier Park is retail space, a giant mega-cinemaplex, a mall (not even fully open, yet), and expensive restaurants. Worth driving through, if you're in the neighborhood and carrying disposable income.

Mexico Beach is still pretty quiet, but development is starting, a couple of super-complexes have gone up since you were at Tyndall, but nothing high-rise. The paper mill at Port St. Joe is gone, and they want to build some kind of super development there.

 

[Fencer]

I took the family to Shell Island last summer. Its very quiet.

I would recommend renting a pontoon boat rather than the ferry (if there are a few of you (we had 5) It was just as cheap and we could fish along the way or leave the island when we wanted to.

Best price we found was a rental place located in the state park.