House Rentals & Condos in Panama City Beach

1. By plane

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is located near West Bay, north of Panama City Beach. It is the nearest place that visitors from various parts of the world can fly into. Visitors can use Southwest and Delta to get to the airport. From there, guests can rent vehicles to get to Panama City. Alternatively, the airport's shuttle companies are available.

2. By car

Guests to Panama City Beach from the west use I-10 that leads to highway 98 at Pensacola where you can drive straight to the city. If you are from the north, take I-65, at Mobile, switch to either I-10 or I-75 and then turn at Lake City.

3. By bus

Travelers taking the bus use Thomas Drive. Walk to Front Beach Rd. and Wilkinson Ave. And wait for the bus that rides to Hutchison Blvd. and Clarence St. (Walmart). From Hutchison Boulevard, walk to Panama City Beach in 8 minutes.

4. By train

Guests from Miami can take the train to Fort Lauderdale. From Fort Lauderdale Airport, fly to Panama City Beach where you will land at Panama City Beach Airport. From there you can hire a car to drive to your holiday rental.

Panama City Beach's dining scene covers it all, be it gourmet bistros, casual surfside restaurants, and cafés with vegan and gluten-free options. Leading the way is the award-winning landmark Capt. Anderson's Restaurant, which works closely with local fishermen to bring you fresh delicacies straight off the boat. Don't miss its jumbo shrimp or oysters.

Osaka Japanese Hibachi Steakhouse & Sushi Bar offers authentic Japanese fare made from locally sourced ingredients. Try their shrimp, scallop, lobster, and beef dishes. Serving locals since 1979, The Back Porch Seafood & Oyster House beckons for its unique ice-cold oyster preparations, and delicious smoked tuna dip.

For a selection of national and international cuisines, look no further than the restaurants at Pier Park. Longhorn Steakhouse's signature steaks are as good as it gets, while Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville serves Gulf Coast and American classics from breezy sea-facing decks, with live music to boot.

Panama City Beach has a subtropical climate where summers can get hot and humid. Owing to school vacations, summer is one of the peak seasons along with spring, when college students descend on the city from all over the United States. With chances of thunderstorms, fall is a quieter period, but you're more likely to score a gorgeous oceanfront vacation rental in Panama City Beach during the off season.

As one of the world's most beautiful beaches, Panama City Beach thrills visitors with its white sands and deep blue waters. You can find historic and artificial reefs here, as well as an extensive array of beautiful marine life that call the reefs home. The Gulf World Marine Park is a great family destination. Its live shows feature birds, dolphins, sea lions, and even reptiles.

Take advantage of the water sport activities that are on offer here. There's parasailing, charter fishing trips, pontoon boat rentals, jet ski rentals, banana boat rides, and more. Tour agencies arrange for underwater photography trips, snorkeling, dolphin cruises, and diving-and-dinner water cruises. Pier Park in the city center is a hit with families, with its outdoor mall, fun zones, clothing shops, and snack food options.

Look beyond the beaches for artistic inspiration in PCB. Paintings, film, writing, sculpture, and even music await at the downtown Panama City Center for the Arts, where you can also buy gifts made by local artists. The Bay County Historical Museum gives visitors a glimpse into what life in this region was like 100 years ago. Highlights include a barber shop, historical vehicles, and a living room recreated in 1930s decor.

The city is also fast becoming a performing arts mecca. The Marina Civic Center, with its bay views, is a must if you fancy Broadway spectacles, orchestral performances, and shows by international artists. Originally built in 1936, Martin Theatre has been restored as a popular community arts venue. It hosts film screenings, concerts, and even special dinner nights.

Panama City Beach has earned its place as a family-friendly destination thanks to an abundance of museums and parks. Gulf World Marine Park is an unforgettable experience where kids can swim with dolphins, and interact with stingrays, penguins, sea turtles, and sea lions. It's just across the road from the main stretch of beach, where you can head for some time in the sand and surf afterward.

WonderWorks is an indoor amusement park featuring more than 100 hands-on exhibits which combine wacky fun and educational insights. Exhibits include sleeping on a bed of 3,500 nails, an indoors ropes course, or being blown away by a hurricane! Kids wll enjoy activities like exploring a submarine and discovering the history of diving at the Man And The Sea Museum. There's also a collection of artifacts from shipwrecks dating back to the 1500s.

Panama City Beach is a true year-round destination for water sports enthusiasts. Saint Andrew Bay's clear blue waters are perfect for a round of leisurely paddleboarding or kayaking. If you're looking to get the adrenaline going, try some kiteboarding or sailing classes with experienced instructors. There's also offshore snorkeling and scuba diving expeditions if you want to go even further.

There's plenty of great day trip ideas just a short jaunt from PCB. Camp Helen State Park will charm you with its clean beaches, well-marked trails weaving through dunes, and scrub oak forests. Enjoy fishing and boating in this ecological wonder. St. Andrews State Park is one of Florida's most popular parks, where vacationers can snorkel by the jetty and be awed by the multi-hued marine life here. Look out for migratory birds, deer and alligator here, and don't forget your digital devices to capture the action.

PCB's beach setting and climate allow for an array of festivities throughout the year. The festive calendar kicks off with the Panama City Beach Mardi Gras and Music Festival, where you'll experience crawfish boils, barbecues, and a multitude of other events reflecting the area's rich heritage. Schooners Lobster Festival & Tournament, held in October, is a week-long extravaganza of food, live music, and diving tournaments dedicated to the local clawed crustacean.

The year ends with the spectacular New Year's Eve Beach Ball Drop, where a glowing ball is lowered from the sky atop the Celebration Tower. Festivities and fireworks continue at the beautifully lit Russell-Fields Pier which extends about a quarter of a mile into the Gulf of Mexico. Vacation rentals fill up quickly during this period, so make sure to book yours in advance for all the fun.