The Panhandle
We’ve compiled the best of the best in The Panhandle - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
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1. Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park
On the east end of the island are 9 miles of undeveloped beaches and dunes—the longest beachfront of any Florida state park. On the Gulf side, there's plenty of room to spread out and make a day of it sunning, swimming, picnicking, and watching shorebirds dart about as you walk at the waterline. Sandy coves, salt marshes, oak forests, and pines provide shelter for many birds, including bald eagles and ospreys on the bay side. Pavilions throughout the park offer spotless restrooms and plentiful parking. Boaters are welcome, as are campers, but the sites fill up quickly, so you'll need to reserve one in advance. Amenities: parking; showers; toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.
1900 E. Gulf Beach Dr., St. George Island, Florida, 32328, USA850-927–2111Sight Details
Rate Includes: $6 per vehicle -
2. Grayton Beach State Park
One of the Gulf Coast's most scenic spots, this 2,220-acre park is composed primarily of untouched Florida woodlands within the Coastal Lowlands region. It also has salt marshes; rolling dunes covered with sea oats; crystal-white sand and contrasting blue-green waters; and Western Lake, a 100-acre rare dune lake that you can explore by canoe and kayak (rentals are available). Other offerings include facilities for swimming, fishing, and snorkeling; an elevated boardwalk that winds over the dunes to the beach; and walking trails around the marsh and into the piney woods. Note that the "bushes" you see are actually the tops of full-size slash pines and Southern magnolias, which have been partially buried by the shifting dunes. Thirty fully equipped cabins and a campground provide overnight options. Accessible cabins, campsites, and beach access are also available. Amenities: parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; sunrise; sunset; walking.
357 Main Park Rd., Grayton Beach, Florida, 32459, USA850-267–8300Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5 per vehicle; $2 pedestrians/cyclists -
3. St. Andrews State Park
At the southeastern tip of Panama City Beach, the hotels, condos, and traffic taper off, and a pristine, 1,260-acre park appears, offering a peek at what the entire beach area was like before development arrived. Although swimming is a very popular activity here, the waters around the park also are ideal for fishing, snorkeling, paddling, and surfing. A rock jetty creates a calm, shallow play area that's perfect for young children, and you can hike clearly marked nature trails. You'll also find camping facilities (including glamping tents), a snack bar, and rental concessions. In high season, board a ferry to Shell Island, a 700-acre barrier island in the Gulf of Mexico with still more stretches of pristine beach, as well as piney woods that attract butterflies and migrating birds. Amenities: food and drink; parking; toilets; water sports. Best for: surfing; swimming; sunset; walking.
4607 State Park La., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32408, USA850-708–6100Sight Details
Rate Includes: $8 per vehicle, up to 8 people -
4. Air Force Armament Museum
The collection at this museum just outside the Eglin Air Force Base's main gate contains interactive displays and more than 5,000 armaments from World Wars I and II and the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf wars. Included are uniforms, engines, weapons, aircraft, and flight simulators. You can't miss the museum: there's a squadron of aircraft—including a B-17 Flying Fortress, an SR-71 Blackbird, a B-52, and a B-25—on the grounds in front. A continuously playing 32-minute movie, Arming the Future, features current weapons and Eglin's history and its role in their development. You can take a self-guided tour, and you're allowed to take photos.
100 Museum Dr. (Rte. 85), Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 32542, USA850-882–4062Sight Details
Rate Includes: Free, Closed Sun. -
5. Camp Helen State Park
This state park is small—only 180 acres—and only open in the daytime, but its location can't be beat. It's on the shores of Lake Powell, the area's largest coastal dune lake and a great place to kayak, paddleboard, or fish (you'll need a license). The park was also once a retreat for employees of Avondale Textile Mills, and the lodge and some of the original cabins have been restored and are used as venues for weddings and meetings. The bucolic surroundings are good for bird-watching, but the main draw may be the beautiful, powdery beach. It's a ½-mile hike down to the sands, but this means you're almost guaranteed to find peace. Amenities: parking. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.
23937 Panama City Beach Pkwy., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413, USA850-233–5059Sight Details
Rate Includes: $4 per vehicle; $2 per person for pedestrians or bicyclists -
Recommended Fodor’s Video
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6. Carillon Beach
BeachYou're likely to find absolute solitude at the powdery beach of this planned community west of Panama City Beach proper. Public parking is available at the entrance to the development, and then it's a several-block stroll to one of the seven over-dune walkways. You'll expend some effort, but it's worth it if you want to find a groomed beach without crowds. The development has several restaurants, but the only on-beach services are for members only. Amenities: restrooms. Best for: solitude; swimming; walking.
100 Market St., Carillon Beach, Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413, USA -
7. Crab Island
This sandbar in Destin's East Pass, just north of the Destin (aka Marler) Bridge, is favored by locals, who drop anchor or wade in by the hundreds on fair-weather days, especially weekends. Area businesses offer boat and other rentals. People are friendly, so it's a great place to make new buddies, and the shallow waters are good for families. A food barge as well as slides and other water activities are available seasonally. Amenities: food and drink; water sports. Best for: partiers; snorkeling; swimming.
Destin, Florida, USA -
8. Destin History and Fishing Museum
To understand why Destin calls itself the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village," visit this museum, and meet the descendants of the 19th-century New England families who transformed the land from winter fishing ground to major tourist attraction. In addition to historic and genealogical data on Destin's founding families, there are displays of antique boats and tackle and an impressive gallery of fish mounts. Knowledgeable guides can explain to everyone from small children to science scholars why the sand on Florida's Emerald Coast is so white.
108 Stahlman Ave., Destin, Florida, 32541, USA850-837–6611Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5, Closed Sun. and Mon. -
9. Eden Gardens State Park
If you can tear yourself away from the sand and sea, there's a lovely green alternative just a few miles inland at the restored home of lumber magnate William Henry Wesley. Tours of the mansion are given throughout the day, and furnishings inside the spacious rooms date from as far back as the 17th century. The surrounding grounds—the perfect setting for a picnic—are beautiful year-round, but they're nothing short of spectacular in mid-March, when the azaleas and dogwoods are in full bloom.
181 Eden Gardens Rd., Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, 32454, USA850-267–8320Sight Details
Rate Includes: $4 per vehicle; house tours $4, House closed Tues. and Wed. -
10. Eglin Air Force Base Reservation
Some of the 250,000 acres of the Eglin reservation are conditionally open to the public for hiking, mountain biking, swimming, canoeing, and fishing. To gain access, you must obtain a permit from the Natural Resource Division (also known locally as the Jackson Guard). The reservation has 21 ponds and plenty of challenging, twisting, wooded trails.
107 Rte. 85 N, Niceville, Florida, 32758, USA850-882-4165Sight Details
Rate Includes: Closed Sun. -
11. Gulf World Marine Park
This park is a winner with kids thanks to things like alligator and otter exhibits; educational chats and shows featuring dolphins, sharks, and birds; and a tropical garden. The stingray-petting pool and the shark-feeding and scuba demonstrations are big crowd pleasers, and the old favorites—performing sea lions, otters, and bottlenose dolphins—still hold their own. For an additional fee, you can participate in the interactiveTrainer for a Day program or one of the swim-with-the-dolphins experiences. Gulf World is also home to the Gulf World Marine Institute, dedicated to sea turtle and marine mammal rescue, rehabilitation, and release.
15412 Front Beach Rd., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413, USA850-234–5271Sight Details
Rate Includes: $33 -
12. Gulfarium
A beloved local attraction since 1955, this marine adventure park is home to dolphins, otters, penguins, alligators, harbor seals, and sharks. In addition to a range of exhibits, there are daily dolphin and sea lion shows, penguin and otter chats, and premium animal encounters including a VIP Trainer Experience and interactive swims or feedings. The Gulfarium is also home to the C.A.R.E. Center, which rescues and rehabilitates injured sea turtles and, when possible, releases them back into the wild.
1010 Miracle Strip Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 32548, USA850-243–9046Sight Details
Rate Includes: $29, animal encounters extra -
13. Heritage Park and Cultural Center
Local Indigenous peoples built a large mound here that is one of the largest prehistoric earthworks on saltwater. The site, which was a center of religious, political, and social activity, is still considered a sacred burial ground. A small museum explains the mound and the people who built it; displays of artifacts and weaponry and hands-on exhibits shed more light on the area's inhabitants between AD 700 and 1500. Admission includes entry to the museum, as well as a restored post office and schoolhouse on the site.
139 Miracle Strip Pkwy. SE (U.S. 98), Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 32548, USA850-833–9595Sight Details
Rate Includes: $5, Closed Sun. and Mon. -
14. John Beasley Park
This tranquil, seaside, county park rests among the rolling dunes on Okaloosa Island. Two dune walkovers lead to the beach, where there are a dozen covered picnic tables, pavilions, changing rooms, and freshwater showers—plus lifeguards in summer. The city's hottest nightlife is just down the road, but families can enjoy the scenic beauty. There is also an emphasis on wheelchair beach access. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking; showers; toilets. Best for: sunset; swimming; walking.
1550 Miracle Strip Pkwy., Fort Walton Beach, Florida, 32548, USASight Details
Rate Includes: Free -
15. Mexico Beach
Just over 30 miles east of Panama City, along scenic U.S. 98, is Mexico Beach, known for seclusion and a slower pace than its neighbors to the west. Although there aren't a lot of attractions, there is at least one of everything—gas station, grocery store, restaurant—so the comforts of home aren't too far away. Plus, it's a rare delight to see the Gulf unobstructed by houses and hotels. Although the town itself was destroyed in 2018 after a direct hit from Hurricane Michael, it has made quite a comeback and welcomes visitors with completely rebuilt or refurbished amenities, including several accommodations whose boat docks provide easy to access Gulf waters. In addition, the 5 miles of Gulf beaches along U.S. 98 have been fortified, and new dune walkovers are in place, greatly expanding beach access. Amenities: parking. Best for: solitude; swimming.
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16. Panama City Beach
With nearly 100 access points along 27 miles of the sugary white sand and jewel-green waters for which the Emerald Coast is known, it's easy to find a place to sunbathe or swim on Panama City Beach. It still attracts the spring-break crowd, but the atmosphere is far less rowdy and much more family-focused these days, and the tradeoff for all the high-rises is an abundance of places to stay, play, and feast—you won't easily get bored or go hungry here. If, however, you're planning to drive to the beach, note that there are only four public parking lots. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: partiers; swimming; walking.
Front Beach Rd., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413, USA800-722–3224 -
17. Panama City Beach Conservation Park
Nature Preserve/Wildlife RefugeAlmost 3,000 acres of forest and wetlands have been set aside for this city-owned park at the edge of Panama City Beach. Some 24 miles of trails and boardwalks offer ample opportunities for walking and biking, and they connect to the Gayle's Trails system of bike paths around Panama City Beach. A visitor center offers clean restrooms and drinking water as well as a classroom for occasional programs.
100 Conservation Dr., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413, USA -
18. Pier Park
On a huge swath of land that was once an amusement park, this open-air, 900,000-square-foot entertainment complex creates the "downtown" that Panama City Beach otherwise lacks. Shopping ( www.simon.com/mall/pier-park) is a major draw, with large anchors such as Dillard's and Target, as well as specialty stores like Ron Jon Surf Shop. But there are loads of other attractions, too: the 200-foot-high Sky Wheel, the 16-screen Grand IMAX theater, a Dave & Buster's, laser tag. Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Tootsie's Orchid Lounge, and other clubs and restaurants keep things hopping after dark. Pier Park is also the site of festivals, holiday celebrations, and other special events throughout the year.
600 Pier Park Dr., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32413, USA850-236–9979 -
19. Shipwreck Island Waterpark
Open each summer, this 15-acre water park has 3 million gallons' worth of splashing-good fun for all ages—from speedy slides and tubes to a giant wave pool to the slow-moving Lazy River. Oddly enough, admission is based on height (whether you are over or under 50 inches), with those under 35 inches entering for free. Wear water shoes or flip-flops to protect your feet on the hot pavement.
12201 Hutchison Blvd., Panama City Beach, Florida, 32407, USA850-234–3333Sight Details
Rate Includes: $50, Closed Sept.–Apr.
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