|
PANAMA CITY BEACH VACATION RENTALS, FLORIDA |
 |
 |
|
Outdoor Recreation in Panama City Beach |
| |
| Beaches, water sports, adventure parks and fishing make up the action in Panama City Beach. And, all the adventurous vacationers as well as those looking for some peace and quiet in the midst of nature's creations will find their vacation in their Panama City Beach vacation rentals perfect for relaxing in after a tired, but exhilirating day out in the great outdoors. |
| |
|
St. Andrews State Park
Shell Island
Fishing
Diving |
|
 |
| |
| St. Andrews State Park |
Awarded the title of ‘The World’s Best Beach’ by Travel Magazine, the 1.5 mile of sugary white sand and aqua blue waters of St. Andrews State Park is a popular spot for all kinds of water sports including surfing, snorkeling, scuba-diving, swimming and fishing. Besides water sports, the park also has nature trails for those interested in taking a hike or marveling at nature’s bounty from close quarters. Among the various nature trails, the Gator Trail allows you to spot alligators, a variety of water fowl, birds and other small animals while the Blue Heron Trails lets you observe varied species of plants ranging from pine flat woods and sand pine scrub to freshwater and saltwater marshes.
Bird watchers will particularly find the park a delightful place as they might just chance upon spotting some of the most unique species of herons and egrets such as the common egret, cattle egret and snowy egret. The admission to the St. Andrews State Park is $5 per vehicle and for pedestrians, bicyclists, extra passengers and passengers in vehicles with an Annual Individual Entrance Permit; the admission fee is $1. The timings of the park are from 8 AM to sunset. |
| |
| Shell Island |
| Besides the various water sports and nature trails, St. Andrews State Park is also home to one of the City’s most popular attraction – the Shell Island. The undeveloped and pristine barrier island just across the mainland is part of St. Andrews State Park and features the world’s highest concentrations of bottle-nosed dolphins. You can snorkel or go scuba diving to unearth a variety of other marine creatures such as the stone crab, horseshoe crab, ghost crab, sea hare, jelly fish and the star fish. There’s a shuttle running every half hour, 7 days a week from 9 AM to 5 PM between St. Andrews Park and the Shell Island. There’s a concession boat on the island from Memorial Day through Labor Day. |
| |
| Fishing |
Beckoning all anglers are the gorgeous beaches of Panama City Beach, which offers plenty of opportunities for fishing. St. Andrews State Park is ideal for deep-sea jetty and surf fishing and features two fishing piers, jetties and a convenient boat ramp. Spanish mackerel, red fish, sea trout, bonito, cobia and bluefish are some of the popular catches found here. For the best angling, book your Panama City Beach condo for the Spring and Fall season.
The Dan Russell Pier, also known as the City Pier is another great place for the anglers. Though the beach is wide and open with plenty of good spots, it’s a good idea to get here early as it tends to get crowded. For spectators above the age of 6 the admission fee is $1 and free for visitors below the age of 6. For anglers over 12 years of age the fee is $5 and for those who are 12 years and younger it is $2.
There’s a limit of 3-rod if you intend to buy your pass on daily basis. You can even purchase season passes for 1 month for $30, 3 months for $60, and 6 months for $70 or 12 months for $105; however the season passes also follow the 3-rod limit and the cost is same for both the spectators and the fishers. For bottom fishing and trolley fishing you can always contact one of the outfitters such as Panama Fishing Charters that organizes fishing trips and takes you right into the middle of the action. |
| |
| Diving |
There’s a lot in store for the divers vacationing in the Panama City Beach beach houses and other vacation rentals, as it home to many historical wrecks and is the second most explored Florida dive destination. Dive in to discover the Gulf of Mexico’s most famous wreck, the 465 ft Empire Mica in Panama, explore a 441-feet World War II Liberty ship or the 160-feet Coastal Freighter the Chippewa.
Besides exploring historic wrecks, you also have the option of exploring the fascinating underwater life. What was once initiated as a program for artificial reef building as now turned Panama City Beach into a breeding ground for a variety of fish, corals and sea life. There are more than 25 artificial reef sites including the Fountainbleau, Well Stream Sites and Bailey Ridge Rubble. The two jetties at St. Andrews Recreation Area are ideal for beginners as the water is shallow and there’s no boat traffic thereby providing a safe and exciting point for learning diving. From April through September is the best time of the year for diving in Panama City Beach. |
| |
| |
| Previous |
|
| |
|
| |
|
