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Panama City is uniquely positioned to welcome visitors to Florida’s Gulf Coast: it sits along St. Andrews Bay on Florida’s Panhandle and is shielded from the open sea by its own barrier island. With multiple coastlines to explore paired with charming waterfront districts filled with local businesses, Panama City is a destination perfectly suited for travelers who want a dose of the coast and a charming town.
For visitors eager to dive in, this guide covers all the waterlogged adventures you can have in and around Panama City.
Fishing
Red snapper, grouper, cobia, flounder, and tripletail galore make up the underwater ecosystem near St. Andrews Bay, depending on the season and how far offshore you’re willing to go. If you’re looking to book a fishing charter, check out the various trip options available through Last Local Guide Service, Southern Saltwater Guide Services, and Panama City Inshore.
Boating and Floating
Floating on peaceful blue water is among the best ways to spend a vacation, and boat rentals in Panama City offer everything from high-speed jet skis to leisurely pontoon rentals and even kayaks. Check out Papa Joe’s for jet skis and pontoons, Beachy Boat Rentals for more pontoon options, or Glow Float for a nighttime adventure: they run glow-in-the-dark kayaking so you can float after dark.
Dolphin Tours
Bottlenose dolphins are year-round residents of St. Andrews Bay, so a dolphin sightseeing tour here is a must during your visit. Check out Heritage Excursions, Anchor Charters, and Flippin’ Awesome Charters, all of which run tours along the bay.
Snorkeling and Diving
Panama City sits along the Florida Panhandle Shipwreck Trail, with multiple accessible dive sites offshore. As you may guess, the Shipwreck Trail earned its name due to the vessels intentionally sunk here over the years that now host schools of amberjack, red snapper, and grouper. The USS Strength lies there, a WWII minesweeper that survived Iwo Jima and Okinawa, as well as The El Dorado, a former cruise ship beached by two hurricanes, and several other fascinating ships.
Shore diving is available at St. Andrews State Park, where the jetty draws goliath grouper and other fascinating sea creatures. Big Blue Dive Boat runs local charters.
Island Time: Shell Island 101
Shell Island is a seven-mile-long, undeveloped barrier island complete with a Gulf-front beach on one side, bay-side shallows on the other, and no permanent infrastructure anywhere on it. You can paddle over on a rented kayak or paddleboard, or groups often arrange a drop-off through a local charter or hop on the ferry that leaves from St. Andrews State Park.
For a full itinerary on the water and off, check out our guide.
| This article is presented in partnership with Destination Panama City, a Modern South Founding Partner.
