What's This About Panama City, Florida?

Let Me Tell You About Panama City...

where is panama city

Panama City is a part of Florida's Panhandle area and Emerald Coast. So, where is it and what's should you know about Panama City?

We're located along U.S. Highway 98. If you look at Florida, we're the horizontal earmark, before heading further East into the state and then dipping South. We're 185 miles East of Mobile, AL, as we are neighbors with the states of Alabama and Georgia. That's the reason the Southern drawls and Southern hospitality is abundant here. That's me over there, by the way. Aren't I a looker? -->>

As I mentioned before, Panama City is in Bay County, Florida. It's the largest city between Tallahassee (98 miles away) and Pensacola (138 miles away), and the most populated city in the Panama City–Lynn Haven, Florida metropolitan area.

It's a wonderful stretch of land because of it's close proximity to a lot of bodies of water, including bays and the crystal clear Gulf Of Mexico. We're on the West side of the state and the Atlantic Ocean is on the East side, just to give you a little more reference.


Check This Out...

man reading at the bay

I spotted a post on Facebook the other day with some very interesting facts about Panama City, Panama City Beach, and Florida in general, reporting record numbers being set as it pertained to vacationing in Florida:

"Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that visitation to Florida continues to rise, setting a record for the number of visitors in the third quarter of a year, with an estimated total of 35.1 million visitors between July and September 2023.

Visitation included 32.2 million domestic visitors, 2.2 million overseas visitors and 666,000 Canadian visitors. Additionally, Florida continues to beat overall annual visitation records with 105.2 million visitors so far in 2023, 724,000 more visitors than the first nine months of 2022."

Pretty cool, huh?


More About Panama City...

According to a 2021 census, the population of Panama City, at that time, was just barely over 34,000 people, while Panama City Beach's population was over 18,000 persons.

One really nice thing about the area is that it's less populated than many of the Central and Southern Florida areas. A lot of that is attributed to the attention paid to the infrastructure of Panama City. The powers-that-be pour a lot of time and effort into making sure that we have everything we need for sustainable and enjoyable living, rather than focusing on growth. Growth is not always a good thing and looking at Panama City, Florida, I'd say that's a proven fact. 

Having our own airport within about 23-ish miles of the city is really nice and convenient for everyone traveling, both in and out of the area.

i love panama city florida sticker


I absolutely adore the charm of the peoples' accents and mannerisms in the Panhandle of Florida. For the most part, everyone is friendly. People meet your eyes, greet you, try to help you without being asked (I can't count how many people have approached me in a grocery store to give me their opinion on an item I was looking at), and you'll often hear them call you Honey, Baby, and Sweetie. One of the mannerisms I've picked up myself is calling the gals “Miss” and then their first name. Miss Sharon. Miss Emily. Like that. I have had people call me Mr. Tony. 😁

I'm sure that living somewhere that you can finally take a deep breath and slow down has a lot to do with the smiles you get. People here are more relaxed and less stressed. It's what we call "Island Time." 🌴

Maybe all that is nothing new or cool to you, but coming from the Pacific NW, it's so very different for me, and in a really good way. The only problem I've found is when those same nice Panama City people get behind the wheel of a vehicle. Oh, doggies! 😲 If you're from the area, you know exactly what I'm talking about. 


Buy, Sell, Find A Job On Craigslist Panama City...

Craigslist is the perfect place to buy, sell, trade, post or find a job, uncover free treasures and more! You're sure to find some great deals in Panama City and Panama City Beach.

Click and find out more about Craigslist Panama City...

How's The Weather Down There?

Our weather is pretty mild, compared to a lot of Florida. We get our thunder and lightning, wind, some occasional downpours (they usually last a very short time), and ever so often a tornado, but, after living here for some time, it's not as scary as it sounds. As someone who deals with anxiety, that statement is saying something! It comes with the territory of living near all the water around us and homes are built with it all in mind.

Trust me when I say that you'll get used to it fairly quick. Check my weather page for more about all that and to get the skinny on how you should prepare before your visit. You'll experience more of the same kind of weather in Panama City Beach. In fact, the beach tends to get the brunt of inclement weather before the inland area does.


What Time Zone Is Panama City In?

panama city time zone map

Unlike much of the state to the East of us and further South, which is in the Eastern Time Zone, Panama City and Panama City Beach is back an hour in the Central Time Zone.

The Apalachicola River is what divides Florida into Eastern and Central time zones. The Big Bend regions east of the river and portions of Gulf County South of the Intracoastal Waterway is where you'll hit Eastern Time. It's back to the future, Marty! ⏰


What's The Zip Code For Panama City?

sign posts in panama city florida

There are actually numerous zip codes for both Panama City and Panama City Beach.

The zip codes for Panama City are:

  • 32401,
  • 32402,
  • 32404,
  • 32405,
  • 32406,
  • and 32414

The zip codes for Panama City Beach are:

  • 32407,
  • 32408,
  • 32413,
  • and 32417

Are you planning to send a tropically beachy post card to someone to tell them how you wish they were here, but aren't sure what zip code they fall under? The United States Postal Service (USPS) has a free online tool that will give you the info you need, simply by entering in the person's address. Find the zip code for Panama City or Panama City Beach right here.


Where is Panama City Beach?

Panama City Beach is only a short 9 or so miles from Panama City, making access to the 27-miles of sandy, quartz crystal beaches and warm waters of the Gulf very easy to get to. Drive there yourself or consider taking a BayWay bus (our local public transit system) and save your gas. Sometimes, it's just nice to let someone else do the driving for you.

👣 LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINTS 👣

Panama City Beach has a year-round city ordinance in place called Leave Only Footprints. It states that if there are any items that are left on the beach, unattended, between the hours of 7pm and 7 am, they will be removed and disposed of. This ordinance is in place to protect the beach and the wildlife here, including nesting turtles. So, if you bring it, take it out with you. Pretty simple and really important.

About Panama City Beach...

Here are some fast facts and other good things to know about Panama City Beach, Florida:

dolphin bullet

It is, of course, a resort town on the Gulf of Mexico coast that is sometimes referred to as "The Spring Break Capital of the World."

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PCB has 27 miles of white sand and turquoise water, making it a hugely popular place to vacation and a favorite haunt for all us Panama City locals.

dolphin bullet

It's home to one of the country's largest sport fishing fleets. Fishing is exceptional here, whether you're doing it from shore, from a dock, or on a boat!

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The area has one of the highest concentrations of Bottlenose Dolphins in the world. Even to us locals, spotting a dolphin or a pod is always a treat. I don't see that as ever getting old!

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There are nearly 100 beach access points. You'll be hard pressed not to find easy beach access anywhere on your route along the coastline. Many visitors and locals alike love to have their picture taken under the access point that celebrates their anniversaries and birthdays. It's a definite thing here.

dolphin bullet

The beaches are considered to be the clearest and purest in the country and are called, "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches." The sand on the beaches is so white because it is made up of quartz crystals that have been broken down, bleached, and polished over time. Cool, huh?

dolphin bullet

The average price of a 7-day trip to Panama City Beach is $1,800 for a solo traveler, $3,233 for a couple, and $6,061 for a family of 4.

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Hotels range from $75 to $343 per night with an average of $118, while most vacation rentals will cost $300 to $600 per night for the entire home. All of these prices are always going to be liquid, so take them as a general guideline. Nothing is written in stone.

So...

There you go. A good smattering of information about where to find Panama City and PCB, as well as some information to help you aorund this wonderful area. So, if someone else asks, "Where is Panama City," or "Tell me about Panama City," you'll know what to tell them. Maybe you'll win some games of Trivial Pursuit! I have a lot more in-depth experiences and stories to share, hopefully, to provide you with everything you need to know to either plan your vacation here or to come and stay for a lifetime.

Grab that coffee ☕ or Sweet Tea, and continue your journey through my web site. If you ever want to reach out, I'd love to hear from you. Hit me up right here.


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