Panama City offers a surprising breath of fresh air!
As a teenager in the ’90s, Panama City Beach was the place to go on spring break. Each year, throngs of high schoolers and college coeds descended, packing the beaches with questionable parties. MTV even brought its popular “Spring Break” series to the Gulf Coast town. Vacationing in “PCB,” as it came to be known, was the epitome of cool.
Teenage years long behind me, you can imagine my hesitation to visit Panama City as an adult. Party Town, U.S.A.? No, thanks. But I soon learned the much slower big sister of neighboring Panama City Beach is comprised of a pair of historic fishing villages with oodles of charm.
First, there’s Historic Panama City. Check in at Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina that sits waterfront and offers sweeping views of St. Andrews Bay from many of its rooms. On-site dining includes the lobby-level Tarpon with a coastal and Southern inspired menu; if the weather is breezy and sunset is on the horizon, you’ll want to head to the hotel’s fifth-floor rooftop restaurant, Steam on 5. Sip creative cocktails while enjoying a picturesque overlook.
When not imbibing and relaxing at the Indigo, I spent my time dipping in and out of the home stores, apparel boutiques and restaurants that dot Harrison Avenue, the town’s main street. My favorite stops were Jute and Palm where I admired artwork by Kathryn Gage and local artisan wares such as hand painted oyster-adorned wine glasses. Another cool stop was Baywitch that was stocked with crystals and other metaphysical goods.
Grab lunch at El Weirdo Taco Pub, a local brewery that doubles as the largest art installation in Bay County thanks to its floor-to-ceiling murals. Then head over to Panama City Hot Glass Studio to try your hand at glass blowing while making a take-home keepsake. I created a pink starfish that is proudly displayed on my bookshelf at home.
St. Andrews, a community founded in 1827, is just around the bay. It’s a quaint, walkable, waterfront village where, if you’re lucky, you’ll see dolphins plunge their fins in and out of the water. Use a visit as I did to enjoy the plethora of public art as well as the mural trail, stopping at “Keep St. Andrews Salty” by Morgan Summers to snap a pic for Instagram. Be sure to pop into the Panama City Publishing Company Museum where George Mortimer West, the city’s founding father, once ran a printing press and local newspaper. Some of the antique presses are still on display (and working!). I couldn’t resist a few postcards for my niece and nephew.
Before dinner, climb aboard Captain Chris Farley’s boat for an eco-tour. A marine biologist by trade, Farley knows exactly where to spot sea life and how to identify critters. And don’t worry. Should you want to take a dip yourself, that’s not a problem. Just let the captain know you want to snorkel or swim. Since my meal plans were adjacent to cruising, I didn’t have to get wet to experience marine life. Farley does the diving, so I could enjoy the scenery.
The afternoon tours wrapped when Farley dropped me dockside at Bayou Joe’s. This casual eatery offers everything from shrimp po’boys to mahi mahi. The real treat is the trash burger, a beef patty piled high with anything the chef dreams up.
I’ve always enjoyed a trip to the beach, but taking in the bays and bayous of Panama City made me appreciate this Florida panhandle destination and its charming surroundings that much more.
PANAMA CITY
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