With a population of around 40,000, Panama City Beach is a small city in Northwest Florida. It is a popular tourist destination right on St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico.
The city’s official website boasts that Panama City Beach is attractive for raising a family, which is true about eleven months out of the year. The website also boasts that the city is an exciting tourist destination throughout the year, which is also true.
But the city is best known for one thing: spring break.
College students from all over Canada and the US head to Panama City Beach every spring to have fun with other like-minded people. It is a good place to have fun and forget about the scrutiny of school and exams. Namely, for the past two years, Panama City Beach has hosted MTV’s Spring Break. And students will have another chance to party there in 2010.
Hotels and motels line up to entice these partygoers to stay at their place. Because of this, you must reserve your rooms in advance, even a year in advance is recommended. Everywhere will fill up quickly.
During the day, there is plenty to do at Panama City Beach Spring Break. Of course, there are the endless beaches. Beautiful sandy beaches to swim, sunbathe, play frisbee or beach soccer and watch all the other partygoers having fun. While the public beaches are the most popular, they do get very crowded during this time. Don’t worry though, there’s always St. Andrews State Park, which also has nice beaches. There is a small fee to enter the park, but it might be worth it to avoid the crowds.
Near the strip is a popular water park called Shipwreck Island. A ticket to get in costs around $30 or so. However, you will need more dough if you want to eat or drink inside because refrigerators and outside food are prohibited. However, regardless of age, there are all kinds of attractions for everyone to enjoy.
For those who want to party at night, luck is on their side. There are many bars, restaurants and nightclubs available, perhaps the best known nightclub is Club La Vela, reputedly the largest nightclub in America. The club has multiple floors and is home to multiple themed rooms where the parties never slow down. Other popular party spots include Fred’s Spinnaker and Hammerhead. Then there is the Boardwalk Beach Resort, located right on the beach. It hosts Spring Break concerts and themed pageants all day every day and could be the place for you to see and be seen.
There are also plenty of shops, if that’s your thing. There are malls galore, as well as more souvenir shops than you can count. A popular local attraction is Alvin’s Magic Mountain Mall. It resembles a cave and you can find everything from beachwear to cheap souvenirs there. Since it’s Florida, an alligator exhibit is also a big draw.
Spring Break 2010 in Panama City Beach begins for some in mid-February. Most students will enjoy their vacation during March with the busiest two weeks beginning on March 6th.
Locals will get their little town back around April 10th of next year, when MTV’s spring break officially ends.
