Panama City, FL

One of Panama City's great draws is its location on St. Andrews Bay and the Gulf of Mexico. Its beautiful beaches make it a popular tourist destination, but its small-town atmosphere is what encourages people to return and perhaps eventually to call it home.

In the 1880s, the St. Andrews Bay Railroad Land and Mining Company sold 25 x 82-foot lots for $1.25, which thousands of investors scarfed up sight unseen. One proud new owner called his property Floriopolis, and another referred to his land as Park Resort. In 1889, these names were changed to Harrison, in honor of Benjamin Harrison, then the 23rd president of the United States. Seventeen years later, in 1906, the name changed once again to Panama City, referencing the Panama Canal, which was then under construction.
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Panama Beach City, Florida

Once considered the “Redneck Riviera” of Florida’s Panhandle, Panama City Beach is now a popular real estate mecca where beachfront properties have quadrupled in value since 2000. The older hotels and homes of the past are being replaced by new high-rise hotels and condominiums.

Panama City Beach is often considered a part of Panama City but is actually a distinct municipality from the older and larger inland city. PCB maintains 37 parks that offer swimming, fishing and boating, nature trails for hiking and biking, picnicking, golf and tennis. The largest of the parks is St. Andrews State Recreation Area, which opened in 1951 and covers more than 1,200 acres. It is best known for its white sand beaches, natural dunes and crystal-clear water. During World War II, it was part of the St. Andrews Sound Military Reservation, and you can still see the cannon platforms in place near the jetties today.
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