Panama City Beach, 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.
Oceanfront property sold for more then $60,000 per front foot during the real estate boom. Prices stabilized in 2008 but are still considered undervalued compared to those in nearby cities on Florida’s Gulf Coast.

As the cityscape changes, the population is increasing and more people are settling in Panama City Beach, or PCB, as it is fondly known. This portion of Bay County is also considered to be the spring break capital of the world. In March and April, more than 500,000 high school and college students flock to its beaches and sample the night life.

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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