Located on the shores of Florida's panhandle in the northwest portion of the state, Panama City offers opportunities for water sports like wake boarding, waterskiing, snorkeling and scuba diving. Panama City is filled with waterways, lagoons, bays and beaches. The St. Andrews Recreation Area contains more than 1,000 acres of hiking and biking trails, beaches and birdwatching opportunities. The nearby Miracle Strip Amusement Park and Shipwreck Island Water Park offers outdoor activities and adventures for families to enjoy.
Located in Panama City Beach, Florida, the Bay Point Marriott Golf Resort and Spa overlooks the clear water of St. Andrew's Bay. The resort includes a full-service spa and multiple golf courses. Thirty-six holes of championship golf including one course designed by professional golfer Jack Nicklaus and four on-site restaurants like Kingfish and Lime's offer guests first-rate activities and dining. The Serenity Spa offers a full range of massage and salon services in a 12,000-square-foot space. Guests can rent wave runners, pontoon boats, go deep-sea fishing and participate in dolphin tours through the hotel. Rates begin at $199 per night, as of 2010.
The Sandpiper Beacon Beach Resort is a family-friendly resort settled alongside Panama City Beach in Panama City, Florida. While it appears to be a condominium complex on the surface, a closer examination reveals that this all-inclusive resort includes activities and amenities that guests with children will enjoy. The resort offers a private beach where it hosts Polynesian shows and luaus for guests. Kids can get a free glitter tattoo, sit with their friends in a giant beach chair, slide down dual inflatable water slides into the resort's swimming pool and meet the resident parrot Casey. Adults will enjoy jet skiing, beach volleyball, parasailing and can even take a sailboat lesson through the resort. Live music from invited performers and family karaoke nights occur regularly. Rooms are configured as one-, two- and three-room suites with full kitchens and two private beach houses are available for rental. Rates begin at $59 per night, as of 2010.
The Laketown Wharf is both a vacation resort and condominium complex. The flexibility offers guests an opportunity to stay for short periods of time, like a few nights to long vacations, lasting multiple months. The resort offers five pools ranging from a zero-depth entry family pool, a lagoon pool to a heated roof-top pool. The white sand beaches rimming the Gulf of Mexico are a short block away from the resort which also feature more than 50,000 square feet of lake-front boardwalk. Free parking, a fitness center and meditation garden round out the resort's amenities. Rooms are set up as multiple bedroom suites with full-service kitchens. Rates begin at $70 per night, as of 2010.
