The idea behind the Seafood Wine and Music Festival is simple – a celebration of the wonderful array of local area seafood prepared by local chefs merged with local and area wines, entertainment and vendors with a special focus on families. The event will be loaded with retail vendors, wine tastings, chef exhibitions, rides for the family, car show, live music from local musicians plus Grand Funk Railroad, Julianne Hough, John Anderson and Styx!

Let the Festivities Begin!

8. Family Fun Day – Saturday and Sunday there will be a special focus on family activities and events from 11am-3pm both days – 2008′s festival included a “Kids Lunch With Spongebob Squarepants” & special Kid’s Concerts, Gallagher’s Gymnastics Team, Creole For Kids with Terrance Simien and the Zydeco Experience, Steve’s Kazoo Crew Band, there will also be face painting, special appearances by your favorite cartoon characters, plus other activities designed especially for the family and children. 2008 was the first year for the special family budget friendly daytime only ticket – and it is available again for the 2009 festival.

7. Emerald Coast Cruzin Car Show – Panama City Beach favorite car show, filled with hundreds of classic cars, hot rods, custom cars and trucks will line Frank Brown Park on Saturday and Sunday giving you a free sneak peak at this year’s hottest rides.

6. Bouncer Village & Family Yoga - Brought to you by Beach Bouncers on Panama City Beach, kids get to enjoy a full Bouncer Village, featuring over a dozen giant bouncy experiences for them to bounce themselves silly. For those looking to relax, family yoga classes and exercises will be available Saturday and Sunday.

5. Frank Brown Park – There is simply no better venue to host Panama City Beach’s signature event than Frank Brown Park. With loads of space, on site restrooms, power and wi-fi and even a world-class pool if you need to cool off. If you’ve never been to the festival, you’ll love every second and want to come back to enjoy what is an expansive and beautiful park.

4. Arts, Crafts, Antique Vendors – The Panama City Beach Festival will feature select arts & crafts vendors, retail vendors, antique dealers, and various community/charity vendors. Specialty jewelry, wood crafts, wine racks, pottery sales & demonstrations, glass art & demonstrations, stained glass, ceramics, quilts, folk art, and more.

3. Daily Wine Tastings – Wine? Yes, pleas. The festival offers three full-bodied days of wining, dining and socializing amid several local, domestic and international wines.  Florida’s own Republic National will serve as the exclusive wine partner. They will host rare wine auctions, present celebrity winemakers, top vineyards, wine tastings each day and more. Beginners will have an opportunity to sample the wines, learning about the make-up and the regions they come from while wine experts will have an opportunity to sample some of the rarer wines they might not otherwise get a chance to try. Wine Tastings are Included with General Admission & VIP tickets, for adults 21+. Beer and wine will be available for sale from gates open to gates close.

2. Celebrity Chef Exhibitions – Local and area celebrity chef’s from some of the legendary Panama City Beach restaurants including Breakers, Saltwater Grill, Firefly, Hammerhead Fred’s, Boatyard, and more will perform special exhibitions over the 3 day event. You’ll see and taste some of the most creative and delicious seafood dishes in America all paired with the various (and copious) amounts of wine. Come hungry.

1. The Food, The Wine and, well, The Music – The Panama City Beach Seafood, Wine & Music Festival is designed to reflect a true taste of the coast, a true toast to the coast and some of the world’s best entertainment. What you get then is the coast’s best array of food, never-ending glasses of wine and awesome family entertainment. How good is the entertainment? From the beginning of the festival on Friday to the very end on Sunday, the music and entertainment will never end. 2009′s festival headliner entertainment is bigger and better than ever: Young & Classic Country Friday Oct 9th with Florida’s own country legend JOHN ANDERSON with special guest ACM New Country Artist of the Year Julianne Hough in support of her self-titled country album, see one of the top rock bands of all time, STYX, performing Saturday Oct 10th, and Celebrating 40 Years of Rock Sunday Oct 11th with GRAND FUNK RAILROAD The American Band!

More Information:  www.panamacitybeachfest.com

Frank Brown Park – on Hwy 98 (Back Beach Rd) across from Pier Park
Tickets on sale now. Save time (avoid the lines) and save money when you buy online in advance. Full price gate admission will go into effect @4pm Friday October 9, 2009. click here to purchase advance discount tickets now
Children & Pets

ALL NEW FOR 2009 – Kids 12 and under admitted FREE
No pets allowed inside venue.
Seating

Bring a lawn chair or a blanket as festival area is grass field.

Gates

Open Friday at 4pm-11pm
Saturday 11am-11pm
Sunday 11am-11pm

Parking

Parking available at the Frank Brown Festival site directly north of Pier Park. Parking is $5 per car, per day. Special VIP Parking is included with VIP tickets.
Coolers

NO COOLERS ALLOWED. Water, soft drinks, juice, beer & wine are available for sale. Please note a cash bar will be available inside the venue along with a variety of food vendors.
Umbrellas

NO UMBRELLAS ALLOWED. Please wear a hat and bring sunscreen. Shade is available under various entertainment and food tents throughout the festival grounds.
Smoking

No smoking will be allowed under the tented areas. Smoking is allowed in designated areas only – these areas will be well marked. Please be considerate of your non-smoking colleagues.
CD Sales and Merchandise

Each national headliner entertainers cds will be on sale the night they perform in the Merchandise Tent near the stage. Festival shirts, and other festival items will be available in the marketplace area.
Food Vendors / Beer & Wine Sales

A variety of food vendors will be located the the Food Court area. Beer, wine & soda will also be available at designated beverage tents only.
Arts & Crafts Vendors

A wide variety of vendors will be on site for shopping all weekend.
ATM Available on site

Alys Beach came as a total surprise to me. In fact, you could drive through the entire city in 10 minutes and not realize you just missed a diamond sparkling in the Florida sun. As you meander through Rosemary enjoying the Bavarian-style architecture, rising out of the dunes comes gleaming white, alfresco buildings seeming something out of a film about Spanish Royalty. The place isn’t in its final form and yet it is striking.

Peaceful and charming, the white buildings balance an luxury you will not see again in this state until you reach South Beach. Actually, Caliza, Aly’s little oasis for its guests, may quietly outshine even Miami’s most popular beach resorts. With private cabanas, beautiful colonnades, hammocks sagging between palm trees and beach views from the second story terrace, this place has no equal. And the food at the restaurant hidden in the luxurious escape serves fresh seafood and juicy grilled steaks prepared by famed French chef Olivier Gaupin.

Touring Alys Beach, I was almost overwhelmed by the beauty and the solitude. No place I’ve ever been, and I’ve been lots of places, has ever made me feel so comfortable. If you’re on 30A don’t let Alys Beach slip by you because it may very well be the one place you will never forget.

-Cebo Campbell

Alys Beach is an idyllic little spot that you can literally drive through in seconds – however it is actually home to two fantastic restaurants, the casual yet upscale George’s, and Caliza, an uber elegant dining paradise. The whole feel of Alys Beach is very Spanish, think white-washed buildings, cobblestone walkways and remarkable architecture. It’s stunning, peaceful and unlike anything else on scenic 30a. Roaming around the interior of Caliza’s, I felt like I was in a South Beach resort, there were take-your-breath-away swimming pools, private cabanas, swaying palms and opulent furnishings. It was all utterly spectacular. Alys Beach still has some more developing to do – but it’s most definitely worth spending some time there, either strolling around and taking in the atmosphere, or dining at one of its great restaurants.

- Ellie Cominos

[flickr]set:72157622239498872[/flickr]

Inlet Beach, only minutes from Panama City Beach, makes one instantly feel detached, separated from the hustle of the city to lay alone on a perfect strip of gulf. It feels a bit like going back in time, like stepping into a Norman Rockwell painting and being sent back to a slower age. Inlet becomes yours, your place and your beach.

What I found the most startling was the overall preservation. The place looked as though no one had ever set foot on it. The high, green dunes towered into the air, untouched as they broke the salty breeze. If ever Panama City Beach residents wanted to get away from the tourists and the “City” all they need do is take a short trip to Inlet. It’ll feel like a vacation, trust me.

- Cebo Campbell

There’s just one word that came to my mind as we slowly absorbed the natural, unspoiled beauty of Inlet Beach. WOW. This rustic community sits on the beach and is so close to Panama City Beach, but I felt like I was a million miles away. The beach was spectacular, empty but for a lone fisherman wading out in the turquoise, crystal-clear water. I just discovered my new favorite beach spot.

-Ellie Cominos

[flickr]set:72157622230921522[/flickr]

What we are going to do is a TooCreative first, and hopefully a regular event for the staff. On Thursday at 1:30 pm, we will embark on an adventure to our neighboring tourist attraction, 30A – to share snippets of what makes life so magical over there. This is an area that is known around the world as a high-end, unique and charming haven for vacationers and property owners alike.

This jaunt will be broken into 7 sections: Inlet Beach, Rosemary, Alys Beach, Seaside, Watercolor, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach. We’ll be doing this on pcbdaily AND on seepcb, looking at the “newsy” stuff and the “touristy” stuff, respectively. The goal is to have a guerrilla style series of articles that give you an update and tell you about the area as we find it on Thursday. As we experience, we will write and take pictures. Then, when we find a place that has internet, we’ll publish right to the sites.

UPDATE

Wow, we spent an entire afternoon taking in 30A, a place so packed with fun stuff we made it Alys Beach just as the sun set. Over the next three weeks, we will return to this spectacular area to report on Seaside, Watercolor, Grayton Beach, and Blue Mountain Beach each deserving their very own large post due to the sheer size and amount of things to do. It was a blast. To catch up on the sites we’ve visited please see the links below:

Discover Inlet Beach

Discover Rosemary Beach

Discover Alys Beach

The Most Beautiful Beach Anywhere…

Perennially listed on America’s Top Ten Beaches, St. Andrews State Park is a beach-lover’s dream. A perfect combination of uncrowded beach and true natural settings, St. Andrews State Park allows the Panama City Beach visitor to get out of the city and get into nature. And truly, “beautiful” doesn’t fully describe this majestic place. It’s just a short drive east and away from the city street, but its well worth the trip.

As I drove in, the various species of trees and lushness of, well, so many trees, I suddenly realized I was no longer in the city. All around me are natural treasures. Sounds of birds and nearby tides quiet the air. Everywhere, in every direction, are various species of animals. In fact, I learned over 2,100 marine dependent species have been recorded within the park, all of which are surprisingly visible. Birds like the Southeastern Snowy Plovers, Piping Plovers, Arctic peregrine Falcons, American Oystercatcher, Bald Eagles, Brown Pelicans and others are easily seen. At your first stop you hit a crossroads. You can head to the beach, to the nature trails or the campsite and boat-ramp. These options actually provide you with a myriad of things to do. You can go to the beach and enjoy swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, kayaking, and canoeing. Two fishing piers, a jetty, and a boat-ramp provide ample fishing opportunities for anglers. Or you can exchange the sandals for shoes and take a trip down one of two nature trails that wind through a rich diversity of coastal plant communities – a place made for birdwatching. If you are a fearless one, you can head to Gator Lake and get up close and personal with some of the most dangerous animals on the planet – the American alligator (I saw several of them and got within 5 terrifying feet). Those looking to just relax can sunbathe while enjoying a leisurely lunch under the shade of a picnic pavilion. Full-facility campsites, as well as primitive youth group camping, make this park an awesome overnight destination.

What most people come to see is the reason Panama City Beach is called, “The World’s Most Beautiful Beach.” St. Andrew’s State Park has a beach unlike any other. Well-kept pearly sand, high dunes and a rock jetty that stretches out into the pass, keeps this beach on many top ten lists for the best beach in America. Its beauty is one thing, its fun is another. There is just so much to do. Offered by the State Park staff, you can hop the shuttle and take a tour to shell island where snorkeling and kayaking is the norm. Or take a guided Waverunner tour to swim with the many dolphins splashing in the pass. Dolphins are everywhere but what surprised me were the many Manatees swimming the pass with them.

If fishing is your thing, you can grab bait from the concessions store and walk out onto the rock jetty where all sorts of fish swim. One of the best times I ever had at the park was during Pompano Season. I fished right from the shore and caught huge Pompano. But make sure you get a fishing license. Get more info on that here.

Camping at the State Park is some of the best camping you can have. Many of the sites are steps away from the water and offer full facilities. But if you’re only visiting for a day, I’d suggest bringing a bike and cruising around the park. Make sure you bring a camera though because the views are worth keeping.

Pricing:

Camping: $24.00 plus tax per night

Shell Island Shuttle: $14.95 for adults $6.95 for children 12 – 2. Infants are free.

Snorkel Package: $21.95 (includes shuttle ride)

Kayak Rentals: $55.00 single $60.00 double (includes shuttle ride) $20.00 w/o shuttle

State Park Located at 4607 State Park Ln Panama City, FL 32408

[mappress]

More Pictures

[flickr]set:72157617171482875[/flickr]

Blowin’-n-The Wind Management: Pay one night and get one night free for up to 15 free nights with any two-night minimum stay from August 1 through December 31, 2009, excluding Labor Day Weekend. Blowin’-N-The Wind Management’s offers seven different rental properties with accommodations ranging from multi-bedroom condominiums to three-bedroom cottages and more. Each property includes family-friendly amenities, such as boat docking areas, tennis and basketball courts, fitness centers, swimming pools, a putting green and more. For more information visit their website or call 1-800-874-8600.

By the Sea Resorts: Rates start at just $99 per night, now through October 9, 2009, at Legacy by the Sea and Shores of Panama. Located in the heart of Panama City Beach, By The Sea Resorts offers a variety of room types, including standard rooms and one and two-bedroom suites with fully-equipped kitchens and private balconies overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. Amenities include heated gulf-front pool, free continental breakfasts, free airport shuttle service, game room and more. For more information visit their > website or call 1-888-627-0625.

Chateau Motel: Stay three nights and receive the fourth night free, compliments of the Chateau Motel, a hotel and condo alternative featuring 150 ocean-view rooms. Double room rates start at just $79 per night, based on double occupancy, from August 9 through October 18, 2009, excluding holidays and special events. For more information visit their website or call 1-850-234-2174.

The Inn at Thomas Square: Stay any five nights and receive the next two nights free, now through December 31. Located just across the street from the beach and along Grand Lagoon, the Inn at Thomas Square, a three-story condominium, offers all the comforts of home set in a quiet, relaxing atmosphere. Units can accommodate from two to eight people, so whether you’re traveling as a couple, a family or a group, these rentals can accommodate any sized group. All condos have fully-equipped kitchens and washer and dryer combos. For more information visit their website or call 1-800-874-8600.

Ocean’s Bar and Grill: Kids eat free Memorial Day through Labor Day at Ocean’s Bar and Grill located at the Edgewater Beach & Golf Resort. Overlooking the famous lagoon pool and the pristine white sandy beach, Ocean’s serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and offers everything from seafood and steak to burgers and fries. Click here for more information.

Shores of Panama by Oaseas Resorts: To celebrate Panama City Beach’s signature Seafood, Wine & Musical Festival (Fri. – Sun., Oct. 9 – 11), guests can enjoy a luxurious, Gulf-front condo, plus two tickets to this year’s event, for as low as $99 per night for a minimum of two nights. Better yet, book three nights and receive the fourth night free, or stay until 5 p.m. Sunday to catch the last show! This newly constructed beachfront condominium resort offers panoramic views of the Gulf of Mexico. Guests choose from efficiencies to three-bedroom units. Each has a fully equipped kitchen and private balcony. Units with one, two or three bedrooms also have living areas. Among the resort’s amenities: a spectacular 13,966 square-foot gulf-front pool, one of the largest in Northwest Florida; fitness center with cardio equipment, spa, sauna, and steam room; two bars serving lunch and dinner; game room; free high-speed Internet access; and comprehensive children’s activity program. For more information visit their website or call 1-877-808-4323.

Sugar Beach Condominiums: Stay five nights and receive two nights free, September 8 through October 30, 2009, or stay four nights and receive three nights free, November 1, 2009, through January 30, 2010. Reservations must be booked for two months or longer. For more information visit their website or call 1-800-457-8427.

Summerhouse of Panama City Beach : Stay two nights in a private, two-bedroom, gulf-front condo and receive the third night free. Better yet, stay seven consecutive nights and receive the sixth and seventh nights free. This offer is valid for stays between August 2, 2009, and February 28, 2010, excluding September 3 – 7, 2009. For more information visit their website or call 1-800-354-1112.

The Towne of Seahaven: Receive half off rates at Origin at Seahaven, the Seahaven Beach Hotel and the Best Value Inn. Plus, buy one dinner and receive a second dinner free at Hammerhead Fred’s. Also enjoy complimentary cocktails with dinner at Shark’s Beach Club. Rent one beach rental and receive the second beach rental free. Plus, take 50 percent off all clothing purchases at Liz and Jane Clothes. This offer is valid from August 2 through October 30, 2009, excluding holidays and special events. The Town of Seahaven’s accommodations are rich with amenities: beachfront and gulf-view rooms, multi-bedroom accommodations, private balconies and more. Origin at Seahaven also features a state-of-the-art fitness center, theater and indoor and outdoor dining. Located near Pier Park, the premier shopping/dining/entertainment destination; beautiful beaches; and endless family attractions, the Towne of Seahaven is the ultimate summer getaway. For more information visit the website or call 1-850-636-8550.

If you’re on Panama City Beach in search of the most possible fun you can have all in one place, your search would inevitably lead you to RockIt Lanes, a 50,000 square ft. family entertainment center located in the Shoppes at Edgewater. With arcades, skating, bowling, billards and a sports bar you might think this is some sort of magical good-times emporium, but you’d be wrong. You get all that and more at RockIt Lanes. In fact, you’d have to spend an entire day at RockIt lanes to truly experience all the fun to be had.

The biggest arcade on the beach, with over 150 different games ranging from carnival-style hoops and skeetball to advanced virtual reality games designed for the most discriminating gamers.

If you are a poolshark, RockIt Lanes offers 22 pool tables under perfect lighting. The pool-playing blends nicely with the adjacent sports bar. Packed weekly for Thursday night bar wars (11 pm to 1 am $1.50 well drinks & domestic beers or $2.25 premium drinks and import beers),  RockIt Lanes’ sports bar is one of the most underrated bars on the beach. With big screen TV’s, NFL Sunday Ticket, ESPN Gameplan and more, RockIt Lanes sports bar even made our list of top 5 places on Panama City Beach to watch the game.

And there’s more.

RockIt Lanes is home to a 24 lane Bowling Center complete with the ultra-fun and super-colorful “Ballistic-Glow-In-The-Dark” bowling, where the place dims and the bowling becomes brilliant. If you prefer rolling over bowling, RockIt lanes also has an 8,000 sq. ft. roller skating rink. You can rent traditional skates or the newest speed and in-line skates available. Nearbym, the Grille, a nice walk-up restaurant, flips tasty 1/2 lb. hamburgers at perfect prices to keep the fun going.

On top of all that, RockIt Lanes has NO cover charge. Just walk in and start having fun.

RockIt Lanes is open Monday – Saturday from 10 am to 2 am, on Sunday 12pm to 2am. They have specials for birthday parties, school groups, sports parties, leagues and church youth groups. All ages are welcome.

RockIt Lanes is located 513 Beckrich Rd Panama City Bch, FL 32407 or call at (850) 249 – 2695

[mappress]

Hundreds of people land on seepcb and pcbdaily every month searching for Pier Park Restaurants, so I thought I’d give you guys the most complete list in Panama City Beach for restaurants in Pier Park. The list is broken into three categories:

Food Via Wait Staff

• Back Porch Seafood and Oyster House
  • Fresh seafood restaurant right across the street from the Gulf of Mexico. Dine on traditional seafood platters in a casual and laid back atmosphere. Sandwiches from $10 to $14, and dinner from $16 to $25. Back Porch is located at the corner of Front Beach Road and the main boardwalk area of Pier Park.
• Bootleg Barbecue
  • “We live our lives like we smoke our meat, slow and on the beach.” Bootleg owner Josh Daugherty comes from a back ground in high-end cuisine, but with solid roots in slow roasted pork butts, he returned to BBQ. Bootleg Barbecue restaurant in Pier Park is truly one of a kind, bringing the sweet savor of BBQ sauce and quality meat and sides in a fun environment. Sandwiches from $8, plates from $13, and huge party feast catering with special pricing! Bootleg is located in the “festive” grounds, right next to Starbucks.
• Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
  • Dubbed “Panama’s Football Headquarters,” Buffalo Wild Wings in Pier Park brings the traditional combination of watching sports on a gazillion flat screen TV’s and eating messy, spicy wings to Panama City Beach. If you love sports and food, this is the place to go. Not to mention their phenomenal wing specials and sauce that will literally make you cry (it made me cry, and I was heckled because of it, but it was worth it). They are one of our advertisers, be sure to say PCBDAILY and get $5 off on orders $20 or more! BWW is a restaurant located right across from Five Guys on the main boardwalk area of Pier Park.
• Guglielmo’s Italian Grill
  • “If you love authentic Italian cuisine. . . Guglielmo’s is the place to be.” Located in the middle of the action in Pier Park, Guglielmo’s is a big-box chain that brings little Italy flavor to all their dishes. I have no idea what the pricing is as they don’t have it on their web site – sorry! Guglielmo’s is located in the “festive” area, next to Bootleg Barbecue.
• Guy Harvey’s Island Grill
  • What would Panama City Beach, much less Pier Park be without one of Guy Harvey’s four Island Grills. Fans of Guy Harvey can buy authentic shirts and other apparel along with art and more in the gift shop, then dine on a menu consisting of no protected fish. Guy Harvey’s is located on the main boardwalk area, on the east side close to Front Beach Road – you can’t miss it!
• Hofbrau Beer Garden
  • All I have to say is German Beer and German Food. And, don’t forget they are also an advertiser of pcbdaily! They’re doing a special for the whole month of August: $8 liters after 8 pm for the entire 8th month of the year! Hofbrau Beer Garden is located in the main boardwalk area, right across from Red Brick Pizza and across from Tootsies Orchid Lounge.
• Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville
  • Seriously, the best location in Pier Park. Located directly on Front Beach Road, they have an unobstructed view of the Gulf of Mexico and those amazing sunsets that come with that view. You can eat here from $7 to $14. Margaritaville is located right on Front Beach Road on the west side of the main boardwalk area of Pier Park.
• Longhorn Steakhouse
  • Mmmoooooo, yeehaa! Lookin’ for a steak? This is the place to go. With a lunch and dinner menu you can get anything from burgers to chicken to their legendary steaks. Longhorn Steakhouse is located on the north side of Pier Park, right on Back Beach Road or Panma City Beach Parkway, next to Olive Garden.
• Olive Garden
  • You know the saying, “When you’re here, your family.” And last time I was there, I sure felt great when I left! My wife and I spent around $30 after tip, a little more than we usually spend, but we were extremely happy with the service. Olive Garden is located on the north side of Pier Park right on Back Beach Road, next to Longhorn Steakhouse.
• Red Robin Gourmet Burgers & Spirits
  • There’s a lot of hype about this place, but bring your wallet because they ain’t no Five Guys. The burgers were good, but the fries weren’t all they were cracked up to be. But, that’s just my opinion, tons of people love these guys, don’t let me stop you from enjoying their really fun atmosphere! Burgers from $9, fries included. Red Robin is located in the north section of Pier Park in the same building as the Great American Cookie Maker, across from where Baja Grill was and down from the AT&T store in Panama City Beach.
• Reggae J’s Island Grill
  • Like reggae music? What about seafood with a caribbean flare? This is your place. Owned by the same people that own Back Porch Seafood and Oyster House across the street, you know the seafood will be local, fresh and great. Sandwiches from $9 and dinner from $12 to $20. Raggae J’s is located in the boardwalk area of Pier Park (south section of Pier Park), right on Front Beach Road, on the east side opposite of Margaritaville in Panama City Beach.
• Tootsies Orchid Lounge
  • Honky Tonk and good ‘ol Nashville BBQ. This is where the country boys and anyone else who loves lively honky tonk go to hang out. Already Tootsies has brought celebrities to our little town, including Jamey Johnson, Kelsey Grammar (yes, Frasier), Kenny Chesney, and several others! Go out, you never know who you might see. Tootsies is located on the boardwalk area of Pier Park, across from Hofbrau Beer Garden and Red Brick Pizza.

Food Via Order at the Counter

• Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe’
  • Soup and sandwiches, bistro-style with bottled drinks or a soda fountain. Love this place, fresh ingredients, great price, right in the middle of all the action. They serve wraps (hot and cold) sandwiches, flat-bread pizza, salads, paninis and smoothies. Camille’s is located in the “festive” area, right next to Starbucks and across from The Grand Movie Theater.
• Five Guys Famous Burgers & Fries
  • I love this place. Seriously, these guys should be advertising with us, I tweet them so much. I remember when I first published a story about them, someone remarked how expensive they were, but I’ve found the exact opposite. Any place that I can go and get a soda, a few burgers, dogs and fries and feed myself, my wife and a couple of my kids for $20 is a huge winner for me, especially if the food is great. If you can’t find Five Guys Burgers and Fries in the south side of Pier Park (the main boardwalk area), you need new eyes. That building is probably one of the most visually appealing in the whole lot, and Pier Park is very beautiful.
• Hana Japan
  • All Japanese food, all the time. Hana Japan is located right next to Marble Slab on the main boardwalk area, which is across from Five Guys and Buffalo Wild Wings.
• Panera Bread
  • Anything from sweet flat-bread sandwiches to fresh pasties to party catering platters, Panera has got it all. This is my favorite place to go with my wife in the winter. With each of us getting the “You Pick Two” and a couple sodas, we rarely spend more than $20 for a date – love this place! Panera Bread is located on the north part of Pier Park where Target is. In fact, you can see Target from the front doors of Panera.
• RedBrick Pizza
  • You know, it’s actually quite fitting that I’m posting about this right now. As of the writing of this article, I just had pizza for lunch here with Cebo after visiting the new airport. We got a large Red Brick Gourmet Works and a couple sodas for around $23. A little high for a lunch for us, but the pizza was fantastic, atmosphere was good, and we had a great time. Red Brick Pizza is located in the south section of Pier Park, also called the boardwalk area, and is across from Hofbrau Beer Garden and Tootsies Orchid Lounge.

Eateries

• Candymaker Candy Store
  • All types of home-made candy, enough to rot the teeth of you and your family, if you’re into that kinda thing. I know my kids are, but I’ve had one too many root-canals. Candymaker Candy Store is located in the “festive” area, which is right across from the movie theater, The Grand.
• Great American Cookie/Pretzelmaker
  • I love cookies, and they have specials here all the time. Located in the north side of Pier Park, right across from that fateful AT&T store that I spent 5 hours at buying two sweet sweet iPhones, you can spell the delicious aroma wafting down the sidewalk.
• Kilwin’s Chocolates & Ice Cream
  • Love LOVE their ice cream and home-made chocolates. They make chocolate and fudge right there under that roof, and I think they make the ice-cream too, but just not there. There is a Kilwin’s in Destin (which is where it all started) and they’ve been successful here. Kilwin’s is located in the main boardwalk area, on the east side, right down from Red Brick Pizza and Smoothie King.
• Marble Slab Creamery
  • The name says it all. If you like goodies in your ice-cream, this is the place to get it fresh. Using huge, chilled marble slabs and heavy thick metal “crushers”, the staff at this tasty treat shop mix up anything you want in your ice-cream, from gummy bears to Oreo’s to M&M’s. Marble Slab is located on the main boardwalk area across from Five Guys Burgers and Fries.
• Polka-Dots Toys and Gifts
  • Selling all the retro toys and gifts that you can’t find anywhere else, Polka Dots also has snacks and other eatery items. Polka Dots is located in the main boardwalk area of Peir Park on the east side, in the same building as Hofbrau Beer Garden and Buffalo Wild Wings.
• Popcorn Kingdom
  • This my friend is the place that dreams are made of. Popcorn literally fills every nook and cranny of this magical place. If you can dream it up, this place has the popcorn to open your eyes. Popcorn Kingdom is in the boardwalk area of Pier Park in Panama City Beach, on the east side, same building as Buffalo Wild Wings.
• Smoothie King
  • The name says it all. Smoothie King is located in the main boardwalk area of Pier Park, on the east side, in the same building as Red Brick Pizza and Kilwin’s Chocolate.
• Starbucks Coffee
  • Again, everyone knows Starbucks. Starbucks is located in the “festive” area, and can be seen from The Grand Movie Theater.

We had two giveaways this month, each for $50.  One of them will be awarded to one of the over 200 new SeePCB Good Times newsletter subscribers, and the other will be awarded to  the lucky winner of our Facebook Fourth of July Photo Contest. Watch the video below to see if you won!

We’ll be doing giveaways each month, so if you haven’t already signed up for the SeePCB Good Times weekly newsletter, do so now!

Click here to read more about Majestic Beach Towers.