Panama City Beach Isn’t Like I Remember…
Chances are, if haven’t visited Panama City Beach in a few years, on your next visit you may not recognize the place. Repeat tourists have often told me stories of how they remembered Panama City Beach. They exalt places like the old Hangout and the fun their kids had at Miracle Strip—even long-graduated Spring Breakers and their tales of transforming our beach into Northwest Florida’s largest rave.
When cruising down the “Strip,” gone are the mom and pop hotels and random snowcone huts; gone are the giant chicken wire and plaster figures that towered over roadsides. Gone, even, is good ol’ Petticoat Junction (some of you may not remember that one).
Much has changed. In fact, since I was young, Panama City Beach is completely different. But, just because there aren’t as many goofy golfs (and I love goofy golf) doesn’t mean the beach’s changes are bad.
Note what many consider to be upgrades. In place of the mom and pop hotels and various “huts” are truly majestic condominiums. These stylish structures bring an under-appreciated elegance to the beachside. There are less small retail stores and more shopping plazas. The Miracle Strip amusement part is now a relic, the dome of the old Abominable Snowman ride still visible over the green fence, but its joy and laughter moved slightly westward to Pier Park. Some of the old bars and hangouts are gone, only to be replaced by better bars, trendier restaurants and hangouts for all ages.
The charm of the staples remain with places like Shipwreck Island Water Park, Club La Vela, Spinnakers, Shuckum’s, Schooners, Gulf World Marine Park, Zoo World and Pineapple Willy’s, but recent additions like Pier Park, RockIt Lanes, Oxygen, the PCB Aquatic Center and other may add to the value of the whole beach.
In my opinion, that last statement may be truer than most people realize. Don’t get me wrong, the popularity of the entire destination hinges on the charm of the old Panama City Beach. But, as a lifelong resident, I love watching the change. The condominiums aren’t just big view-hogging edifices; they have amazing accommodations and advanced amenities. Because of them, the rest of the beach has been forced to keep up. The remaining hotels and motels have changed their décor and added to their amenities. Take the Holiday Inn Sunspree for example. Over the last three years they’ve added The Aqualand playground, a new beautiful convention and business center, the Sunset Lounge and upgraded all the rooms and bedding. This was a direct result of competition from nearby condominiums. And that’s not all. Even the grounds of the seven mile long strip conceded, becoming cleaner and better maintained in order to keep up with the overall “new look.” These changes have made the whole of the beach cleaner and nicer.
Panama City Beach is on the verge of great things, truly providing services tourists can’t get anywhere else. And with the new airport on the way and ongoing rumors of expanding Pier Park into a more “amusement-like” arena, more first-rate advancements are on the horizon. But what do you think of the changes? Do you like the new-look PCB or do you prefer the old-style beach? Let us know and we’ll make sure your concerns hit the right ears.
Thanks to Tim Hollis for an awesome, and sadly nostalgic, book “Florida’s Miracle Strip.” If you would like to purchase his book, click HERE.
