Inexpensive family activities in the Panama City, Florida area with older kids?

July 1, 2011 7:47 AM

Inexpensive family activities in the Panama City, Florida area with older kids?

We're renting a cottage for a week in Panama City Beach, Florida. Me, wife, 16-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son. Finances are tight this year, so we're looking for inexpensive activities in the area.

We were there a couple of years ago and we really didn't explore beyond Panama City and PC Beach areas.

Beach-related activities are great and cheap, but I'd like to find out if there are other things to do and see in the area as well. We'd be willing to drive a ways for interesting activities.

We are interested in just about anything: history, animals, outdoor activities (we're from Texas so the heat is no worse than home for us), ocean-related, inland, etc.

posted by tippiedog to Travel & Transportation around Panama City, FL (3 answers total)

Best answer: You may want to look into Shell Island. It's an uninhabited barrier island with all sorts of interesting critters in the water and on land. You can swim with dolphins in the bay and look for birds on the land. There's a water shuttle that departs from St Andrew's park every few hours.
posted by zoetrope at 8:57 AM on July 1, 2011

When I was in middle and high school I really liked going to Shipwreck Island, a water park in Panama City. It's smaller than the big water parks in central Florida, but for whatever reason that just made it better/less overwhelming, and cheaper. I haven't been in years but it seems like the reviews are still good. Keep an eye out for coupons or discount passes.
posted by Jemstar at 11:31 AM on July 1, 2011

Response by poster: Zoetrope, when we visited PCB last time, we rented a boat and went to Shell Island. We enjoyed it a lot. Maybe this time, the ferry is the way to get there.
posted by tippiedog at 12:03 PM on July 1, 2011