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Resources for exploring the area
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Exploring Panama City Beach
Bracketed by two state parks – St. Andrews to the east and Camp Helen to the west – Panama City Beach stretches nearly 20 miles along the Gulf of Mexico.
Although most of the shoreline is heavily developed, there are free public beach access points all along the shoreline, including several larger parks with parking lots.
The bay side of Panama City Beach is where the trails are. Near West Bay, Conservation Park includes a whopping 2,200 acres, most of which is pine plantation. More than 11 miles of trails crisscross the park.
A paved bike path network called Gayles Trails connects it with West Bay and Frank Brown Park, an aquatic center bayside.
Just 15 minutes north of West Bay are the state’s oldest state forest, Pine Log, and the spring-fed Econfina Creek watershed. The Florida Trail crosses both.
While this region took a strong hit from Hurricane Michael in October 2018, recreation areas have reopened and the beaches are as lovely as ever.
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Where to Stay in Panama City Beach
On our trips to Panama City Beach, we’ve intentionally steered away from the dense strip of condos and hotels that dominate much of the oceanfront west of St. Andrews State Park.
We’ve often made the Sheraton Bay Point Resort our base camp, enjoying its natural setting along Grand Lagoon.
We’ve also been guests at Pinnacle Port, a condo complex adjoining Powell Lake, one of the largest freshwater coastal dune lakes in the world.
It was easy to walk right into Camp Helen State Park along the oceanfront, and to view sunsets over Powell Lake from the balcony.
For camping, St. Andrews State Park is a popular destination. Just a block from the beach, Raccoon River Campground has 30/50 amp sites as well as tent sites.
There are also several RV-only accommodations off US 98. Naval Support Activity Panama City has two RV parks as well as cabins for active military and veterans use.