Page 97 - 2024-2025 Travel Guide to Florida

Panama City Beach Conservation Park, visitors enjoy boardwalks and 24 miles of unpaved trails, which are connected with other trail systems like Gayle’s Trails that run along the beach. On the eastern edge of Panama City Beach, St. Andrews State Park is ranked among the top beaches in the Florida Panhandle and is a popular outdoor recreation spot. Across from the mainland, Shell Island is a peaceful spot to relax or snorkel and the area surrounding the island is home to a large population of bottlenose dolphins. Shuttle boat service to the island is available during spring, summer and fall. Other locations worth checking out include Pine Log & Point Washington State Forests, Camp Helen State Park and the Florida Trail at Econfina Creek.
Gulf Islands National Seashore is one gigantic playground, which includes the barrier islands of Pensacola Beach, Perdido Key and Okaloosa Island.
Among the best beaches in Northwest Florida is the pristine three-mile stretch along Okaloosa Island, where the beach consists of fine, white quartz crystals, which give the water its gem-like color. Then there are the other award-winning Emerald Coast beaches in the Destin-Fort Walton area.
Heading inland, Florida Caverns State Park is home to the only guided dry cave tours in the state. Nearby is the Bellamy Bridge, said to be haunted by—who else?— the ghost of Bellamy Bridge. Visitors in this area enjoy paddling, birdwatching, hiking, horseback riding, and some of the best bass fishing in the state. For an incredible cave- diving experience, check out Cave Adventurers to book dive lessons or trips at Merritt’s Mill Pond.
Falling Waters State Park in Chipley has the tallest waterfall in the state, at 73 feet, and an observation platform from which to enjoy the falls and the surrounding forest. And Ponce de Leon State Park in Holmes County has a wonderfully-scenic natural spring pool, where bathers can take a dip.
ENTERTAINMENT
If you’re talkin’ Northwest Florida cookin’, you’re talkin’ fresh seafood. One of the best places to find it is in the town of Eastpoint, across the bay from Apalachicola and
St. George Island. Eastpoint is lined with rustic seafood houses, serving freshly harvested Apalachicola Bay oysters just hauled in by the weathered skiffs outside. And the oysters come with an extra dose of friendliness as many of these restaurants are now into the fourth generation of familyownership.
Panama City offers a variety of nightlife options, among them a local lounge with a vintage flair, Lie’brary on Beck. The Corner Pocket and Craft Beer EmPOURium is a non- smoking pool hall with the city’s largest selection of craft beer. The Place Downtown, in the historic district of Panama City, features trivia nights.
Neighboring Panama City Beach is a flip- flops town during the day, however, when the sun goes down its partying side comes out. Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge is a branch of Nashville’s world-famous honky-tonk with live country music. You can also hear live music at Pineapple Willie’s. And keep your throat moist because, in this town, there’s a good chance you’ll be using it for karaoke at night.
In the town of Bonifay, you can find good food at Sam’s Place and M&W Smokehouse Barbecue.
The picturesque seaside town of Destin may bring back memories of that nostalgic ’50s song, Harbor Lights. HarborWalk Village and the Destin Harbor are the most romantic strolling spots in town, with great shopping and cool boutiques, galleries, family restau- rants and attractions, bars and clubs, pub crawls, live music, and dancing amid those harbor lights and lapping waters.
In Pensacola, nightlife often revolves around performing arts companies like the Pensacola Symphony Orchestra, Pensacola Opera, Ballet Pensacola and the Pensacola Little Theatre, the oldest continuously operating community theater in the southeastern U.S. The Seville Quarter is a huge venue offering seven rooms of nighttime entertainment, with pool hall, dance club, karaoke, restaurants, bars, and dueling pianos. And downtown’s Palafox Street is an exciting strip lined with restaurants, bars and clubs.
ROAD TRIPS
Franklin county alongside two other counties boast the acclaimed Big Bend
ARTS AND CULTURE
Cultural Arts Alliance of Walton County
culturalartsalliance.com
Gadsden Arts Center & Museum
gadsdenarts.org
Lighthouses Across Northwest Florida
explorenwflorida.com/about-our-region/ culture/lighthouses
Martin Theatre, Panama City
martintheatre.com
Museums of Carrabelle
carrabelle.org
Pensacola Saenger Theatre
pensacolasaenger.com
The Repertory Theatre, Seaside
lovetherep.com
ATTRACTIONS
Gulf Breeze Zoo, Santa Rosa County
gbzoo.com
Historic Pensacola
historicpensacola.org
Panhandle Pioneer Settlement
panhandlepioneer.org
Pensacola Lighthouse and Maritime Museum
pensacolalighthouse.org
BEACHES AND OUTDOOR GEMS
Camp Helen State Park
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ camp-helen-state-park
Florida Caverns State Park
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ florida-caverns-state-park
St. Joe Beach
visitgulf.com/destinations/st-joe-beach
Torreya State Park
floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ torreya-state-park
ENTERTAINMENT
Pensacola Little Theatre
pensacolalittletheatre.com
Seville Quarter, Pensacola
sevillequarter.com
ROAD TRIPS
St. Vincent National Wildlife Refuge
fws.gov/refuge/st_vincent
South Third Street Historic District, Chipley
visitwcfla.com
Underwater Museum of Art
umafl.org
SHOPPING
Destin Commons
destincommons.com
The Little Village, Panama City
littlevillagepc.com
The Market Shops, South Walton
visitsouthwalton.com/listing/ the-market-shops
Silver Sands Premium Outlets, Miramar Beach
premiumoutlets.com/outlet/silver-sands
FEATURED LINKS
2024-25 TRAVEL GUIDE TO FLORIDA 95