Day Trips
Worth the drive
With Panama City Beach as home base, these are the places worth leaving it for — nearby coastal towns, cold-water springs, a walk-through cave and a spring-fed creek north of the beach.
The coast
Coastal towns and nearby water.
By boat · Bay County
Shell Island
A nearby island with no road onto it. Boats leave from St. Andrews State Park, including a seasonal shuttle.
East end · Bay County
St. Andrews State Park
The jetty, the lagoon, and the Gulf in one park. Shell Island boats leave from here.
Mexico Beach · Bay County
Mexico Beach
Mexico Beach is a small Gulf Coast city east of Panama City. It is still in Bay County, but it feels very different from the Panama City Beach strip.
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30A · Walton County
30A
Scenic 30A runs through a series of South Walton beach communities including Inlet Beach, Rosemary Beach, Alys Beach, Watersound and Seaside.
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Gulf County
Port St. Joe
A working waterfront on St. Joseph Bay, with Cape San Blas beyond it.
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Okaloosa County
Destin
The harbor and a different beach crowd, well suited to a full day trip.
Destin · Okaloosa County
Crab Island
A sandbar in Choctawhatchee Bay, reachable only by boat. In season, floating kitchens such as Reef Burger tie up there. Plan it as part of a Destin day.
Springs and tubing
Springs north of the beach.
Cold, clear springs in Holmes County, near the Walton County line, and along Spring Creek in Jackson County. Vortex rents tubes on its basin, and Bear Paw runs a creek float with a shuttle.
Ponce de Leon · Holmes County
Vortex Spring
A private spring park north of the beach, with a swim basin, slides, and seasonal tube rentals on 68-degree water. Diving requires a separate pass.
Their site
Holmes County · state park
Ponce de Leon Springs
A state-park swimming spring with the same cold, clear water, open daily. It fills up on hot weekends and can close at the gate until cars leave. Morrison Springs, a Walton County park on Morrison Springs Road, is the dive basin a few minutes away.
Their site
Spring Creek · Marianna · Jackson County
Bear Paw Adventures
A tube, kayak, or canoe float on Spring Creek, about an hour north of the beach. The put-in and the shuttle run from Bear Paw at 2100 Bear Paw Lane in Marianna. Paddlers need to be off the water by sundown.Open in Maps
Their site
Caves
Florida Caverns in Marianna.
Marianna · Jackson County
Florida Caverns
The dry cave you can actually walk through, in a state park open every day. Guided tours run most days, though some dates close for maintenance.
Their site
The creek
Econfina Creek.
Washington County and Bay County
Econfina Creek
The spring-fed creek north of town (not to be confused with the Econfina River in Taylor County). Pitt and Williford springs are the swim stops. The lower creek is the usual paddle. The upper creek is for people who already know moving water. It also feeds Bay County’s drinking water.
Their site
Nearby counties
Inland counties
- Washington County — Inland, north of the bay. Chipley is the seat. Econfina Creek runs through here.
- Holmes County — North of Washington. Bonifay is the seat. Vortex Spring and Ponce de Leon Springs are the reasons to go.
- Jackson County — Marianna and the springs country. Florida Caverns is the walk-through cave.
- Calhoun County — Blountstown and the Apalachicola River, east of Bay County.