In September, families start to head back home with their children but the weather conditions
Panama City Beach remain hot with
highs of 86°F. The Gulf of Mexico is also still beautifully warm in September with
water temperatures of 82°F. The Florida
sun will shine for 8 hours each day on average. In addition, the
number of rainy days also starts to decrease after a quite wet summer. September has
11 rainy days on average - so you still might want to pack an umbrella. Temperatures
don’t drop below lows of 72°F. September in Panama City Beach is also within the Atlantic
hurricane season so do take some extra care and check the weather again before travelling!
For extra fun besides enjoying the beautiful white sandy beaches you could check out the
Gulf Coast Jam for some great music or the
Chasin’ the Sun festival for some first time or professional
deep sea fishing! If you are into animals a lot you could also try out an
airboat ride through the Everglades to see some alligators or visit the
Zoo.
Best Time to Visit Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is a fantastic vacation destination at any time of the year. It offers 320 days of sunshine combined with warm beach vacation temperatures between 75°F and 90°F from spring until fall. The water temperature stays in between high 70s F and low 80s F all year round. Even in winter, air temperature highs stay in the 60s F - ideal for any kind of outdoor activities on the beach or elsewhere around the magnificent area.
In terms of rain, it’s relatively dry from fall until spring and more rainy in the summer months. However, the summer rain is mostly just passing rain showers. Watch out as the official hurricane season lasts from June until November, peaking in mid-August.
From late February until early April, Panama City Beach is the place to be for Spring Breakers and anyone else who feels like joining the party!
Things to know about Panama City Beach
Well, when googling Panama City Beach you might often find search results including a beach front rammed with skyscrapers and crazy Spring Break parties. But that really doesn’t give you the full picture of the so called Florida's hidden beauty.
First of all, the skyscrapers are really just in the centre of town and in the surrounding area you can find so much beautiful, untouched nature. And while there is still some intense partying going on during Spring Break, it’s all much more civilised since the introduction of the recent ‘no alcohol on the beach’ rule.
Below is a
list of some must sees while in Panama City Beach:
In the heart of Panama City Beach you will find its
Pier Park, a shopping center full of restaurants, bars and shops with some great finds. The best time to be there is around sunset!
Southeast from the town is the
St. Andrews State Park. Here you can walk along 1.5 miles of
white “sugar” sand beaches and look out on the turquoise blue Gulf. You can also try different watersports such as snorkeling, diving or stand up paddling. Or you can walk around the park with its endless paths through the swampland and observe some alligators.
You should take a boat trip to
Shell Island. The beaches on the Panama City Beach mainland are incredibly beautiful but on Shell Island they are unreal. On the way there you are almost guaranteed to
see some dolphins. The best way to enjoy Shell Island is to rent a boat, take some food and drinks and spend the whole day there! It’s insanely beautiful!
If you would like to visit the
‘Everglades’ of Panama City Beach head out to the Westbay Backwaters. In that natural reserve you have the best chance to see some
alligators whilst on an
Eco Tour with an Airboat, especially during a nighttime tour.