Clear green water washing onto white sand in Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach, Florida

Panama City Beach, from the West End to Shell Island

Find the area and the hotel that fit your trip, the way to Shell Island and the rules that trip visitors up, from double red flags to the March alcohol ban. We're an independent guide, and each of our guides names the source of every price and rule and the date we checked it.

Beachfront hotels Explore the beach map
Independent guideFacts checked at the sourceUpdated November 2026

Panama City Beach · Photo: Michael Monahan / Unsplash · Credits

Plan by trip

What brings you to Panama City Beach?

Most visitors come for a beach week in summer, spring break in March or a long stay in winter.

Compare areas to stay Best time to visit Getting here: the airport
The beach

One long beach on the Florida Panhandle

Panama City Beach is its own city on the Gulf, separate from Panama City. The official map splits the beach into five areas, from the West End to Grand Lagoon. Pier Park and the Russell-Fields City Pier are in the second of them; St. Andrews State Park and the boat to Shell Island are at the east end.

The West End is quieter, with fewer high-rises and Camp Helen State Park. Watch the beach flags: under two red flags the water is closed, and going in can cost $500.

5
areas on the official map, West End to Grand Lagoon
20,375
residents, Census estimate for July 2025
24 min
from the airport (ECP) to the city pier, without traffic
A sandy path between sea oats and a dune fence leading to the beach30.18° N · 85.81° W

Photo: Michael Monahan / Unsplash

Panama City Beach, Florida · Illustrated map

Where everything is along the beach

One long strip of sand on the Gulf, from Camp Helen in the west to St. Andrews State Park and Shell Island in the east. Pier Park is in the west half; many boat tours leave from Grand Lagoon.

Map data (GeoJSON)
Watercolor map of Panama City Beach between West Bay, St. Andrew Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, with Shell Island to the southeast.1Camp Helen State Park2Conservation Park3Frank Brown Park4Pier Park and city pier5County Pier6WonderWorks7Grand Lagoon8St. Andrews State Park9Shell Island
  1. 1Camp Helen State ParkState park at the west end
  2. 2Conservation ParkTrails and boardwalks, inland
  3. 3Frank Brown ParkPlaygrounds, trails, dog park
  4. 4Pier Park and city pierShops, PCB Wheel, Russell-Fields pier
  5. 5County PierM.B. Miller County Pier
  6. 6WonderWorksAttractions on Front Beach Road
  7. 7Grand LagoonMarinas where many boat tours leave
  8. 8St. Andrews State ParkGulf beach, jetties, park ferry
  9. 9Shell IslandBy boat only; no restrooms or shade shelters
North is up. Coastlines follow OpenStreetMap land polygons; the watercolor styling is decorative and pin positions are approximate. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors · ODbL.
Where to stay

Choose the area, then the hotel

Along a beach this long, the area you pick decides how much time you spend driving. Coming without a car? Read getting around before you choose.

  1. Shops and walkways at Pier Park in the evening
    Walk to shops and the pier

    Pier Park

    Restaurants, shops, the PCB Wheel and the city pier on foot. Lifeguards sit beside the pier from April 1 to Labor Day weekend (tourism office) or September 30 (city).Hotels near Pier Park
    Olin Gilbert / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
  2. Marsh, pines and a sand path to the Gulf at Camp Helen State Park
    A quieter beach

    West End

    Fewer high-rises, according to the tourism office, and Camp Helen State Park. Pier Park is a drive away from most of it.West End
    Ebyabe / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
  3. The upside-down WonderWorks building on Front Beach Road
    Attractions for kids

    Middle Beach

    WonderWorks, Ripley's and go-karts on Front Beach Road.Middle Beach
    Evan Nichols / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
  4. White sand and green water at St. Andrews State Park
    Boats and the state park

    Grand Lagoon

    St. Andrews State Park, the Shell Island ferries and many boat tours. Condo towers on Thomas Drive.Grand Lagoon
    Royalbroil / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The fifth area, Open Sands, lies between Pier Park and Middle Beach, with the M.B. Miller County Pier, Shipwreck Island and beachfront hotels. Compare all five areas and their hotels

Quick answers

Before you go

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau population estimates (vintage 2025), Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport, NOAA National Hurricane Center, City of Panama City Beach code. Driving time: our own OpenStreetMap routing. Checked November 1, 2026.

Panama City Beach or Panama City?
Two separate cities. Panama City Beach had an estimated 20,375 residents in July 2025, Panama City 37,806. From Panama City it's about 15 miles and 30 minutes by car to the city pier
Airport
Northwest Florida Beaches International (ECP), about 14 miles and 24 minutes by car to the Russell-Fields City Pier, without traffic
Time zone
Central Time
Hurricane season
June 1 to November 30
Swimming
Two red flags: the water is closed, and going in can cost $500
How this guide works

How we check hotels

Every hotel in our guides is compared on the way to the sand, parking, pets and fees, and every condo complex on its age limit, minimum stay and fees. The facts come from the hotels, the rental managers, the tourism office, the City of Panama City Beach and Bay County. Each page shows its sources and the date we checked them.

We list only hotels and condo complexes we can book through Expedia and that have an Expedia guest rating of at least 8.5 out of 10 from at least 20 reviews. Some links pay us a commission when you book. Commissions have no say in the order we show hotels in.

How we research
Beach week coming up?

Sleep on the sand, not across the road

9 of the hotels we checked stand directly on the sand. Check parking and resort fees as well as the room rate: several charge a nightly resort fee, some include parking in it, and some ask for a deposit at check-in.

Compare beachfront hotels

Panama City Beach · Photo: AJ Derr / Unsplash