# Spring break in Panama City Beach



## tschwa2 (Aug 3, 2011)

I have a hold on a 2 bedroom at Wyndham Vacation Resort at Panama City Beach.  It is for the F-F before Easter.  Since Easter is early this year and it is Northern Florida, how busy will it be there?  Will the place be sold out, quiet, or in between.  We have been as far south as Hilton Head during this week and it is usually still fairly dead- only about 50% of the restaurants and 25% of the shops open.  

I would like it to be a little warmer but we are not looking for bumper to bumper traffic and having to make reservations or wait an hour to eat.  I've never been to the Florida panhandle so I really don't know what to expect.

Thanks for any input.

Tracey


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## dmbrand (Aug 3, 2011)

Panama City Beach is still a destination for college and high school spring breakers.  We were there in early April, 2010, when Easter fell on April 4th.  By then the college breakers were gone, but the high school ones were there and it was bumper to bumper on Front Beach Road.   Honestly, I had not experienced that many kids before; one high school athlete actually died falling off a balcony the day before we arrived.

That being said, we had a great time. Try to take Panama City Beach Pkwy as much as possible, driving in to your destination. If you look at a google/yahoo map, you will get the idea. Pier Park is fun and the sand beaches are the best!  Make sure to go to Shell Island. The restaurants are going to be busy; some of the best ones are in nearby St. Andrews, though, so check them out.

Weather can be a toss-up.  In 2009, March was a bit chilly.  From the college kids I know that were there, it didn't get much above 65-70°.  We lucked out and had fabulous mid to high 70's and sunny skies.


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## ronparise (Aug 3, 2011)

Panama City is a top spot for Spring Break...if you dont want traffic or crowds You have picked the wrong spot

The beaches however, are among the best in the world

And as far as Im concerned, Panama City might as well be in Canada...way too cold for me..,


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## am1 (Aug 3, 2011)

As a kid/university student I use to go swimming there during Thanksgiving, Christmas and weeks in February/March.  A lot of the snowbirds were wearing their winter jackets and toques.


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## johnsontrio (Aug 5, 2011)

We were there for Easter break 2010 during the same time period.  DD attended a Catholic school and we always had from Holy Thursday off through the entire week after Easter, no matter where that fell on the calendar.  PCB was very crowded that week and although the college kids were back in classes, there was plenty of bad behavior to be found.  We witnessed drunk girls in sundresses puking in the Walmart parking lot in mid afternoon and loads of drunk teens walking in and out of  traffic on the main strip at night.  We had 3 16 year old girls with us and we didn't let them out at night without an adult.  The day we arrived a young man from Cincinnati, who had signed a letter of intent to play football at Notre Dame, died after falling off a balcony at a hotel.  Turns out girls we know from our local high school were staying on the floor as him and his friends.

We would not return to PCB for vacation if it were free.  There do seem to be some nice areas further west that we saw.  Destin, Sandestin are fine and then there are some lovely little beach towns that seem to be planned communities such as Seaside, Watercolor Beach and Alyce Beach.   I wish someone who knew my family and our tastes had told me the reality of PCB.  It is a week I will never get back.  Not only were the crowds there poorly behaved, but the business people treat you, the paying adult, like you are no more than a drunk spring breaker.  We were treated poorly by the watercraft rental owner and also the condo we rented was *filthy*, in poor repair, with no concern from the rental management company.  I posted about it.


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## am1 (Aug 5, 2011)

johnsontrio said:


> Not only were the crowds there poorly behaved, but the business people treat you, the paying adult, like you are no more than a drunk spring breaker.  We were treated poorly by the watercraft rental owner and also the condo we rented was *filthy*, in poor repair, with no concern from the rental management company.  I posted about it.



YOu should give it a try in December, January, or early February.  It is a lot different.


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## Hophop4 (Aug 5, 2011)

We own a July 4th week in Panama City Beach and even tho it is a very busy time with lots of traffic I have never heard or seen what you described as what was going on during Spring Break while we were there.  We have also been there end of August and it was a very quiet time.  We really enjoy the beach.  Give it another try at a different time.


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## islandog (Aug 6, 2011)

*Find someplace quieter*

Several years ago, we drove along the west coast of Florida for a couple of weeks and ended up at Panama City during Spring Break. What a nightmare!  Unreal traffic and you could not go forward or turn around or get out of it.  We were stuck for hours and the worst part was the fear that you might run over some drunk as they congregated in the streets.  We finally got out and made it to Destin which was very nice.  Keep on driving - don't slow down.


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