My husband’s family and I traveled to Panama City, FL area recently and had a blast. I wanted to share where we stayed, the things we did, and the restaurants we ate at. The Gulf side of FL is a must see spot and is a great vacation spot.
Where we stayed:
We stayed in a Condo right on the beach in the Laguna Beach area and my in laws found it on VRBO. I will link it here for you all, but Airbnb and VRBO have a bunch of condos and houses that are right on the beach to stay in. I would aim to find one close to Panama City for affordable options but would not recommend staying in Panama City since it is not as nice of an area.
Things to do:
There are so many things to do in that area. The beach is beautiful and really clear. We even saw some sting rays and crabs in the ocean while we were there. It would be fun to get some snorkeling gear so you could use for it. Definitely check out downtown Seaside, FL there are a ton of shops and food trucks there as well as live movies in the amphitheater. I also love all of the cute buildings which are perfect to capture some gorgeous shots. Don’t forget to visit the 30A store and Seaside store for cute gifts and clothes. We also ate ice cream at a cute gelato shop called Heavenly’s Shortcakes.
Rosemary and Alys beach are both close by too. Rosemary Beach is absolutely gorgeous! The streets remind me of a town in Italy and there are also a ton of shops and restaurants here. There is also a great coffee shop called Amavida and I got a non dairy cookie dough latte there. You can also bike in Rosemary, Aly’s Beach, and Seaside. They have several places to rent bikes.
Restaurants:
We ate at a couple really great restaurants while we were there. I am going to include the ones we ate at as well as some other recommended restaurants.
George’s in Alys Beach:
The food was amazing here and the atmosphere was great! They have indoor and outdoor seating. Inside is a little loud, so if you are looking for a quieter setting I recommend sitting outside. Make sure you get there early to put your name on their waitlist too. I got the Jerk Crusted Gulf Snapper and it was amazing and they made it for me gluten and dairy free! My husband and his parents got the Shrimp plate which you can get grilled or fried. They also have a wide selection of drinks to choose from.
Old Florida Fish House:
If you want an amazing atmosphere then this will be a must on your list of restaurants to visit. Most of their seating is outdoors and it’s lined with market lights and beautiful plants. The food is also amazing. I did have a hard time finding something dairy free on the menu, but they were willing to make me a grouper with french fries and green beans. I had a really delicious watermelon cocktail. They also have live music and events on the weekends and can accommodate for special events. There are a ton of places to take pictures there and there is the cutest coffee shop/wine bar next door that is on our list for next time.
Crackings in Grove Garden:
This is a must stop for brunch food. They have live music and the most delicious brunch food. They had a lot of options for my allergies including gluten free pancakes. I went with the scramble though since the pancakes do have dairy in them. They also have outdoor and indoor seating. Make sure you put yourself on the wait list before you arrive since they do have a long wait on the weekends.
Other restaurants to visit
Cuvee 30A (Rosemary Beach
Pescado (Rosemary Beach)
The Citizen (Aly’s Beach)
Great Southern Cafe (Seaside)
Seaside Food Trucks ( lots of different food to choose from here)
Havana (Rosemary Beach)
Bud and Alley’s (Seaside)
Beyoutiful Adventure 