Things to do & places to visit in Florida Panhandle, Florida, United States

The Florida Panhandle is known for its quaint beach towns and interesting attractions, many of which are money-saving and family friendly. Come to the Florida Panhandle and relax on glorious beaches, shop to your heart’s content and dance the night away. Santa Rosa Island is great for kids and offers a wide array of both beach-based and water-based activities. Families will enjoy a day away to tour the 150-year-old Pensacola Lighthouse. The Florida Panhandle offers exciting nightlife. Panama City, Destin and Pensacola all have numerous bars and nightclubs to suit all tastes. Panama City is home to Club La Vela, the largest nightclub in the U.S. The Florida Panhandle is a shopaholic’s dream. It offers specialty stores, antique stores and shopping malls. For those renting a home or condo, a trip to Joe Patti’s seafood market in Pensacola is a must. The market specializes in fine wine and cheese, and beautifully presented handmade chocolates to take home to friends and relatives as gifts. Mon Père et Moi in Tallahassee is also worth a visit.

Florida Panhandle region in Florida, United States. Timezone: America/Chicago, current date and time: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 1:40.

Top things to do (20)

Top places to visit (29 attractions)

5.0 Navarre Beach (1.748 reviews)
- Wonderful memorable family vacation
Spent More than 3 hours Beaches

With its calm natural setting and variety of wild animals, Navarre Beach is one of Florida’s most relaxing places. Even though the beach is popular with both travelers and locals, it doesn’t attract large crowds and is perfect for a relaxing and rewinding day out. Here, you can chill by the beach, swim or kayak out to the reefs, head to the pier to fish or play some beach sports on the flat shore. You might also want to check out the beach’s Sea Turtle Conservation Center to watch the sea turtles and learn more about this endangered species. – Tripadvisor See more..
5.0 Panama City Beach Winery (1.309 reviews)
- A Winery Adventure (Great Staff, Great Wine)
Sunday: Spent < 1 hour Wineries & Vineyards

We were pleasantly surprised how wonderful these unique wines tasted! Typically our taste is to the Merlot type of wine. Every wine we tasted was over-the-top delicious! The tasting of a slushy drink was fabulous. We bought a case of wine (almost a bottle of each flavor) plus 4 more bottles and lugged them home across country and couldn't wait to share with friends. The flavors were fun, everything from mango, orange, key lime, blackberry to blueberry. We're at a point now to get a shipment sent until our next trip to PCB. See more..
5.0 Gulf Islands National Seashore (1.273 reviews)
- Gorgeous beach
Beaches

This 150-mile stretch of seashore, which runs from Cat Island in Mississippi to Santa Rosa Island in Florida, offers sparkling blue water and many beautiful beaches along the way. See more..
5.0 Santa Rosa Beach (896 reviews)
- Powdery white sand beach
Beaches

Easy to walk to if you stay close by . Clean beach. It does get packed. Has restrooms and and place to get the sand off. Wish I could of remembered the young gals name who worked that area of the beach was she was amazing and gave us lots of information about the beaches. We saw dolphins the first day ! See more..
4.5 Panama City Beach (6.558 reviews)
- One Of The Best Beaches In America
Spent 2-3 hours Beaches • Beach & Pool Clubs

This 27-mile long beach offers a wide variety of activities to enjoy such as swimming, snorkeling, dolphin-spotting parasailing and jet skiing. See more..
4.5 Pensacola Beach (3.234 reviews)
- Fun city and great beach
Beaches

This beach, located on Santa Rosa Island, is a popular spot for anyone seeking fun in the sun. With its soft sands and clear waters, the beach is perfect for swimming, paddle boarding, or learning to surf. You can also go fishing by the pier, stroll along the Portofino Boardwalk's shops, or embark on the ‘Footprints in the Sand’ eco trail. Join a dolphin-watching tour or, if you're feeling adventurous, take a powerboat tour or paddle a glowing kayak. The best time to visit is in the spring or fall when the weather is mild and the crowds are thinner. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Pier Park (2.871 reviews)
- Pet Paradise
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Shopping Malls

Pier Park located in Panama City Beach has become a main tourist attraction for shopping and entertainment with over a million visitors a year. This mega outdoor shopping mall consist of over 1.1 million square feet of specialty shops, retailers, and restaurants along with The Grand Theatre - a 16 screen, state of the art movie theatre. With over 80 stores and 25 restaurants it has become a family favorite destination. See more..
4.5 Gulf World Marine Park (2.553 reviews)
- Gulf World
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Aquariums • Gardens

Our daily shows featuring Dolphins, Sea Lions, Reptiles, Tropical Birds and other furry animals will amaze you. Pay one price and see all the shows and explore our indoor and outdoor tropical gardens showcasing penguins and sea turtles. Our stingray petting pool is always a popular activity during your visit. Take the opportunity to feed the stingrays at our Stingray Bay! Parking is free and we are open rain or shine. We offer many ways for you to get up close and personal with our animals. You can make a reservation for any of our interactive programs. Our Swim with a Dolphin program is a great opportunity to enter our million-gallon dolphin habitat and get eye to eye with these fantastic animals. You can even choose between two different species of dolphins! The Meet and Greet programs we offer are with many different types of animals, you'll find one you'll love. Trainer for a Day program is an all day program behind the scenes working with our trainers caring for our animals. See more..
4.5 Destin Harbor Boardwalk (2.474 reviews)
- Great Place to Wander Around
Points of Interest & Landmarks

The Destin Harbor Boardwalk is a vibrant promenade along Florida’s Emerald Coast and has plenty of fun activities. You can take a stroll along the habor and treat yourself to the freshest seafood in town, or even embark on a dolphin tour. Alternatively, head off to neighboring Norriego Point to snorkel in the crystal clear waters. If you're looking to indulge in an extra thrill, get on a zip line or do some rock climbing. During summer, the area is at its liveliest, as crowds come to watch live concerts and nightly fireworks shows. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Henderson Beach State Park (2.397 reviews)
- Beautiful white sand to sink your toes into
State Parks • Beaches

Beautiful white sand beaches. The gulf was a lovely blue-green while I was there. In November, it wasn’t too crowded and there are plenty of places to easily access the beach. The sand is a soft, powdery white and easy to walk in. I did forget that walking in the sand will work those muscles you forget about. It was easy to walk the 1 1/2+ miles I walked. Entrance fee varies by how many people are in the car and I saw that camping is available. There are also buildings with restrooms and rinsing showers if you are worried about tracking sand into your vehicle. I saw a couple of access points for those in wheelchairs. See more..
4.5 St. Andrews State Park (2.351 reviews)
- Nice area, beautiful FL trails!
State Parks • Beaches

We took a ride down to St. Andrew’s State Park and views were amazing. We stopped and walked the alligator trail with took about 25 minutes or so. We didn’t see any gators but that was ok because we lived in Louisiana and see them all the time. We really wanted to just see the FL nature trails. It cost $8 per vehicle and they offer a ferry service almost hourly to shell island we did not do this as the day before we visited shell island with an Island Time cruise. They offer kayaking, paddle boarding and all sorts of activities by the jetty’s and there is a pier to walk on for free by the pier store. We opted not to stay at this part of beach because alcohol was prohibited and other things. Very nice area though. See more..
4.5 Shell Island (2.189 reviews)
- "Your Own Private Beach"
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Islands

Ride the shuttle from Panama City Beach to Shell Island, where you can stroll along miles of white and soft sand as you spot dolphins frolicking and pelicans fishing from afar. Alternatively, make the most of your trip to the island by renting a pontoon boat to tour the area at your own pace. Swim in teal-blue waters, and don’t miss the peaceful Saint Andrew Bay on the other side of the island. Pack food, water, sunscreen, and other necessary supplies, as there are no amenities available. Also, pack a beach umbrella, as there is nothing to shade you from the Florida sun. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Fort Pickens Area (1.952 reviews)
- Absolutely Amazing!
Historic Sites

Visitors can take a self-guided tour of this authentic fort active during the Civil War and later used as a jail to hold the infamous American Indian chief Geronimo. See more..
4.5 Village of Baytowne Wharf (1.911 reviews)
- Free Entertainment area certain nights of the week. Check out their website.
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Piers & Boardwalks

Great little shopping area. Accessing is confusing as it’s in a locked community and gps didn’t like. Lol. But we found. We ate dinner on the water. Free band entertaining. Several shops. Very nice See more..
4.5 Okaloosa Island (1.576 reviews)
- White Powder sand and Emerald green water
Islands • Beaches

Crowds flock to the beautiful beaches on this narrow strip along Florida’s Emerald Coast for the world-class clear waters and white sugar sand. The western end of the Okaloosa has family-friendly beach parks with picnic areas and playgrounds, a boardwalk with restaurants and shops, and attractions like the Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park. The beaches on the eastern tip tend to be more secluded and less crowded, offering a peaceful escape. Visit in April and May for warm waters and comfortable weather or during fall when fewer crowds make for a quieter experience. Book accommodation well in advance if you plan to visit in the summer. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.5 Pensacola Lighthouse & Maritime Museum (1.549 reviews)
- Beautiful View of the Gulf
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Lighthouses • History Museums

NOTICE TO GUESTS: YOU MAY BOOK A TOUR TO THE LIGHTHOUSE THROUGH OUR WEBSITE. We are located on Naval Air Station Pensacola. NAS Pensacola currently requires someone in your vehicle to possess a current DoD ID card holders and certain Veterans Health Identification Card for disabled veterans with a "service-connected disability". If you do not possess one of these ID types, you can still visit but must book a "Public Access Tour" in order to do so. Please visit our website at www.pensacolalighthouse.org and click "events" in order to book online. The Best View in Town! Climb 177 steps up the historic Pensacola Lighthouse for one of the most beautiful views on the Gulf Coast. Built in 1859, the lighthouse is located on board NAS Pensacola. The tower offers stunning views of Pensacola Bay, the Pensacola skyline, and the historic Navy Yard. See more..
4.5 Air Force Armament Museum (1.399 reviews)
- Wonderful Piece of Military History
Military Museums

The focus is on Air Force armament through a variety of historical displays, from a B-17 World War II bomber to an F-4 Phantom II jet. See more..
4.5 Florida Caverns State Park (980 reviews)
- Florida caverns
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM State Parks • Caverns & Caves • Geologic Formations

This place is temporarily closed. A cave complete with rock formations and bats. See more..
4.5 Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park (954 reviews)
- Brilliant day out.
Sunday: 8:00 AM - 7:30 PM State Parks

We visited on a beautiful Monday afternoon.$6 entry fee to stay all day if you like. Walks, Children's play area, swimming in the Spring fed water and boat rides (which need pre booking online) Boat rides are brilliant value and very informative, we saw loads of wildlife. Visit the lodge for the restaurant or cafe(you can stay there too) or just for a look round (the lobby ceiling is beautiful) I really recommend a visit here. See more..
4.5 Florida State University (812 reviews)
- WANDERED AROUND CAMPUS
Points of Interest & Landmarks

Nice to wander around the campus with my son who is a grad student there. Of course with Covid and mid-summer access is pretty limited. Even the visitor's office was closed on the day we were there. But the sports shop was open and I got a tee shirt. Hoping to some day go to a football game. Campus is neat, clean, grounds people very helpful and friendly asking if we need help. Looking forward to a return visit. See more..
4.5 Saint George Island State Park (789 reviews)
- Secluded, quiet beach
State Parks

This attraction covers nine miles of untouched beaches, dunes, bay forests and marshes. See more..
4.5 Grayton Beach State Park (767 reviews)
- Grayton Beach is Great
State Parks • Beaches

We vacationed twice this year in Santa Rosa Beach area. We have gone to several Beaches but Grayton beach is our favorite. It cost us $5 for the car group to get in but there is more parking than other beaches. Bathrooms are clean, there is a place to rinse off and it’s sufficient . It’s a bit of a walk to the beach on a boardwalk , but it’s an easy walk. We saw a sea turtle swimming ! We did notice in October one day there was lots of jellyfish . Little white floaty things , bigger pink ones also . The sand is powdery and white. We like that as we set on the beach it’s just dunes behind us , not houses or hotels/condos … just nature . See more..
4.5 St. Joseph Peninsula State Park (761 reviews)
- Sea Shell Hunting
State Parks • Beaches • Parks

One of the top beaches in 1995. See more..
4.5 St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge (692 reviews)
- A natural escape
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Nature & Wildlife Areas

The trail-runner's dream. See more..
4.5 Cape San Blas (664 reviews)
- Interesting area of dunes and sand
Points of Interest & Landmarks

Very interesting area in panhandle. Beautiful beaches like you see everywhere in panhandle, wide, clean and very white. We have been very surprised by the cleanliness of the beaches in this area compared with Destin area. The unique thing is how fast the multi- million dollar homes on this narrow strip devastated by Hurricane Michael have been built. While in Texas we visited North Padre and Port Arransas which was hit in 2018 by Harvey and they pulled building back away from shore by at least a couple blocks. Here a Category 5 hits, whips it clean and they are building even bigger right on shore. But the beaches are pretty and still accessible and it’s a scenic drive out to the park. Stock up on food , beverage and gas before heading out. Services and stores are limited See more..
4.5 Tallahassee Antique Car Museum (587 reviews)
- Best Car, and other interests, Museum in America, IMO.
Sunday: 11:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums • History Museums

The mirrored walls of the Tallahassee Automobile Museum enclose more than just automobiles! This 100,000 sf. facility houses cars, trucks and memorabilia of all kinds. In addition to the antique cars, muscle cars, concept cars, and trucks -- check out the eclectic collection of Steinway pianos, Remington sculptures, Case knives, Barbie dolls, boats, boat motors, children's pedal cars, and die-cast toys. Journey through history with Native American artifacts, firearms, antique cash registers, pocket watches, salt-cellars, baby bottles, silver spoons, baseball cards, antique golf balls and clubs, 100-year-old brass-bladed fans, art objects from Thailand, neon signs, stained glass, a horse from a carousel, a children's barber chair shaped like an airplane and much, much more. Part shrine, part history lesson, part pack-rat's paradise, part garage and part art gallery -- except, in this case, the art has four spotless wheels and can go from 0 to 60 faster than a Cezanne can. It's truly an amazing museum of American history. See more..
4.5 Crystal Sands Beach (493 reviews)
- Destin travelers
Sunday: Beaches

We have stayed a number of places in Destin over the years. Crystal beach is probably my favorite. This area is more house beach related less public beach area. The farther west you go towards emerald bay or Pensacola, more like the college party atmosphere. The farther east you go towards Santa Rosa, Miramar beaches, it’s more public beaches and you run into resort life, bars and crowded areas. All the beaches have white sand and pretty water, crystal beach is kind of in the middle, white sand, beautiful water, not a lot of shells. I would highly recommend this area! See more..
4.0 Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park (1.577 reviews)
- Go just for the dolphin show!
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 4:30 PM Aquariums

Delight in watching dolphins leap and sea lions play during our spectacular shows! Or participate and interact directly with these and other remarkable marine animals including stingrays, sharks, and otters in our new interactive programming (additional fee applies). Enjoy educational exhibits and beautiful ocean views. Open daily at 9am. See more..
4.0 ZooWorld Zoological Conservatory (812 reviews)
- Love The Animals
Sunday: 9:30 AM - 5:00 PM Zoos

Home to over 350 animals and 259 species of plants, this popular zoo is a great family outing. See more..