The Best Beaches in Panama City Beach: A 2026 Guide

St. Andrews State Park: best for clear water and snorkeling

On the east end of PCB, St. Andrews State Park has more than a mile and a half of beach framed by tall natural dunes. Its rock jetties create a shallow, protected swimming area that families love, and the jetties are one of the best snorkeling and shelling spots on the coast. There's a state park entry fee, and it fills up on summer weekends, so arrive early.

Shell Island: best for untouched, natural beach

Shell Island is a roughly seven-mile undeveloped barrier island reached by shuttle from St. Andrews State Park or by boat. No shops, no restaurants, no restrooms. That's the appeal. Bring water, sun protection, and everything you'll need for the day, and plan to carry it all back out.

The piers and Pier Park: best for action

The Russell-Fields Pier (the "City Pier") sits across from Pier Park, PCB's big outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment district. The M.B. Miller Pier (the "County Pier") is about three miles east near Shipwreck Island Water Park. Both piers stretch about 1,500 feet into the Gulf and charge a small fee to walk or fish. The beach around them is lively, central, and close to food.

Rick Seltzer Park: best for easy amenities

On Thomas Drive, Rick Seltzer Park is a roughly five-acre beachfront park with free parking, restrooms, outdoor showers, and picnic pavilions. It's one of the easiest full-day beach bases in town, especially with kids.

The West End (Laguna Beach and Sunnyside): best for space and quiet

West of Pier Park, the beach gets noticeably calmer. Laguna Beach and Sunnyside are lined with condos, townhomes, and beach houses rather than big attractions, and the sand feels wider and less crowded. The trade-off is fewer restaurants and more limited parking. This is ShoreDrop's home turf in PCB: we deliver chairs, umbrellas, tents, coolers, and games to ten West End beach accesses in Laguna Beach and Sunnyside, so you skip the parking hunt and the long haul.

Camp Helen State Park: best for a nature day

At the far western edge of PCB, Camp Helen State Park borders Lake Powell, the largest coastal dune lake in Florida. Coastal dune lakes are rare, and this is one of the most scenic, least developed stretches of the area.

Quick comparison

• Calmest, clearest water: St. Andrews State Park

• Most untouched: Shell Island

• Most to do nearby: City Pier and Pier Park

• Easiest amenities: Rick Seltzer Park

• Most space and quiet: The West End (Laguna Beach, Sunnyside)

• Best nature scenery: Camp Helen State Park