Panama City, FL

Panama City faces St. Andrews Bay, not the Gulf-facing beaches of Panama City Beach across the Hathaway Bridge. Its own waterfront is organized around the historic St. Andrews district, downtown Harrison Avenue, public boat ramps, and a network of bayfront parks. Hurricane Michael's 2018 damage still shapes that landscape. St. Andrews Marina stayed open during a multiphase restoration that had installed new docks and was still rebuilding electrical service, bulkheads, the boardwalk, and upland areas in July 2026. Downtown Marina's ramp remained available for launching and fishing while the city reviewed bids for the first 50 rebuilt wet slips; the full marina was therefore not yet restored. Nearby Oaks by the Bay Park provides a boardwalk, pavilion, observation platform, walking track, and public access to the bay beneath mature oaks. Daily public services reach beyond the marinas. The city reported nearly 60 parks and recreation facilities across more than 270 acres.

ATTRSirberus / CC0

Bay Memorial Walking Park reopened in February 2026 with a paved path, disc golf, fitness equipment including wheelchair-accessible stations, a veterans memorial, and a rentable clubhouse. Weekly programs at city facilities include senior exercise, cards, table tennis, an art club, and sunset yoga. Bayway fixed-route and scheduled flexible service connects Panama City with nearby Bay County communities; in July 2026, the posted one-way fare was $1.50 and an unlimited day pass was $4. Panama City's population rose from 32,939 in the 2020 census to a July 2025 estimate of 37,806. The city's 2020-through-2024 housing profile showed 56 percent owner occupancy, a $268,900 median owner-occupied value, $1,782 in monthly costs for owners with a mortgage, and $1,327 median gross rent. Median household income was $62,265, poverty was 18 percent, and workers averaged about 21 minutes of travel to work.