It’s almost Spring Break time! Many college students head to the Florida Panhandle, to the famous Panama City Beach, located about halfway between Pensacola and Tallahassee. There is plenty of partying to be had, without having to shell out tons of cash to go to Mexico. Here are a few tips for your Spring Break trip to Panama City Beach.
The best hotels to stay at are the Sunspree or Holiday Inn ON the beach. Most of the partying and action will be near these hotels (or behind the Clubs LaVela and Spinnaker). If these hotels are already booked up, just be sure you are choosing hotels that are on the beach, when doing a hotel search. A hotel may advertise that it is close to the beach, but that could be up to 10 miles away. Specify that you want Panama City BEACH, not just Panama City.
Purchase your food and drinks ahead of time, and keep them in your room. Many rooms on Panama City Beach will have a kitchen or kitchenette. Use this to your advantage, as many of the restaurants in the area charge exorbitant prices. There is a Wal-mart on Front Beach Road that sells food and drinks, and a Target on Back Beach Road as well.
Hang out on Front Beach Road, which runs parallel to the beach (hence the name), especially at around dinner time, when there will be lots of people cruising slowly down the road. This may be where you find your hook up for the night!
To save some money on cover charges at Clubs La Vela and Spinnaker, if you are 21 or over, head down to the clubs at about 7pm, pay the very cheap cover charge (usually between $5-$10), and get your hand stamped. You can do this at both clubs, or just one. Then you can go back later in the evening, and not have to stand in lines AND save yourself $20 or more on late night cover charges.
Also, during the daytime, many bars will have specials. For instance, Club Spinnaker has been known to offer 25 cent margaritas and $1 pitchers during daytime hours.
If you decide to go to a foam party, especially at either of the aforementioned clubs, make sure to wear clothes that you don’t care much about, because they will be SOAKED (and possibly ruined) when the party is over. Also, if you must bring a camera or cell phone to a foam party, put it in at least one Ziploc baggie, to protect it from the foam.
Remember to bring plenty of sunscreen and reapply it often! There’s nothing that can ruin your Spring Break more than a horrible sunburn from your first day in the sun. Remember to bring a hat, sunglasses, and a coverup as well.
If you drink, don’t drive. If you book a hotel close to the action, it’s very easy to walk back to your lodging at the end of the night.
Wear condoms! They are generally given away by manufacturers at promotional booths on the beaches, but are also available in most hotel gift shops and at places like Wal-mart.
Have fun!
