Pelican Walk has extensive experience renting vacation homes across the Florida panhandle. Panama City Beach is one of the top vacation destinations in America, so vacation homes, activities, and scenery must be up to standard to appease tourists.
Pelican Walk takes care of you, especially with our Panama City Beach condos on Thomas Drive. Therefore, balancing the twin scales of an enjoyable vacation while maintaining a reasonable budget is a tough act to perform. Fortunately for you, Pelican Walk has you covered.
All Thomas Drive condos feature updated kitchens, bathrooms, bedrooms, living areas, and more. Given Florida’s warm weather year-round, you’ll appreciate the standard AC installed in all rental properties. Additionally, PCB is home to the best beaches and piers in Florida, so there’s no shortage of things to do in Panama City Beach.
Here are some great ways to enjoy yourself without breaking the bank.
Cook At Home
Cooking at home is one of the best ways to save money while on vacation. It’s no secret that eating out on a vacation can cost upwards of $50 per person, per day, even with cheaper meals. Depending on the size of your family, that can get expensive quickly. Making food at your rental property is one of the best ways to save money. Fortunately, Panama Beach City is home to many farmer’s markets, so there’s no lack of fresh food.
The fully equipped kitchens in each rental feature granite work surfaces, the best appliances, and ideally placed windows with gorgeous views over the beach and Gulf. Eating in restaurants is excellent, but few things beat making the perfect meal in a brand-new kitchen as the sun sets over the ocean. As many of the piers in Panama Beach allow fishing, you can walk the beach by day and come home with things such as seashells, sea glass, and dinner, depending on how many fish you catch. Additionally, all of our Panama Beach City vacation rentals feature brand-new sinks, making prepping your fresh food easy and convenient.
Cooking at your rental property is also a great way to bond with your family and try new recipes. Everyone can offer input or help with the cooking. While eating in restaurants is fun and offers fresh opportunities, cooking at home teaches new ideas and allows everyone to have a turn.
Stop at the Grocery Store
Cooking at home means stopping at the grocery store on the way. Panama Beach City is home to multiple seafood markets and other fresh-food markets, so food for the week is comprehensive in variety and guaranteed to be fresh.
Buddy’s Seafood Market is a neighborhood seafood market and takeout steam bar. They offer wild-caught Florida shrimp in various sizes, steamed and seasoned to order. However, if you prefer to prepare them yourself, Buddy’s will happily sell you fresh raw shrimp.
Buddy’s also sells a wide variety of fish, including grouper, snapper, yellowfin tuna, and more, depending on the catch for that day. Their Key Lime Pie is also a hit. Buddy’s is one of the best seafood markets in the Panama Beach City area, so check them out when grocery shopping.
Tarpon Dock Seafood is another of the better markets in the Panama Beach City area. While they no doubt display many of the same fish and seafood as other local markets, preparation, freshness, and presentation are what set markets apart. Tarpon Dock offers a wide variety of seafood, including crab fingers, wholesale crab meat, tuna, shrimp, and more. Clams are especially popular. If you want fresh seafood but either can’t or don’t want to catch it yourself, stop in at Tarpon Dock. They’ve got you covered.
The Fresh Market, as befits the name, offers a massive range of fresh seafood. Fresh Market not only provides seafood, but they also have recipes into which you can put that seafood. Try to make their paella recipe with sausage and potentially some shrimp. It calls for plenty of spice, so don’t be shy with the chili powder! If it makes your nose run and your mouth sting, it’s just right. Additionally, their salmon is a particular specialty, especially when served with lemon and garlic.
See Local Sights
Going on vacation does not mean paying to get into every single attraction. Panama City Beach is home to many attractions that are cheap or free to enter.
The piers are a point of pride for Panama City and Floridians in general. The area is heavily populated with wooden piers stretching out into the ocean from the boardwalk, their wood pilings covered with moss and providing beautiful views from every angle. You can fish from those piers; many locals recommend walking right out to the end. The ends of the dock sit above deeper water, where the fish swim more comfortably.
Russel-Fields Pier is one of the best piers in Panama City. There are benches all along the pier for beachgoers to sit and watch the view. Additionally, the locals are known to catch mackerel, redfish, and flounder from the dock. You can watch the scenery and grab dinner at the same time. There is a small entry fee to the pier, but fishing rods, bait, and lines are available at the entrance for rental. As a side note, dogs are not allowed on the dock.
M.B Miller County Pier is a more private pier that still offers a great view and fishing opportunities, partly because it is hidden from the downtown area. The lack of hustle and bustle mean that the fish are more comfortable swimming around the pier pilings, so they are easy to catch from the top. The large parking lot is free to enter; however, a small entry fee covers both admission and your fishing license. Occasionally, schools of dolphins will swim through the pier legs looking for fish to pick up!
Plan Your Stay
Situated right on the Florida panhandle, Panama City Beach is an excellent place to vacation on a budget. The fishing opportunities mean you can hone your angling skills and catch dinner on the same day. Not only that, but our Panama City Beach condo rentals are top-notch and will be great places to stay on your trip. Start planning your vacation today by contacting Pelican Walk!
Book Your Panama City Beach Vacation Rental with Pelican Walk
Pelican Walk provides a seamless booking process, making it simple to find the perfect Panama City Beach condo rental for your vacation. Each condo is designed to offer a comfortable and enjoyable stay. Additionally, with a great location, you’ll have easy access to all the things to do in Panama City Beach. We have many condo rentals on Thomas Drive! Enjoying your vacation has never been easier! Plus, you’ll save big on OTA fees when you book direct online. What are you waiting for? Your dream vacation awaits – book today!