5 Things to Do in Panama City Beach for First-Time Visitors
August 18, 2025Panama City Beach is a popular vacation spot for all ages! Whether you’re planning a trip with a group of friends, your family, or your significant other, the area is overflowing with entertainment. When you’re visiting for the first time, there are a few staple attractions that you have to experience. To ensure you don’t miss out on the best of the best, we’ve compiled a list of the top things to do in Panama City Beach for first-time visitors.
1. Visit Us at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show
Looking for non-stop entertainment that appeals to all ages? Visit us at Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show! Our unique attraction is something you have to experience at least once. Not only is our air-conditioned attraction the best place to spend your evening after a full day in the sunshine, but it also provides the perfect combination of pirate-themed food and fun. Our show invites guests to be swept away in a high-seas adventure featuring romance, acrobatics, sword fights, animal tricks, and more. While you watch the Crimson and Sapphire crews battle for the hidden treasure, you’ll be feasting on a hearty dinner with four delicious courses. It’s enough to satisfy hungry landlubbers and pirates alike!
In addition to our show and feast, we provide more opportunities for fun! Guests are invited to arrive up to an hour before showtime to take part in some exciting activities that make the evening even more special. You can Join the Crew with pirate and mermaid makeovers, enjoy pre-show entertainment in Pirates Village™, and get some pirate treasure to take home from our gift shop! If you’re visiting with a group and planning a special event, Blackbeard’s Quarters is the perfect place to be. Enjoy quality time with each other and specialty cocktails before taking your seats downstairs for the main event.
Whether you’re visiting with family, as a couple, or with a large group, you’re in for a treat at Pirates Voyage.
2. Explore WonderWorks
Another one of the can’t-miss things to do in Panama City Beach for first-time visitors is exploring WonderWorks. This attraction offers a combination of education and entertainment. As soon as you spot the upside-down building, you’ll know that a memorable experience is waiting inside. There are more than 100 hands-on exhibits that challenge the mind and spark the imagination, along with a glow-in-the-dark indoor ropes course, a fast-paced laser tag battle in a black-lit maze, and a unique ride called Space Fury 360. During the ride, you’ll control your own vehicle while using your laser cannon to shoot targets located on other vehicles, the arena walls, and the ceiling. It’s the most intense game of bumper cars you’ve ever played!
3. Ride the PCB Wheel
For the best views of Panama City Beach, you have to ride the PCB Wheel! Guests are invited to step inside a climate-controlled gondola that takes them high above the Emerald Coast. For the ultimate adventure, enjoy the VIP Experience that offers private, climate-controlled gondolas with luxury leather seats, along with a souvenir photo! When you visit the PCB Wheel, you can also challenge each other to an exciting 18 holes of mini golf, or unleash your inner adventurer on a thrilling ropes course. Everyone will find something to love when visiting the PCB Wheel!
4. Experience Ripley’s Believe It or Not!
Discover the unexpected at Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Panama City Beach. Explore hundreds of rare and unusual artifacts, including genuine Titanic treasures, incredible pop art, and even the world’s tallest man. Test your eye for detail with the Jellybean Mona Lisa or marvel at a Titanic replica built entirely from matchsticks. With interactive exhibits, oddities from around the globe, and hours of family-friendly fun, Ripley’s offers an experience you’ll never forget. Whether you’re visiting with kids, friends, or that special someone, there’s something unbelievable waiting for you inside.
5. Spend Time on the Beach
Of course, you can’t visit Panama City Beach without spending time on the actual beach! There are 27 miles of beaches to explore. The white sand and emerald waters are inviting to everyone. Whether you’re building sandcastles, sunbathing, or splashing in the waves, there is something for everyone. If you’re looking for more adventure, we recommend water activities like jet skiing, dolphin tours, or scuba diving!
More Things to Do in Panama City Beach
Now you know what to do on your first visit to the area! Learn more about things to do in Panama City Beach, and get ready for an unbelievable vacation.
