Things to Do with Family in Panama City Beach

Family vacations are a wonderful way to create lifelong memories and strengthen family bonds. What better place to do that than at the beach in the sunshine? Panama City Beach offers plenty of fun activities for the whole family to enjoy, but especially for the kids! Check out these family-friendly things to do in Panama City Beach and what you should bring for your fun-filled day:

WonderWorks is an amusement park for the mind, housed in a 29,000-square-foot upside-down building. This unique attraction combines education and entertainment with over 100 hands-on, interactive exhibits that challenge the mind and spark the imagination. Originally a top-secret laboratory in the Bermuda Triangle, it now sits upside down in Panama City Beach after an “experiment gone wrong.” Fortunately, all exhibits remain intact for the whole family to explore!

Get ready for friendly competition with a scenic beachside twist at Topgolf in Panama City Beach. This high-tech driving range features climate-controlled hitting bays and fun games for all skill levels. It’s a great way to mix outdoor activity with family-friendly entertainment, even if you’re not a pro golfer.

Race City Amusement Park is definitely home to some of the most exhilarating kid-friendly Panama City Beach attractions. In fact, Race City is home to PCB’s only rollercoaster and its fastest, steepest and tallest go-kart track. It’s simply a must-do activity for speed lovers. There’s also a smaller go-kart course suitable for little ones. If go-karts aren’t your speed, bumper boats, blacklight mini golf, an arcade, and many more classic amusement park rides and activities are offered at Race City.

When your day calls for some winning, Dave & Buster’s has fun for everyone! Eat, drink, watch your favorite sports team, or score big on hundreds of arcade games.

For a swashbuckling evening of live entertainment, check out Pirates Voyage Dinner & Show. This interactive performance features pirate battles, acrobatics, mermaids, animals, and a four-course feast the whole family will love. It’s a can’t-miss experience that combines dinner and a show in one thrilling package.

Take your vacation to new heights on the PCB Wheel, a towering observation wheel offering panoramic views of the Gulf Coast. With fully enclosed, climate-controlled gondolas, the whole family can ride in comfort while soaking in stunning sights of the beach and beyond—perfect for a scenic break in between adventures.

Rock’It Lanes offers an unbeatable variety of family-friendly fun. With 24 bowling lanes, a 50,000 square-foot arcade, and an 8,000 square-foot roller skating rink, there’s truly an activity for everyone. Rock’It Lanes also boasts a full-functioning grille serving up traditional American food favorites and kids meals for children 12 and under. Be sure to check out their various weekday deals and family-focused discounts when planning your fun-filled outing.

If you spent time in Panama City Beach as a kid, chances are you visited Shipwreck Island Waterpark. Now, your children can relive those experiences in the updated and improved version of the park, which includes water slides, a wave pool, a kids’ play area, and a river rapids ride!

The Sea Dragon offers a classic Panama City Beach experience your child will never forget. Helmed by Captain ‘Fearless’ Phil and his friendly crew, this two-hour cruise is a kid’s dream come true. It includes sword fighting, swabbing the deck, firing the “Kid cannon,” reading a treasure map, finding sunken treasure, a water gun fight, face painting, limbo, a pirate dance party, and a temporary pirate tattoo.

Tour the area’s rivers, creeks, and marshlands on an Everglades-style airboat. This tour is perfect for little ones who love to learn about nature. You can expect to spot dolphins, bald eagles, osprey, and alligators as the tour guides share facts and fun stories along the way!

Explore the wild side of Panama City Beach by cuddling with a lemur or feeding giraffes and alligators at the zoo. With more than 200 animals on display, including lions, tigers, wolves, prairie dogs, and monkeys, your little ones will love this smaller yet much more interactive spot on their vacation.

No vacation is complete without a round of mini-golf, and what better way to enjoy this activity than at a themed adventure course? Pirate’s Island Golf takes you through caves, along the shores of a “tidal lagoon,” around waterfalls, and over bridges in your quest to be the mini-golf champ!

Step back into a nostalgic blast from the past at Funland Arcade, Panama City Beach’s oldest arcade. With classic games, kid-friendly snacks, and a vintage vibe, this charming spot is perfect for families looking for simple, timeless fun right near the beach.

No matter your family’s interests, Panama City Beach has something for everyone. For more ideas and places to check out, click here.