Late Summer / Fall is one of the best times of the year to visit Panama City Beach, Florida.
If you are lucky enough to be flexible with your travel dates, and you can travel outside of typical School vacation dates then you are in luck!
Perfect Weather
The hottest months of the year are also some of Panama City Beach’s busiest.
The temperatures can soar during June and July, but start to get cooler from late August onwards.
This the local’s favorite time of the year. It’s still more than warm enough to spend a day at the beach working on your tan, but it’s not so hot that you have to frantically run for shade!
Less Crowded
Once the Summer crowds that visit during June and July leave, the whole beach gets much quieter.
Everything is still in full-swing, and stays open. There are just fewer people to contend with when you want to do something.
This means no wait times at restaurants. Shorter (if any) lines at attractions. More time to spend enjoying attractions, and not feeling so rushed to get around.
Plus there’s more space at the beach. Some people enjoy a crowd, but it is kinda nice to look around and feel like you almost have the place completely to yourself!
No Traffic
You are never too far away from anything in Panama City Beach.
You’re always pretty close to some great restaurants, fun things to do, the beach, and your hotel.
So even during the peak season, getting around isn’t exactly a problem.
However, during these busy months it can take a little longer to get around. Since you’re on vacation, every 5 minutes sat in traffic can feel like more like 30 minutes. That’s the law of relativity at work 🙂
So during late Summer / Fall it’s nice to not have to deal with that at all. Oh, and finding a premium front-row parking space is easier too!
Better Service
Catering to tourists all year-round, you’ll always find good service in Panama City Beach attractions, hotels and restaurants.
When servers are non-stop busy all the time, it’s harder for them to give people really personal attention.
So during the late Summer / Fall when things are much more laid back, the quality of service and level of personal attention you can expect goes through the roof.
Spectacular Sunsets
We’ve never seen a “bad” sunset in Panama City Beach.
But that’s not to say there aren’t those that are more stunning and beautiful than others.
During the Fall, low-hanging cloud formations make the sunsets even more spectacular than normal.
You’d have to see them to understand, but watching the hot pinks and vibrant oranges bounce of the sky and reflect in the Gulf is pretty magical!
Late Summer Special Events
You might expect the Summer season to be the peak time of the year for special events.
While there are definitely some cool things happening then, the Fall is just as action-packed!
Some of the top Fall events include the Fall Motorcycle Rally and a Classic Car Show with hundreds of hot rods and stunningly restored classic American cars.
If horsepower and chrome isn’t your thing, don’t worry.
There’s also a wine festival, lobster festival, a Reggae music festival with chili cook-off, the Chasin’ the Sun Music Festival, and of course, the classic Pirates of the High Seas Festival!
So you shouldn’t come here thinking there will be nothing going on during your stay…
Lower Rates
We might have saved the best for last.
By now you might be getting the idea that the late Summer / Fall is actually the best time of the year to visit Panama City Beach.
So to visit during the best time of the year anyway, and also pay less for your hotel / condo is the icing on the cake!
Hotels in ANY destination Worldwide set their rates on a supply & demand basis.
So during quieter times of the year, when there’s less demand – they can drop their rates (and offer free nights) to try to encourage people to visit.
Panama City Beach is no different.
So next time you’re thinking of booking a beach vacation, if you can be flexible with your dates, think about visiting during the late Summer / Fall for the best value!
Call a few different Resorts, and ask about their mid season specials.
Don’t forget to ask if you can also get any free nights (on top of paying less) like you can here…
