Panama City Beach Spring Break Overview
Panama City Beach has always had the reputation of the domestic (for U.S residents) party haven for college spring breakers. Knowing this, in 2016, I committed to going here for my first ever spring break trip. Unfortunately, this happened to be the year the city banned drinking on the beach…in March only! The law specifically was created to target spring breakers in an effort to minimize the crowd. Many students changed their plans fearing the law would ruin spring break in Panama City Beach (PCB) forever. So the question is, did it? Is it still worth it? Here is my experience at PCB post the beach drinking ban.
The Crowd Size
Ok, I know what you really wanna ask; How was the crowd?!
Any spring breaker that goes to a popular spring break destination, does so for the crowd. It is the wild scene of a spring break crowd that makes the experience one of a kind.
In my opinion, the crowd in (PCB) was sizable enough but not outrageously crazy. Bars were full and hotels were packed but the place was not overflowing with college students. This could be a good or bad thing depending on what you want. On one end, having a city flooded with college students creates a surreal vibe. On the other, fewer people means shorter lines and more partying for you. One area that I did wish I saw more people was the beach. There weren’t nearly as many people as I had seen in all the videos so I was slightly disappointed.
In the end though, hanging out with my friends, with nice weather, was good enough. The Crowd could have been much better but we all made the most of it.
Tip: DO NOT even attempt to try and drink on the beach. Getting caught is a one-way journey straight to jail. No questions asked.
The Crowd Vibe
The size is bearable but what about the vibe?
It’s one thing to have a lot of people its another to have the right kind of people.
If there was one thing that I was disappointed in, it was the crowd vibe. Now, this was not the case for all bars/clubs. Popular places such as Club Lavela or Sharky’s (during beach concerts) had a full-on college spring break scene with an energetic and young crowd. Other places, such as your second tier of bars, had a much more “creepy” feel than I expected. I know almost every party has its fair share of starers and troublemakers, but it felt like an abnormally larger percentage in certain places.
Overall, the fun places were really fun but the rest were nothing special. Keep that in mind if variety and options are things you need. We somehow always found our way back at club Lavela each night!
Places to Party
So if I do go where should I Party?
As mentioned, there were two standout party places for me:
Club Lavela!: This is the place you’ll spend most of your time at. They have day pool parties which are a lot of fun along with night themed parties. I absouletley loved dancing away at this club during the paint and foam nights. Depending on when you go, you may also get to see a star performer or two. We were lucky enough to see Juicy J!
Sharky’s Beach Concert: When we went to see Steve Aioki at Sharky’s, it felt like the college spring break image I had been picturing prior to coming. Day partying, inflatable beach balls and lots of music and dancing; This was a lot of fun! I even got the opportunity to crowd surf!
Here is a short video of the concert scene!
Age Requirements
Do I have to be 21 to enjoy this?
Part of what makes PCB such a popular U.S destination is that most of the bars don’t require you to be 21 to enter. They will give you a stamp noting you are under 21. Staff everywhere are constantly watching to make sure underage students are not drinking. Never the less, you’ll still get the opportunity to go to clubs as long as you are over 18.
Cost
I’m Broke! How Much Will this Thing Cost Me?
The entire trip, all-inclusive, costed me just around a $1000 dollars. Being that this was our first spring break experience, we did use a spring break planning company, Unlike in Cancun, where I highly encourage you to not use these services, In PCB the deal was not bad. We were charged $350 for 5 nights of lodging at Boardwalk Beach Resort and another $150ish for the party package. The package included day parties at Club Lavela, cover fees at most bars, and free drinks if you arrive early. We recouped most of the party package money.
Transportation was where we personally saved a ton of money. We decided to do the unthinkable and drive from New Jersey to PCB! That’s 1,154 miles if you are counting. The two-day road trip ended up being one of the highlights of the entire trip. Everyone should do a friends road trip once in their lives and there is nothing like one during spring break! If this is an option for you, I’d encourage you to do so. You’ll have the luxury of being able to travel with a lot more stuff (we brought a pong table!), save on airfare costs, all while having a blast singing away on an unforgettable road trip with friends. It is truly worth it.
If you are smart, this trip can be done in a thousand dollars or less which isn’t bad at all for spring break.
The Reccomendation
Enough questions tell me if I should go!
I personally had a blast despite the ban and diminishing crowd. Part of this was because it was my first spring break experience. I had always seen it in movies and videos but the thrill of just being in a spring break atmosphere is unforgettable.
In terms of the party experience itself, I would say PCB does not compare to other popular destinations anymore. If you were to come here after Cancun (where I went the year after) or any other large spring break destination, you may be disappointed. The clubs are less majestic, the crowd less wild, and madness…well less mad.
If you can only budget one spring break during your college career, Cancun may be a better option. See my Cancun Spring Break Guide for more. However, If your wallet can spare multiple spring break trips, Panama City is still a fun option in one of your first years of college. It offers fun clubs, live concerts, lots of craziness, and the potential for life long memories with your friends.
Despite some criticism, I had an absolute ball during my spring break here. My review of PCB is impersonal while my experience is personal. Spring break is all about what you make it. The place has no doubt changed with the new laws and this may alter your choice of destination. But if you do come here, and come with the right set of friends with the right attitude, you will have fun.
For anyone who has traveled to PCB for spring break more recently, feels free to post your comments or recommendations below!
Despite the smaller crowd, no drinking on the beach, the experience was truly unforgettable. Would not change a thing!
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