Things To Do - October in Panama City Beach

October is my favorite month of the year!  It's just so "comfy" to me! The cooler, crisper weather that leads to warm sweaters and cozy bonfires. The vibrant colors.  Festivals of all sorts seem to pop up! Outdoor activities in abundance due to the cooler temps. Last year I had the pleasure of visiting Panama City Beach, FL in October and I learned that I have been missing out on the ultimate fall vacation, especially for a fall lover! The weather, with temperatures typically in the lower to mid 80's and less humidity, makes everything you do so much more enjoyable.  Even on the beach you get clearer days with calmer and more clear waters, leading to beautiful sunrises and golden sunsets. We had never seen clearer waters in Florida than during that visit in October. The clear turquoise water and sandbar stretched hundreds of feet out from the shore, allowing us to spend more time in the water and find more sea animals and shells.  Dining outdoors is much more enjoyable as well.  We LOVE to eat outside when we’re at the beach, or anywhere for that matter, but those pesky skydiving insects and the hot summer sun keep us indoors and ruin any outdoor dinner plans. October in Panama City Beach is a whole other story. The sun is still warm, but the breezes are cooler and bugs are at a minimum, so outdoor meals are much more doable and enjoyable! We spent a few evenings on our balcony enjoying our rotisserie chicken nachos and crockpot mozzarella pesto chicken pasta without any bugs!  Be sure to check out our Dining With A View series for these recipes and many more! October is also festival time in Panama City Beach. Let's highlight a few that are coming up this year!

Panama City Beach Octoberfest

• When - October 18th-20th, 2024
• Time - See Below
• Where - Aaron Bessant Park

Panama City Beach Octoberfest is at Aaron Bessant Park on October 18-20, 2024.  They have three days of German and locally brewed beer, food, live music. along with activities for kids and families.  The event features a massive tent decorated like the authentic Octoberfest in Munich, Germany, and outdoor beer gardens and a VIP section under the tent.  Be prepared for amazing German food and pair your beer with brats, either famous or smoked, or hot dogs (with or without sauerkraut).  Additionally, nothing is better with your new and old favorite beer than giant pretzels with beer-infused cheese for dipping.  Enjoy 3 days of fun:

• October 18 | 4:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
• October 19 | NOON - 11:00 p.m.
• October 20 | NOON - 5:00 p.m.

There will be corn hole, bounce houses and a slide zone for the kids.  Kids and adults alike can get their faces painted and get a photo of the fun they had at the gif photo booth. AND, for the grown-up kids, check out the stein hoisting competition on Saturday to test your strength and distance throwing abilities!   For more information or to purchase tickets, go to https://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/events/food-drink-festivals/oktoberfest/.  See you there!

Pirates of The High Seas & Renaissance Fest

• When - October 11th- 13th, 2024
• Time - Varies By Day
• Where - Pier Park

Calling all ye mateys, fair maidens and swashbucklers of all ages to the High Seas & Renaissance Fest.  This year's FREE celebration sets sail in October!  Enjoy fireworks, live mermaid shows, a fire circus, parades, a treasure drop, and more!  Travel back in time for this fun adventure!   For more information on times and events on this fun festival, visit our blog at https://premiumbeachcondos.com/category/blog/.  While there, be sure to peruse through our many other informative and fun blogs where you'll learn so much more about the Panama City Beach area!

Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally

If you're a rider, there will be so many events that you will not want to miss. This rally is known as the “Most Biker Friendly Free Rally in the United States”.

• When - October 23rd-27th, 2024
• Time - See link below for full event schedule
• Where - Panama City Beach

Bikers, vendors, and exhibitors from around the country come to PCB to listen to great music and  live entertainment. It's a free, four-day rally featuring over 200 vendors and exhibitors, a bike parade, beauty pageants, poker runs, live music, motorcycle stunt shows, tattoo contests, bike shows with category judging, and SO much more. Panama City Beach bike week happenings will take place at multiple venues in the area and will welcome over 60,000 biking enthusiasts to the beach. For the full event schedule, visit the Thunder Beach website.

Visit The Parks

The cooler, crispy days of fall always want me to be more active.  To get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer us.  If you enjoy the outdoors, October is the perfect time to vacation in Panama City Beach.  Besides the beach, there are a number of parks to enjoy that are sure to please.  

St. Andrews State Park

At St. Andrews Park you can experience sugar white sands, emerald green waters and a huge array of always changing winged creatures.  The park is a popular migratory stopover for numerous birds and butterflies. Besides a mile-and-a-half of pristine beaches for fishing and swimming, St. Andrews also offers the chance for visitors to stroll through pines and along dunes and coastal plant communities or stay overnight in the campground. They also offer two nature trails, Heron Pond and Gator Lake, where you can see coastal plant life and wildlife including birds, deer, alligators and coyotes. Also, while at the park, you can take the Shell Island Shuttle where you can spend some time collecting shells on the pristine beaches.  The time to look for shells is best right after a storm, but if you don't see any while you're there, be sure to check out the kiddie pool beach where there is a secret stash. 

Conservation Park