This waterfront playground is widely known for its white sandy beaches that extend for miles. The contrast of white sand and the Gulf of Mexico's crystal blue water is spectacular especially when you're there for the crimson, auburn sunsets. Most first-time tourists come to experience the silky soft sand sifting through their toes. Snorkeling in the warm clear water searching for the perfect shells. Relaxing on the beach soaking up the summer sun. Or testing their skill at making a castle. Trying to capture the vibrant colors on a canvas with their favorite paint. Party with friends on spring break. These are all reasons to have Panama City Beach adventures in Florida's panhandle. But the area has a lot more to offer than the beach. On a previous trip, we held an alligator, rode on an airboat, and visited Gulf World.

Our son who lives in PCB wanted to take us to Shell Island. So we rented a boat from Salty Pontoons with a little direction help from their staff and we set off for the island. We played for hours in the warm saltwater. We gathered more shells than I cared to count. They now sit in a glass jar as decoration and have become great conversation starters.

Back in the boat, we stopped to eat our lunch. Staring into the clear water, we could see large sea turtles swimming around and under our boat. For me, this was the highlight of the day. I had no idea the big turtles could swim so fast. Wanting to test out the underwater camera we just bought, our son jumped off the boat with the camera in hand, hoping to get a closer photo. You know the kind of picture that's talked about for years to come. That's when we found out just how fast they can swim. No great photos of the turtles, but our new camera handled the experience perfectly. There are multiple companies in the area that rent boats, Salty Pontoons is a company that our son has used before. I would highly recommend them as well.

Fun and great pictures at the selfie museum

After 18 years of doing an adventure magazine/blog, it's always fun when you come across something new. (New at least to us.) PCB has a Selfie Museum that opened about a week before our trip to Florida. This is a unique, and fun way to spend 30 minutes or an hour. They have approximately 30 rooms or photo shooting stations where you can set up the professional lighting provided for you to use. Then it's time to let your creative juices just flow as you arrange your group to make your own masterpiece.

I'm told that there's one in Denver and Miami Beach and probably more. One thing for sure is you should add this to your to-do list for your upcoming Panama City Beach adventures.

Our group had no idea what to expect and went with a bit of skepticism. That only lasted for a hot minute. Then the fun kicked in and it grew at each photo stop. When we left we were all smiles, talking about how much fun it was.

Even though ax-throwing is not new, no one in our group had ever tried it. Honestly, it's something that I had thought would be fun to try. But I hadn't taken the time to go. That's one of the benefits of being on vacation: you usually have a little more discretionary time and money. We went to Axe Throwing PBC, on Richard Jackson Blvd. With some quick instructions from the employee, we jumped in. The learning curve was short. By our 3rd round of throws, each of us had at least made one ax stick on the target. We didn't keep score, but I'm sure that will change next time.

When there's more summer sun than you want, head to the air-conditioned PCB Axe Throwing. Enjoy a cold drink to cool down while testing your accuracy with an ax.

We’re already looking forward to our next Panama City Beach adventure.

Spending time on the white sandy beaches, hunting for the perfect souvenir, exploring the area's State Parks, and adding to our growing collection of seashells. Also on that list, we plan to test skill, wits, and patience in the City’s Royal Escape Rooms. After all, it's a great way to leave the stresses of today's world behind, and lose yourself in a realistic simulation game that requires working together with your team.

The reasons to vacation in PCB are almost endless. What are yours?