Last Updated on November 12, 2022
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Whether you want to escape a rainstorm or get out of the scorching sun for a while, you’ll love these great activities.
Visit museums ranging from oddities to the marine world to a museum dedicated to selfies. Play laser tag, throw axes, escape from an escape room, or head to a winery. Finish off with dinner at a restaurant famous for its sarcastic servers.
All these things and more await you in this fabulous city on the Emerald Coast!
17 Awesome Indoor Activities in Panama City Beach
1. Pier Park Mall
One of the best indoor activities for shopaholics is Pier Park. This massive complex features everything from a Macy’s (complete with an ice rink) to Kilwin’s Chocolates and Ice cream.
Visit the Disney Store, buy home goods, shop for clothes at name-brand stores or boutiques, or pick out beautiful jewelry. Pier Park is also a wonderful spot for gift shops and souvenirs.
With over 124 stores, plus a slew of great restaurants and entertainment options, Pier Park can keep you having fun indoors for hours. Take a spin on the ice rink in between shopping sprints, or re-fuel in one of the many eateries.
2. Escape Room
How does it work? You’ll get locked into a themed room and then you and your group will have 60 minutes to look for clues, solve various puzzles, and find the key to your release. During the process, you’ll need to work as a team, think outside of the box, and problem-solve like a pro.
Royal Escape Rooms and Escape Zone 60 are two great options. Both offer interesting themes to keep things intriguing as you sleuth Sherlock Holmes style.
3. Ax Throwing
Another of the best indoor activities in Panama City Beach is ax throwing. Whether you want to exercise your arm, or need some catharsis, ax throwing is a fun option.
It doesn’t matter if you’re a pro, or have never tried this activity before! Staff will be on hand with tips, lessons, and more. You can choose the best lane setup to match your skills and desired level of challenge.
Once you’ve finished hurling weapons at targets, you can refresh yourself with a drink at the on-site bar.
The music is popping, the customer service is great, and you’re bound to have a fabulous time.
4. The Grand Theatre 16
This multi-complex cinema is located in Pier Park and features all the latest Hollywood blockbusters, wall-to-wall screens, and stadium seating. There is also a game room, plenty of concessions to choose from including nachos and combo packs (woot woot!), and a specialty café.
If you check their Facebook page, they occasionally offer promotions and ways to win free tickets.
5. Dave & Buster’s
Once you’ve played yourself out, eat their signature smoked BBQ ribs, or down an adult snow cone. They also have great burgers and mac & cheese and drinks galore at their fully-stocked bar.
6. Mirror Maze & Lazer Craze
This all-ages attraction offers three different activities including a pirate-themed team laser tag game (for up to 12 players), an agility laser challenge to bring out your inner secret agent/spy, and a mirror maze to get lost in which covers 2300 square feet.
These indoor activities sound like so much fun! Why not do all three?
7. Dark Ride Experience
If you’re looking for a multi-sensory immersive movie theater, look no further than the Dark Experience. This venue takes watching flicks to a whole new level!
This amazing theater is 7D, complete with strobe lights, wind machines, rapid-motion seats, special effects, and more. If there is jumping in the movie, your seat will jump too. It’ll also make you feel like you’re falling or crashing.
You can even arm yourself with a laser blaster and help annihilate the enemy video-game style.
The best part? You can tailor the activity to your age and tastes, opting for robot cowboys, werewolves, zombies, etc.
8. Listen To Music At Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge
This vivacious restaurant is all about Southern hospitality, honkytonk vibes, and live music. Chow down on delicious southern fare while enjoying the bar, tunes, and atmosphere.
Food options include everything from onion rings to oyster baskets to cowboy burgers.
9. Eat At Dick’s Last Resort
Unlike other restaurants with polite servers, the workers at Dick’s have been instructed to throw all those etiquette rules out the window and serve everything with a side of sarcasm. They are rude on purpose, but usually in the funniest and most entertaining way possible.
The food is pretty good too. Try the fish tacos, island salmon, bacon mac burger, or taste a bunch of different appetizers by ordering the Sampla Platta.
Although the drinks are expensive, they are also enormous. Split one with a friend to save money.
Warning: Although kids can come to Dick’s, not all of the jokes and sarcasm are kid-friendly. Same deal with the silly hats.
10. Gulf World By Dolphin Discovery
You’ll learn about manatees, sea lions, dolphins, penguins, tropical birds, and more. You can even sponsor sea turtles.
Another option, if you have the budget, is to book one of their animal experiences. You can swim with dolphins, have them shove your feet, let them pull you through the water by their fins, or bump your hand with their noses. Talk about memorable!
Gulf World has 22 dolphin habitats and a sting-ray exhibit. If you’ve ever wanted to pet stingrays, this is your chance!
11. Ripley’s Believe It Or Not
This exuberant museum features oddities from all over the world, collections of “stranger than fiction” facts, and everything from optical illusions to sensory experiences.
Ripley’s is a great place to see shrunken heads, matchstick replicas, interesting artwork, and debunked hoaxes like the Fiji Mermaid.
Spend hours exploring the halls and rooms at Ripley’s. You can also visit their 7D moving theater and participate in an impossible laser race.
12. Wonder Works
Try out the glow-in-the-dark ropes course or play bumper cars in a 360º spinning space gyro. (Are you dizzy just thinking about it?)
Visit all the different Wonder Zones to stretch your imagination, experience extreme weather (in a mother nature simulator), lie down on a bed of nails in the physical challenge zone, try on a space suit in the outer space exploration zone, or go on a virtual roller coaster ride.
Once you’re all tuckered out, you can head upstairs to grab concession-style food at the Snack Shack.
13. Panama City Beach Winery
The Panama City Beach Winery is the perfect place to enjoy all-fruit wine tasting. You can choose eight different wines to taste, but there are over a dozen on sale… all made from 100% fruit juices. Some of their wine bottles have up to nine pounds of fruit in them!
Some of the favorites include tomato wine (think spicy bloody Mary), key lime, and white peach.
Besides wine tasting, you’ll also learn the history of the place and how the wines came into being. Treat your taste buds to delicious refreshing flavors!
Photo Credit- Man In The Sea
14. Man In The Sea Museum
Another one of the main attractions in Panama City Beach is the Man in the Sea museum. This fascinating and unique museum will immerse you in the realm of deep-sea exploration, submarines, and treasure hunting.
You can see recovered treasures from ships dating all the way back to the 1500s or climb through the SEALAB, an underwater living facility.
Be sure to watch a couple of intriguing documentaries, enjoy the hands-on exhibits, and chat with retired US navy marine divers.
Tip: Plan for at least 1 hour, but more is better!
15. Selfie Museum
Fun, goofy, or serious? Pose to your heart’s content because Instagram is waiting!
Photo Credit- Todd Herendeen Theatre
16. Todd Herendeen Theatre
Are you a country music lover? If so, spend one of your evenings watching a show at the Todd Herendeen Theatre.
This great venue doubles as a museum, complete with motorcycles and Elvis memorabilia. Eat a catered dinner, then watch Todd Herendeen perform alongside his band Follow That Dream.
Herendeen does many tribute shows and excels at singing Elvis songs. He also puts on patriotic shows, Christmas concerts, and more.
Photo Credit- Just Jump Trampoline Park
17. Visit The Just Jump Trampoline Park
Just Jump is a perfect addition to any PCB list of rainy day activities! Spend an hour or two leaping around in trampoline grip socks, doing flips, and bouncing off the walls.
Alternatively, you can let your kids loose to leap their hearts out while you chill in the mezzanine watching television on a big screen.
Final Thoughts:
17 Awesome Indoor Activities In Panama City Beach
As you can see, there are plenty of activities to enjoy indoors in Panama City Beach!
Head inside to escape the dreary weather or to enjoy a few hours of air conditioning. Have a rock-rolling time exploring, playing games, watching movies, or eating restaurant cuisine with a side of smart-aleck sauce!
No matter what you choose, you are bound to have an awesome time enjoying Panama City Beach. The only question now is, which indoor activity will you choose first?
You may enjoy these related posts:
Highest Rated Sunset & Dolphin Cruises In Panama City Beach
Pier Park Panama City Beach- 10 Fun Things To Do
12 Hotels Near Pier Park Panama City Beach
Travel Resources
Book Your Next Trip! For Accommodations and short-term rentals, I recommend Booking.com as they are the best in the business when it comes to rates and places to stay.
To Book Activities- For activities, I suggest booking with Viator, they have thousands of 5-star activities to choose from!
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