Last Updated on March 31, 2024
If you’re looking for the best indoor activities in Panama City Beach, I love going to Pier Park with lots of indoor activities to do.
At Pier Park, you’re able to check out lots of cool shops and stores, play mini-golf and laser tag, try an escape room, go to an axe-throwing house, and eat and drink at restaurants.
You can also see a movie at Grand Theatre 16 and play arcade games at Dave & Buster’s.
Whether you want to escape a rainstorm or get out of the scorching sun for a while, this post covers all of these things and more so you can have a fantastic time under a roof in PCB Florida!
Table of Contents
17 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
Exercise your brain and get some belly laughs with your friend group or your whole family at an escape room.
This creative activity only lasts 1 hour, so it’s a great way to mix things up.
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
No other indoor activity is quite as classic as heading to the movie theatre.
Grab your popcorn and a soda, and settle into the cushy seats of The Grand Theatre to catch a great flick.
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.
Looking for the best place to stay in Destin? Take a look at this 12 Hotels Near Pier Park Panama City Beach!
5. Dave & Buster’s
Another fun indoor attraction at Pier Park is Dave & Buster’s. This is an adult mega arcade.
You can enjoy old-school classic games like Skee-Ball, Pac-Man, and Supershot, as well as brand-new arcade games (in the Mission Dollar Midway section).
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
If you’re young at heart or have rambunctious kids in tow, the Emerald Coast Mirror Maze should definitely be on your list of best indoor things to do in Panama City Beach!
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
After the Dark Ride Experience, you probably want something a little more low-key and charming.
If that’s the case, why not head to 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
Eating at Dick’s Last Resort shouldn’t be your last resort. A meal here is a unique experience that you won’t want to miss.
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
If you love learning about marine life, Gulf World Marine Park is a great activity for the entire family.
You can watch many daily shows while you’re there for non-stop informational entertainment.
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
Although you can find Ripley’s Believe It Or Not museums in scores of different locations, it’s still a top-notch indoor activity in Panama City Beach.
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
Another fun place to spend time indoors in Panama City Beach is WonderWorks.
This science museum features a whole bunch of cool exhibits and activities.
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), and lie down on a bed of nails in the physical challenge zone.
You can also 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
If you love taking selfies, this fun place in Panama City Beach will be a dream come true.
You can pay for one hour, two hours, or three hours, and have a blast taking pictures in over 30 different photo zones.
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
Is rain putting a damper on your game? Do you or your kids have excess energy?
If so, why not enjoy the jump trampoline park in Panama City Beach?
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: Indoor Activities 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 Panama City Beach indoor activities will you choose?
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My son and I hanging out at the beach on one of my recent trips to Destin!
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Booking a last-minute trip to Panama City Beach?
If so, we have you covered. Here are some top recommended tours and experiences!
Top Tours in Panama City Beach
Snorkel and Dolphin Cruise (Shell Island Tour With Dolphin Catamaran Cruise)
Sunset & Dolphin Catamaran Cruise (2-Hour Sunset Sail)
Swim With Dolphins Boat Tour (Family-Friendly Boat Tour In Panama City Beach)
Scream Machine Thrill Ride (One-of-a-kind thrill ride perfect for adventure lovers!)
Catamaran Snorkel & Dolphin Watching Tour (Snorkeling & Dolphin Tour In Panama City Beach)
Top Hotels in Panama City Beach
Marriotts’s Legends Edge At Bay Point – (Stunning Panoramic And Lagoon Views)
Holiday Inn Express & Suites – (Highly Recommended Beachfront Hotel)
Homewood Suites By Hilton – (Top Rated Hotel In Panama City Beach)
Hyatt Place Panama City Beach – (Best Rated Luxury Hotel Nearby Beach)
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Check out rental car rates here! 🚗
