Active Pursuits

A nearly unbroken strand of fine white sand fronts all 22 miles of Panama City Beach, but the highlight for many is St. Andrews State Park, at the east end. With more than 1,000 acres of dazzling white sand and dunes, this preserved wilderness demonstrates what the area looked like before motels and condominiums lined the beach. Lacy, golden sea oats sway in the refreshing Gulf breezes, and fragrant rosemary grows wild. Picnic areas (on the Gulf beach and the Grand Lagoon), restrooms, and open-air showers are available for beachgoers. Anglers will find jetties and a boat ramp. A nature trail reveals wading birds and perhaps an alligator or two. Drive carefully here because the area is home to foxes, coyotes, and a herd of deer. A historic turpentine fir tree still on display was formerly used by lumbermen to make turpentine and rosin, both important for caulking old wooden ships.

The park's 176 RV and tent campsites are among the state's most beautiful, especially the 40 situated in a pine forest right on the shores of Grand Lagoon. They are very popular, so reservations are highly recommended -- and absolutely essential in summer. Call tel. 800/326-3521 or go to www.reserveamerica.com. Sites cost $24 year-round.

Park admission is $5 per car, and $1 per pedestrian or cyclist. The area is open daily from 8am to sunset. Pets are not allowed in the park. For more information, contact the park at 4607 State Park Lane, Panama City, FL 32408 (tel. 850/233-5140; www.floridastateparks.org/standrews).

Pristine Shell Island, a 7 1/2-mile-long, 1-mile-wide barrier island accessible only by boat, sits a few hundred yards across an inlet from St. Andrews State Park. This uninhabited natural preserve is great for shelling and also fun for swimming, sun-tanning, or just relaxing. Visitors can bring chairs, beach gear, coolers, food, and beverages. The best way to get here is on the park's Shell Island Shuttle (tel. 800/227-0132 or 850/234-7245; www.shellislandshuttle.com), which runs every 30 minutes -- in summer, daily from 9am to 5pm; in spring and fall, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Fares are $15 for adults and $6.50 for children 11 and under, plus the admission fees to the state park . A special snorkeling package costs $22 for adults and $17 for kids 12 and under, which includes the shuttle ride and equipment. Kayak rentals are $45 a day for a single-seat boat, $55 for a double-seater.

Several cruise boats go to Shell Island, including the glass-bottomed Captain Anderson III, which departs from Captain Anderson's Marina, 5500 N. Lagoon Dr., at Thomas Drive (tel. 850/234-3435; www.captandersonsmarina.com). It charges $18 for adults, $10 for kids ages 2 to 11 (Mar-Oct).

Boating

A variety of rental boats are available at the marinas near the Thomas Drive bridge over Grand Lagoon. These include the Captain Davis Queen Fleet, based at Captain Anderson's Marina, 5500 N. Lagoon Dr. (tel. 800/874-2415 or 850/234-3435); the Lighthouse Marina, 5325 N. Lagoon Dr. (tel. 850/234-5609); the Pirates Cove Marina, 3901 Thomas Dr. (tel. 850/234-3939); and the Treasure Island Marina, 3605 Thomas Dr. (tel. 850/234-6533).

Many resorts and hotels provide beach toys for their guests' use. WaveRunners, jet boats, inflatables, and other equipment can also be rented from Lagoon Rentals (tel. 850/234-7245).

Fishing

The least expensive way to try your luck is with Captain Anderson's Deep Sea Fishing, at Captain Anderson's Marina, Thomas Drive at Grand Lagoon (tel. 800/874-2415 or 850/234-5940; www.captandersonsmarina.com). The captain's party-boat trips last 5 to 6 hours, with prices ranging from $50 to $75 per person, including bait and tackle. Observers can go along for $25.

The more expensive charter-fishing boats depart daily from March to November from the marinas mentioned in "Boating," above.

You definitely won't get seasick casting your line from the M. B. Miller County Pier, 12213 Front Beach Rd. (tel. 850/233-3039), or the Dan Russell Municipal Pier, 16101 Front Beach Rd. (tel. 850/233-5080).

Golf

At Marriott's Bay Point Resort Village, the Bay Point Yacht and Country Club, 3900 Marriott Dr., off Jan Cooley Road (tel. 850/235-6950; www.baypointgolf.com), offers 36 holes of championship play, including the Bruce Devlin-designed course Lagoon Legends [SS], rated one of the country's most difficult. Both it and the Club Meadows course have clubhouses, putting greens, driving ranges, clinics, and private instruction. Greens fees with cart start at about $109 in summer and $69 in winter, depending on the day of the week.

The Edgewater Beach Resort, 11212 U.S. 98A (tel. 850/235-4044), also has a 9-hole resort course, and its guests have access to the Hombre, 120 Coyote Pass, 3 miles west of the Hathaway Bridge off Panama City Beach Parkway/U.S. 98 (tel. 850/234-3573; www.hombregolfclub.com), a par-72 championship course that is home to the Nike Panama City Beach Classic. Also, 15 of its 18 holes have water hazards (the unforgiving 7th hole sits on an island). Greens fees are about $50 to $89 with cart.

The course at the semiprivate Holiday Golf Club, 100 Fairway Blvd. (tel. 850/234-1800; www.holidaygolfclub.com), sports lake-lined fairways and elevated greens. Greens fees with cart are about $35 to $65. You can play at night on a lighted 9-hole, par-29 executive course.

The cheapest place to play here is the flat and forgiving Signal Hill, 9516 N. Thomas Dr. (tel. 850/234-3218; www.signalhillgolfcourse.com), where you'll pay about $35 to walk 18 holes in summer, $30 in winter. Add about $8 per person for a cart.

For course information, go to www.golf.com or www.floridagolfing.com; or call the Florida Sports Foundation (tel. 850/488-8347) or Florida Golfing (tel. 866/833-2663).

Scuba Diving & Snorkeling

Although the area is too far north for extensive coral formations, more than 50 artificial reefs and shipwrecks in the Gulf waters off Panama City attract a wide variety of sea life. The largest local operator is Hydrospace Dive Shop, 6422 W. Hwy. 98 (tel. 850/234-3063). Others include Panama City Dive Center, 4823 Thomas Dr. (tel. 850/235-3390; www.pcdivecenter.com), and Emerald Coast Divers, 5121 Thomas Dr. (tel. 800/945-DIVE [3483] or 850/233-3355; www.divedestin.com). These companies lead dives, teach courses, and take snorkelers to the grass flats off Shell Island.