Top Snorkeling and Scuba Diving in Panama City
Ready to check out the best sites in Panama City for scuba diving, snorkeling, shore diving, free diving or other ocean activities? Zentacle has 2 dive sites, snorkel spots, beaches, and more. Discover hand-curated maps, along with reviews and photos from nature lovers like you.
No matter what you're looking for, you can find a diverse range of the best ocean activities in Panama City to suit your needs.
#1 - St. Andrews Jetties, Panama Beach
Florida, USA East
1,260-acre coastal park; 110ft, 40ft viz, 60-80DegF; for more information, call St. Andrews State Park at (850) 233-5140
Park Fees: Admission Fee--$5.00 per vehicle; $1.00 for the following: Pedestrians, Bicyclists, extra Passengers, Passengers in vehicles with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Permit
Facilities: Picnic pavilions, bath-house, restrooms, beach chair rentals (in season), Park store with limited lunch food items for sale plus drinks, snacks and souvenirs. Beach on tidal pool with no waves and beach on main beach area where waves are located. Boat shuttle (fee charged) available to Shell Island (sand island) across channel from park. No facilities on Shell Island.
Dive Shop Concession on site: Jetty Dive Shop 850-233-0197 On site air fills when compressor is working. Some rental tanks, but limited availability. Nitrox usually not available.
Closest offsite Dive Shop: PC Dive Center at the corner of Front Beach Rd and Thomas Drive just outside the park at the first redlight.
Dive Rules: Follow Florida State dive laws. Dive flag required for diving anywhere outside the jetty tidal pool.
Best time to dive: At "high slack tide" Check local tide tables for time.
Dive Conditions: strong currents can exist due to incoming/outgoing tide. Best time for lowest current and best visibility is at high slack tide. Depths to 65 feet in main channel. Beware of boat traffic above and use a dive flag as required by law. Fishermen sometimes fish on jetty rocks, so beware of line entanglement or being hooked. Best to carry a cutting tool just in case.
Accommodations: Camping available at park or hotels/condos available outside park. Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM to sunset
Driving Directions: From Hwy 98 turn South on to Hwy 3031 (Thomas Drive) and follow it straight to Hwy 392 and turn left to enter into the gates of St. Andrews State Park. St. Andrews State Park is located approximately 3 miles east of Hwy 392.
Park Fees: Admission Fee--$5.00 per vehicle; $1.00 for the following: Pedestrians, Bicyclists, extra Passengers, Passengers in vehicles with holder of Annual Individual Entrance Permit
Facilities: Picnic pavilions, bath-house, restrooms, beach chair rentals (in season), Park store with limited lunch food items for sale plus drinks, snacks and souvenirs. Beach on tidal pool with no waves and beach on main beach area where waves are located. Boat shuttle (fee charged) available to Shell Island (sand island) across channel from park. No facilities on Shell Island.
Dive Shop Concession on site: Jetty Dive Shop 850-233-0197 On site air fills when compressor is working. Some rental tanks, but limited availability. Nitrox usually not available.
Closest offsite Dive Shop: PC Dive Center at the corner of Front Beach Rd and Thomas Drive just outside the park at the first redlight.
Dive Rules: Follow Florida State dive laws. Dive flag required for diving anywhere outside the jetty tidal pool.
Best time to dive: At "high slack tide" Check local tide tables for time.
Dive Conditions: strong currents can exist due to incoming/outgoing tide. Best time for lowest current and best visibility is at high slack tide. Depths to 65 feet in main channel. Beware of boat traffic above and use a dive flag as required by law. Fishermen sometimes fish on jetty rocks, so beware of line entanglement or being hooked. Best to carry a cutting tool just in case.
Accommodations: Camping available at park or hotels/condos available outside park. Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM to sunset
Driving Directions: From Hwy 98 turn South on to Hwy 3031 (Thomas Drive) and follow it straight to Hwy 392 and turn left to enter into the gates of St. Andrews State Park. St. Andrews State Park is located approximately 3 miles east of Hwy 392.
#2 - Aligator bayou
USA, Florida, Panama City
There is tons to do here, lots of wreck dives there is even a bridge span to dive on 45 min offshore!! I tagged this location because this is were the hardest toughest members of our navy are forged and formed into navy divers. The history and technology that is housed here will humble even the most experienced diver. While your here check out the man in the sea museum this will surely give you a feeling of awwwwweeeeee.
Its Panama city beach!!! who doesn't know this place, from such infomercials like girls gone wild and girls gone wild spring break, there is also MTV specials filmed and hosted here every year for the Lower alabama and southern college folks.
Aligator bayou is also known as The mecca for Navy Diving.