Panama City Beach, Fla., Named Top Beach by TripAdvisor(R)

/PRNewswire/ -- Panama City Beach, Fla., was just recognized by TripAdvisor(R) as home to one of America's top beaches.

Ranking third in the U.S. on the just-released 2009 listing, the destination's St. Andrews State Recreation Area was selected based on opinions of millions of travelers worldwide and the expertise of the editors of the world's largest online travel community, TripAdvisor.com(R).

Spanning 1,260 acres in picturesque Northwest Florida, St. Andrews State Recreation Area boasts sugar-white sand overlooking the clear, emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay. The 1.5-mile-long beach has a calm, child-friendly area, offering swimming and snorkeling in a shallow, tranquil pool, protected by jetties. Visitors can take a quick ferry ride to nearby Shell Island for more surf and sun. Hikers and birders, meanwhile, enjoy the park's 1.25 miles of pristine trails with an incredible array of plants and wildlife, including deer, egrets and graceful tropical birds. At St. Andrews, anglers enjoy surf fishing, as well as fishing off a deep-sea jetty and two piers. Concession stands and campsites also are available for lovers of the outdoors.

Panama City Beach also enjoys recognition as a premier beach destination from Conde Nast Traveler, USA Today, The Travel Channel, Southern Living, Dr. Beach and the Clean Beaches Council.

"The destination offers something for everyone," explains Dan Rowe, C.E.O., Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau. "Our award-winning beaches and predictably sunny weather have drawn travelers for generations. Visitors here today discover a wealth of new offerings. From new restaurants, shops and nightlife venues to outdoor concerts, festivals, fishing, golfing, eco-tours and more, there's always something fun going on in Panama City Beach."

Shoppers and culinary enthusiasts here are rewarded at the new Pier Park, located in the heart of town. Spanning roughly one million-square-foot Pier Park serves up soft sea breezes and an array of unique offerings as Northwest Florida's largest shopping, dining and entertainment venue. For marine life lovers, the nearby Gulf World Marine Park delights with animal exhibits and shows as well as opportunities to swim with the dolphins. Little ones marvel at ZooWorld Zoological & Botanical Park, home to more than 250 animals, including rare and endangered species, in a lush, tropical setting. Family attractions abound, including Shipwreck Island Waterpark, one of Florida's largest theme water parks, and Ripley's Believe It or Not! Odditorium, featuring fascinating finds from around the world.

For outdoor enthusiasts, there's world-class fishing, hiking, kayaking and more. Adventurers find plenty of ways to test their skills with Panama City Beach's full spectrum of water sports - snorkeling, diving, parasailing, skimboards, Yolo boards, wave runners and more.

To showcase the destination's many charms, the Convention and Visitors Bureau recently launched a summer-long online video contest, offering $50,000 in cash and prizes, including customized vacations to Panama City Beach. Tapping into the fast-growing popularity of online videos, the contest encourages consumers to post their original works, offering an innovative travel personality twist.

Through July 31, consumers can visit www.RealFunContest.com and take a quick quiz to determine their Panama City Beach travel personality: Eco-Seeker, Wave Warrior, After Dark Shark looking for glittery nightlife, Soul Surfer who loves long strolls on the beach, or a leader of the family-friendly Sandy Bottom Bunch. Then, they can produce an original video that showcases their unique travel personality type. The top videos will be showcased for online voting, and five winners will receive $10,000 each in cash and prizes, including five-night vacations in Panama City Beach, customized to suit their travel interests. To date, nearly 2,000 people from around the country have taken the destination's travel personality quick quiz.

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A Winter Oasis On Sugary White Sands

(NAPSI)-A shaky economy doesn't have to mean shelving your family vacation. Instead, you can follow the lead of other budget-conscious travelers who have found ways to hit the road without breaking the bank.

A good first step is to find destinations offering discounted rates. For instance, you can save about 40 percent on accommodations as you soak up the rays at a top winter oasis: Florida's Emerald Coast.

Located on the upper Gulf Coast, the destination welcomes winter visitors with inviting temperatures averaging 72 degrees as well as gentle breezes. Unlike other seaside destinations, "value season" runs December through March. And while the area's preferred activity tends to be "relaxing and doing as little as possible," it also offers plenty of enticements. Here's a closer look for those looking to escape the wrath of Jack Frost:

Beautiful Beaches

Stretching 24 miles, the Emerald Coast has been voted "Best Beach in the South" for 13 consecutive years by readers of Southern Living magazine. The beaches provide seating for performances by dancing dolphins and sandpipers and picture-perfect sunrises and sunsets.

Delightful Sites

The area boasts family attractions such as the Gulfarium--home to creatures ranging from 600-pound seals to two-ounce clown fish--along with the U.S. Air Force Armament Museum, one of only three American museums dedicated to the display of Air Force weaponry. For more whimsical fun, the Emerald Coast Science Center is a child's science fantasy.

Great Golf

Ranked as one of the top 10 "Best Golf Towns in America" by Golf Digest magazine, the Emerald Coast offers challenging courses designed by world-renowned architects such as Fazio, Finger, Dye, Couples and Cupp. The area's 1,080 holes of golf can delight putters without being pricey on the wallet.

Gone Fishing

Hailed as the "World's Luckiest Fishing Village," Florida's Emerald Coast harbors the largest and most elaborately equipped charter boat fleet in the state. With more than 20 types of fish, first-time anglers and seasoned "old salts" can delight in deep-sea excursions for as little as $25 a half day.

Dining Delights

From rackety-shack oyster bars and salt-air cafés to upscale restaurants, these eateries are simple in atmosphere yet spiced with character. Served up with the flavor of Southern hospitality, they are known for their "to-die-for" dishes.

For more information, visit www.destin-fwb.com or call (800) 322-3319.

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