BAY COUNTY
County Offices
840 West 11th Street
Panama City 850-248-8140
www.co.bay.fl.us
Chamber of Commerce
235 West 5th Street
Panama City 850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
Situated on the Gulf of Mexico, beautiful Bay County combines some of the world’s most beautiful beaches with a thriving economy focused on aerospace, technology, manufacturing, distribution/logistics and retail along with tourism. Interstate 10 and US Highways 98 and 231 provide links to a network of major thoroughfares for commuting and travel convenience. The recently developed Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is located just north of Panama City Beach.
Services
Newcomers will be pleased to find quality educational systems on every academic level, underlined by a selection of private schools and progressive public school districts. To meet the rising demand for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers, the county’s educational institutions are partnering with the business community to integrate real-world programs into the curriculum. The tier-1 research institution of Florida State University maintains a Panama City campus that confers four-year and graduate degrees. Learning expands beyond the classroom through work study, internships, and coop opportunities with scores of community and military partners. Little wonder that many of the programs offered at FSU Panama City have won national awards for excellence. Alabama’s highly respected Troy University and internationally renowned Embry Riddle Aeronautical University maintain satellite campuses on Tyndall Air Force Base. Panama City is home to the flagship campus for Gulf Coast State College, focusing on highly relevant workforce-oriented degree programs. The recently opened GCSC Advanced Technology Center is recognized among the most advanced in the nation. Haney Technical Center adds to the technical training choices in Bay County with degrees that now include select bachelor programs.
General and advanced healthcare services are easily accessible in Bay County, anchored by the Gulf Coast Regional Medical Center and Bay Medical Sacred Heart. The 218-bed acute-care Gulf Coast Medical Center maintains a medical staff of more than 300 physicians who represent more than 30 specialties and subspecialties. The commitment to clinical excellence has resulted in a long list of nationally ranked specialties along with nationally certified spine, stroke, and wound care Centers of Excellence. The hospital maintains a Level II Trauma Center and the region’s only pediatric emergency room and pediatric intensive care unit. Bay Medical Sacred Heart serves as a 323-bed regional referral center, cited as one of America’s top hospitals for clinical quality and recognized by US News & World Report as a “best regional hospital.” In addition to the flagship hospital and 26,000-square-foot Healthplex Fitness & Rehab facility, Bay Medical includes diagnostic and rehabilitation centers in Panama City Beach and Lynn Haven.
Services
Home to 27 miles of white-sand beaches and emerald shores, Bay County offers a paradise for outdoor enjoyment. Land and sea adventures include dolphin watching, boating, kayaking, canoeing, swimming, camping, horseback riding, and hiking along the trails of St. Andrews State Park. Extreme sport enthusiasts can enjoy jet skiing and speed-boating thrills, while families will appreciate attractions like the 6-acre Shipwreck Island Water Park or the spectacular WonderWorks with more than 100 hands-on science exhibits. Kids of all ages will love seeing Zoo World’s tropical animals and botanical gardens or interacting with dolphins at Gulf World Marine Park. Bay County fishing tournaments may attract anglers from across the globe, but everyone enjoys the bounty of fresh seafood and delicious cuisine. As one award-winning restaurant boasts, “The seafood you’re eating today was asleep in the Gulf last night.”
When the sport is shopping, Bay County does not disappoint. The unique shops and boutiques that line St. Andrews charming historic downtown contrast with vibrant new shopping plazas in town or along the beach. The Bay County lifestyle may be relaxed, but the opportunities for cultural enrichment are first class. Access to the finest of cultural, visual, and performing arts are ensured by dedicated groups like the Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida, the Bay Arts Alliance and Marina Civic Center, the Martin Theater, Kaleidoscope Theater, and the Science & Discovery Center of Northwest Florida. The annual calendar is also filled with red-letter dates for concerts, air shows, triathlons, festivals, motorcycle rallies and other popular events. One of the more elaborate events is Beach Home for the Holidays, opening on Thanksgiving weekend and culminating with the annual Beach Ball Drop on New Year’s Eve. Newcomers to Beach County will discover a rare quality of life in growing communities with great schools, attractive neighborhoods, beautiful parks, thriving business sectors, cultural enrichment, and pure Southern charm.
COMMUNITIES
Panama City
City Offices
850-872-3011
www.pcgov.org
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
Serving as the seat of county government and a hub of education, healthcare and commerce, Panama City is situated on scenic St. Andrews Bay near the Gulf of Mexico. Located along US Highway 98, Panama City is the largest municipality between the state capital of Tallahassee and Pensacola. The protected harbor of St. Andrews Bay, along with Panama City and St. Andrews marinas located on Florida’s Intracoastal Waterway, are major factors in the city’s continued growth and development. Lush parks provide natural beauty and recreational amenities but they also serves as venues for festivals, musical and theatrical performances, markets, and countless year-round events. Named among the “100 Best Small Art Towns in America,” Panama City is the proud home of the 2,500-seat Marina Civic Center and the Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida with more than 20,000 square feet of gallery space. Home to great schools, wonderful neighborhoods, and a booming economy, Panama City is an idyllic place to call home.
Panama City Beach
City Offices
850-233-5100
www.pcbgov.com
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
Stretching over approximately 18 square miles, Panama City Beach is home to less than 13,000 permanent residents but welcomes as many as 5,000 tourists and vacationers each day. Attracting families, seniors and early retirees, this lovely beach community is ranked as the fastest-growing of Bay County’s seven municipalities in both area and population. With a local economy that relies heavily upon tourism, this area claims natural assets that include a pristine nine-mile beachfront along the Gulf of Mexico where approximately 20 percent of the shoreline is classified for recreational and public use. The remainder is devoted to restaurants, hotels, entertainment venues and private homes. Community highlights begin with a city park with amphitheater, swimming area, walking paths, and a large commercial and entertainment district. Other amenities include golf courses, two fishing piers, healthcare facilities, and a new branch of the Bay County Library System. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Camp Helen State Park is ideal for birdwatching, swimming, beach combing, canoeing, kayaking, hiking along dunes and scrub forests, and picnicking.
Callaway
City Offices
850-871-6000
www.cityofcallaway.com
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
Callaway offers a small-town atmosphere and a friendly hometown in close proximity to a shopping district, wonderful beaches, scenic bays, and Tyndall Air Force Base. The community draws newcomers to diverse amenities from scenic waterways to wonderful neighborhoods and cultural enrichment that includes the Calloway Arts and Conference Center. Located at the Recreational Complex, the Center complements multi-use ballfields, soccer fields, a fishing pond, playgrounds, and a walking trail. Local parks add a kaleidoscope of amenities including a boat ramp, sports fields, community center, and breathtaking waterfront views. Colorful events bring residents together for highly anticipated celebrations like the Children’s Fishing Rodeo, the Veterans Day Parade and Celebration, and the Christmas Tree Lighting. New services and commercial conveniences are springing up throughout the city, from banks and restaurants to hotels. As civic planners prepare for future growth and development, the Callaway Historical Society preserves the area’s proud past in a museum located next to the “Old School House” near John B. Gore Park.
Lynn Haven
City Offices
850-265-2121
www.cityoflynnhaven.com
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
The thriving community of Lynn Haven is situated along the southern edge of North Bay. Currently the second-largest city in Bay County, Lynn Haven has a mission of improving its status as a family-oriented, walkable community with a vibrant small-business friendly downtown area that preserves the local heritage. The hallmarks of community spirit and activism can be seen around every corner, from the coaching of youth and adult sports to active volunteer boards and participation in social and civic organizations. Residents of all ages take advantage of the 60-acre Lynn Haven Sports Complex with a one-mile track, tennis courts, sports fields and courts, fitness equipment, and other amenities. The local library plays an influential role in community life with summer youth programs that include stories, crafts, music, and guest speakers. Actively working to attract new business, Lynn Haven has been accepted into the Florida Main Street Program. The city’s industrial parks are already home to national companies such as Trane, Merrick, and Jensen USA.
Mexico Beach
City Offices
850-648-5700
www.mexico-beach.com
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
The small community of Mexico Beach is approximately 3.5 miles long and 1.4 miles wide, known for natural beauty, friendly residents, and a dedication to environmental protection. The majority of residents are retirees from neighboring Tyndall Air Force Base or those who own or are employed in local businesses and services. Limited commercial development combines with close proximity to sugar-white sand beaches and clear emerald waters to attract seasonal residents and visitors who appreciate a tranquil retreat off the beaten path. Heavily dependent upon tourism to drive the local economy, the city features an 823-foot pier and a state-of-the-art boat ramp on the canal that offers direct access to some of the finest fishing on the Gulf of Mexico. Running parallel to the Gulf of Mexico, US Highway 98 ensures convenient commutes with the advantage of breathtaking Gulf views. Residential development is on the rise, particularly along the western edge of the city adjacent to Tyndall Air Force Base.
Parker
City Offices
850-871-4104
www.cityofparker.com
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
Taking for its motto “a community of friendly neighbors,” Parker is nestled in a water-rich area encompassing Martins Lake and St. Andrews Bay. The city is well known for breathtaking sunrises, sunsets, and moonrises over the Intracoastal Waterway. Newcomers will find friendly neighborhoods, efficient services, an 18-acre sports complex, and Parker Exploratorium ecology park with a boat ramp and a kaleidoscope of educational programming. Earl Gilbert Park offers 1,500 feet of shoreline access for everyone from sunbathers to anglers. Popular pastimes in this friendly community include boating, sailing, water-skiing and other watersports. The local library is a focal point of community activity, offering children’s programming and computer access. Residents enjoy a warm and intimate hometown environment just minutes away from the urban amenities and first-rate services in Panama City.
Springfield
City Offices
850-872-7570
http://springfield.fl.gov
Chamber of Commerce
850-785-5206
www.panamacity.org
Founded in 1935, the City of Springfield has evolved into a stable, self-sustaining community with no ad valorem tax, no sales tax and very little debt. The city is also distinguished as one of three communities in Florida and one of a hundred nationally with its own cable system. Springfield attracts newcomers to a progressive city with efficient services, a lovely community center, two scenic walking parks, boat ramp facilities, and recreational amenities that include a new sports complex with baseball fields and a soccer field. Other highlights include local healthcare resources, a modern library that offers computer and Internet access, and a highly respected school system. Preserving its small-town appeal, Springfield offers easy access to some of the world’s most celebrated beaches, retail centers, five-star restaurants, and world-class fishing and water sports.
Tyndall Air Force Base
Tyndall AFB Information
850-283-4500
www.tyndall.af.mil
Tyndall AFB Guide
http://tyndallguideonline.com
The Bay County installation of Tyndall Air Force Base is located just 12 miles east of Panama City in an area known throughout the world for its sugar-white sands and emerald waters. The base is home to Crooked Island Beach and Tyndall Beach, two of the most pristine destinations along the Gulf Coast. The base also offers convenient access to a wide variety of shopping, dining, and entertainment amenities including Pier Park in Panama City Beach. Tyndall AFB is the proud home of the 325th Fighter Wing, with a primary mission of providing a combat-ready air dominance force including the training of F-22A Raptor pilots and emergency personnel. The 325th Fighter Wing is host to more than 30 tenant organizations, all located at Tyndall Air Force Base. Approximately 2,500 military personnel live on base, but many others have found welcoming homes in neighboring communities. Base amenities include the Oasis Sports Lounge, the Heritage Club, and the Beacon Beach Marina Club near the Marina Manor II housing area.
