St. Andrew’s Park:
It’s not just one of Panama City Beach’s better spots, “The Park” — as the locals call it — is also one of the better spots on the Gulf and is located inside St. Andrews State Recreation Area. Follow the front beach road east until it dead-ends into St. Andrews Park. From the west, drive through Panama City and go over Hathaway Bridge, toward the beaches. Take a left on Thomas Drive, then a left at the beach road and drive one mile to the Park.
The Park has two main breaks, and both are good inside and outside spots. Right next to the jetty on offshore days is a very fast, ruler-edged, hollow lefthander. If it gets big enough, you can ride it all the way to the beach from the outside. A few hundred yards to the west is a right and left peak. It breaks close to the beach and has a good outside for longboarders. The crowd is dispersed well by the two breaks, and the waves at the Park keep the pack at other spots, such as Amazons and Shell Island, manageable.