PCB has a multitude of restaurants from fast food to fine dining, most are open but a few are closed for the season.

Rudy's and Wicked Wheel are our favorites so far.


Some restaurants are closed for the season, coincidentally almost all captain named restaurants are close, captain Jack's, captain Dave, captain Anderson


Rudy's our favorite for bbq

Rudy's has a very casual relaxed set up

Rudy's menu, the brisket is our favorite but it's a little on the dry side, a little BBQ sauce makes it delicious

Wicked Wheel is not a biker bar despite the bike decorations, it's a casual restaurant with delicious food and reasonable prices. My favorite dish is the flounder with mashed potatoes (buttery) and coleslaw.

Wicked Wheel menu

Wicked Wheel lunch specials

These latest beach photos with a foggy vibe are incredible! You should sell them!

FloridaLover7

Really appreciate your comments.
Glad my photos are appreciated.
Thanks

St. Andrews state park
At one end of Panama City Beach is St. Andrews state park.
The park is good for day trips and has overnight camping ( didn't see any tents only RV), it has a park store, snack bar , more than one beach area, boat launch ramps and the boats to Shell Island depart from the park.

St. Andrews state park

Inside the park office there are some static displays of local wildlife

Butterfly display

Shoreline display

Fish display

Wildlife display

Entrance to one of the piers, the park has 2 piers, this one is the longest

View of sand dunes from the pier

View of one of the beach areas from the pier

View from the end of the pier

Fishing is allowed at the pier

Pier structure framing the nearest buildings

Pier structure underside

Pier structure side view

Covered tables by park store

Light snacks and drinks are available

Beach wheelchair available for persons with reduced mobility

In the parking lot newly planted palm trees with support bracing and a lone survivor from the last storm

Different beach area

Stone jetty beach with very calm water perfect for young children

Park inland lake

The park has alligators but didn't see any

Park boat launch ramps

Ferry to Shell Island from the park

The other park pier, this one has a fish cleaning station nearby

Oooohh. I was gonna say what a lucky picture of the turtles--but loved it. Has anyone (including me!) asked what camera you are using. VERY nice journal.
I will be really interested in seeing what you find in MB! There are some "goodies" but.....

Gretchen

For the photos I use Ulefone set with HDR ( High Dynamic Range) which usually makes the photos more vivid than with the naked eye depending on the available light.

If you know of interesting places in Myrtle Beach let me know, we are going mostly to check out the beach area but will probably have enough time to check other points of interest, thanks.

Well, that is a bit of my snark. As one who goes to Litchfield at least 4 times a year I stay away from MB. BUT.....

You must go to Brookgreen Gardens. Visit Atalanta, across the road--the Huntington's home--Moorish influenced architecture. Beach there is good for shelling
Hobcaw Barony (make a reservation for the tour before going). It is just south of Litchfield/Pawley's. Bernard Baruch's former duck hunting preserve now an eco arm of Clemson University
Visit Pawley's Island historic district. It is where the rice planters from Charleston spent summers to escape the malarial mosquitoes
Go to Georgetown--Revolutionary era homes. Just charming
Eat in Murrell's Inlet often--Russell's is a favorite. Seven Seas seafood Market is our favorite for fresh seafood--close to business 17 at the top of Murrell's Inlet.
Brookgreen and Hobcaw both give wonderful non-development buffers to that part of the coast!! We are lucky.

Are you going directly to MB? Passing by Charleston?

Interesting about the camera. Thanks.
For white table cloth dining go to Perrone's or Frank's Outback. Outstanding food. On 17 in Pawley's Island. Chive Blossom is good for lunch--on the road to the causeway to Pawley's Island.

Gretchen

Brookgreen gardens was on my list but the other places weren't, I've added them, hopefully I'll have enough time to visit.
Appreciate the travel tips.
Thanks

When you go to Brookgreen do eat in Murrell's Inlet or Pawley's. Our entire family (DH"s parents) have been going to that coast for 90 years--when North Myrtle Beach was Ocean Drive and had shag contests weekly!! There wasn't any grilled or sauteed fish--fry fry fry!! And nothing but "sweettea" to drink! Times change and Murrell's Inlet is booming but their seafood restaurants are really good--and you have an immense choice within yards of each other!! There are several on the waterfront (it's an inlet so not ocean). And for a restaurant ON the ocean with a great outdoor feel (not in a hotel high rise type) there is the Conch Cafe in Garden City (just south of MB)
Oh, and you may be there during soft shell crab season--if you like them, not to be missed.

Brookgreen gardens newsletter.
https://www.brookgreen.org/?utm_sour...ae15-387600123

Gretchen
Thanks for all the travel tips.
Appreciated

Between rentals we had to stay at a local hotel.
Homewood Suites is inland but not far from the beach ( 10 to 15 minutes).
It seems to be a recently built hotel, everything is very clean, the staff were welcoming and helpful, the rooms are nice with comfortable beds.
Recommend it.

WiFi tip:
WiFi issue while trying to connect to the hotels WiFi - the phone would show connected but no access to internet and no log in page ( the page with the WiFi rules agreement).
Hotel staff were helpful, eventually the solution was found.
Instead of HTTPS ( higher security) HTTP website is required to allow connection, after the connection HTTPS websites are accessible.


Homewood Suites Panama City Beach

Homewood Suites surrounded by nature and sports fields

Homewood Suites lobby

Homewood Suites breakfast area

Homewood Suites

We moved to a new location near Pier Park.
This area seems to be more alive with a lot more tourists.


New location across the street from the beach



The beach in this area is steeper by the water's edge and has a number of stormwater drains flowing into the ocean


Steeper edges at water's edge, uncomfortable angle walking

Stormwater drain on the beach

Stormwater drain

Stormwater discharge into the ocean

Stormwater at beach edge

Stormwater drain almost cuts the beach in half

Still very much enjoying this very real reflection of the panhandle coast. Can't wait to see your pictures and impressions of Myrtle Beach.

Brian_in_Charlotte

Glad you're enjoying the trip report.
Still have a few weeks in PCB before heading to Myrtle Beach.

Live theatre
We went to Sandestin to see a play staged by the Emerald Coast Theatre Company.
The Play That Goes Wrong is slapstick comedy with the simple premise that everything goes wrong as the actors try to act - the props fail, actors miss the cues, etc.

We have seen the British TV show ( The Goes Wrong Show), it was interesting to see it adapted to live theatre.

The area surrounding the theatre has some nice shops and restaurants.
The weather was rainy and grey but on the plus side it gives stone surfaces the vivid wet look - great for photography.



Emerald Coast Theatre Company advertising


Emerald Coast Theatre Company

Theatre lobby area, drinks are available

The stage, no photography during the actual play

Streets surrounding the theatre

The wet look on the stone surfaces

If you're an aspiring chef, Williams Sonoma is here

Everkrisp has healthy meals

This store fooled me, I thought it was a restaurant with an outdoor area but it's a furniture store

Still a furniture store

Pier Park is very walkable with lots of small shops and restaurants on the south side and bigger stores( Walmart ,Target, etc) on the north side including a movie theater.
On the beach side is also the Pier that gives it's name.
To one side behind the parking area there is a bandstand where large events are held, in this area there is also a Veteran Memorial and walking trail.

The whole area is nice to have a relaxing walk and a tasty meal.


Pier Park

The Pier entrance

Calm water at the Pier

Shops at Pier Park

Pier Park restaurants

Colorful restaurant entrance

Plenty of chairs to take a relaxing break

Still looking for the lost shaker of salt...

Mural at Pier Park

Veterans Memorial at Pier Park

Each branch of the armed forces has it's own remembrance medallion

Walking trail, bandstand in the background

Walking trail area with interesting plant life

Deer Moss

Lichen on tree bark

Colorful fungi on dead tree

Unusually colorful

Eden Gardens State Park
We took a day trip to the park which is about 45 minutes from our location.
The park has the homestead of the Wexley family, a garden area, nature trail and backs onto a lake.

When we visited the entry fee to the park was placed in an envelope that is deposited into a post similar to a mail box near the guard house.

Guided tours are available hourly at the house itself for a fee.
Group size is limited to 10 people, unfortunately there were too many people waiting for the tour and after waiting thru 3 cycles of guided tours ( 3 hours) we gave up and enjoyed the gardens.

Not all the flowers are in bloom but the roses and azaleas are beautiful.


Eden Gardens State Park


Wexley house and reflecting pool


Wexley house with the surrounding porch typical of southern houses


Wexley house "backyard"


Resting spot in the garden


Tree garden


Ferns growing on the tree


Ferns on the tree


Kissing trees - somewhat rare - two different trees grow so close to each that they rub off each other's bark and become joined. In this case a Pine and Hickory trees


Knotted tree


Pond statute apparently inspired by Huckleberry Finn


Garden statuary


Large Oaks and flowering Azaleas


Azalea


Azalea


Multicolored Azalea


Bee on Azalea flower


Rose


Lake bench, relaxing spot to view the water

Captain Andersons Restaurant and Marina.

We took a relaxing stroll through the marina ( fishing boats along with pleasure craft and day cruise/ tour boats) before heading to the restaurant.
The restaurant has nautical decorations and some tables have a view of the boats

The restaurant is quite big but despite being full, service was quick and very good.
Can't say enough praise to our waitress, she was excellent.

We had calamari for appetizers ( they used the smaller size calamari which was tasty and tender, not greasy) spiny lobster for the main with Greek salad and new potatoes for sides and pecan chocolate cake for dessert ( can't go wrong with chocolate).
Everything was very good.
Recommend it for a nice dinner out or a celebration.


Captain Andersons tour boat


Captain Andersons tour catamaran


Pirate themed boat at Captain Andersons marina


Captain Andersons marina and restaurant.
There's a Pelican in this photo, can you spot it?


Large propeller at Captain Andersons restaurant entrance


Nautical decorations in the restaurant


Some of the tables have a direct view of the marina


Spiny lobster, has a milder flavor compared to cold water lobster ( Maine lobster). Spiny lobster has antennae instead of claws


Nighttime illuminated entrance drive to Captain Andersons

Panama City ( not Panama City Beach) mural trail.
On a nice sunny but windy day we decided to visit Panama City mural trail.
Some murals are close to each other while others are spread out whitin the City ( not walking distance).
We couldn't find a mural trail map so it took some research to find the location of each mural.
We made it a day trip and lunched at nearby Cracker Barrel, while service and food we're ok somehow it wasn't as satisfying as we remember it from previous visits.

Photo sampling of Panama City murals