Spring break is 101 days away…do you know where you’ll be? To kick off our countdown, let’s examine the spring break capital of the world: Panama City Beach, Florida. This destination attracts over half a million college kids to its spring break haven every year. If you’re prepared to “Drink all day, play all night” then listen up:
The Beach
Panama City Beach was voted one of the top ten most beautiful beaches in the world for its white sands. Not to mention, there’s 18 miles of this beach to party on. So if you envision yourself in a tropic setting with your feet dipped in the pure sand, sipping on a daiquiri while soaking up the sun, then PCB pulls rank.
Celebrities
The resorts and hotels book the hottest celebrities to party with you on the beach. Jersey Shore anyone? Check! Past performances include Lil’ Wayne, 50 cent, Kenny Chesney, LMFAO and Asher Roth. Who knows which artist you’ll get to party with this year…or shall I say, shuffle with?
Party People
More students travel to Panama City Beach than to all other popular destinations combined. For the last decade, the beach area has seen approximately half a million students per spring break season. Think of all the new hotties you’ll get to meet, and frankly, if you can’t make friends while on Spring Break, well…good luck, champ.
Raging
You can probably imagine the kind of parties that take place during Spring Break, but you often assume that these parties happen only in the movies. Well, you’re wrong. Because these parties do in fact exist in Panama City Beach. From the wet tees and foam parties, to the bikini contests and more, the partying happens all day and all night. To name just a few of the hotspots: Sharky’s Beach Club throws daytime beach contests, at Harpoon Harry’s the DJs pack the dance floor every night and Coyote Ugly (yes, straight from the movies) gets you rowdy enough to dance on the bar. Nightclubs are open until 4 a.m. and are 18+ for the newbie spring breakers.
The Price
You’ve been saving for spring break but you obviously want a deal. To start, it’s usually cheaper to travel within the US than to international destinations, so you can save on the flight. Then when it comes to hotel, anywhere from two to five can fit in a room and PCB offers condo-style units that larger groups can rent out. Remember: the larger the group, the cheaper the price. Another savings opportunity lies in the party packages. For example, the Panamaniac card gets you into most nightclubs for free, with 30 hours of free drinks. Sweet!
Speaking of Free…
The beach resorts offer free daytime beach concerts and large companies are all over Spring Break prepared to give you free stuff. Coca-Cola, Pepsi, Gillette, Trojan, and many more, dish out free samples and run game giveaways on the beach. Sony Play station sets up an entire game room. There’s even a “Spring Break Village” where you can walk through and load up on free stuff—remember to pack light!
Tanning, Partying, Shopping, Exploring
Whether it’s tanning on the beach, winning the bikini or hard-body contest or partying until the sun rises, there’s something for everyone. The beach area is versatile depending on the kind of music environment or hangover-relaxing space you’re seeking. Off the beach, you can wander to some attractions such as Wonderwork’s and Ripley’s Believe It Or Not.
Safety/Your Parents
Since you’re in the U.S., you eliminate some of the worries that your parents have about you travelling internationally. Break it to them like this, “Geeze mom and dad, I’ll be in Florida, Grandma lives in Florida, no need to freak out,” or maybe like this, “Okay, I’ll call you once a day to check in.”
Location
Panama City Beach is easily accessible, with major—and usually cheap—airlines flying right into the city. Since its in northwest Florida, PCB is also more accessible by driving, than the southern locations such as Miami.
Do you really need another reason?
Gather your closest friends, settle on a room and get to the gym! I mean, get to booking. Rates for spring break trips start to go up in January and you don’t want to miss out on one of the largest parties on the planet, do you?
For more information check out the “Official Spring Break Website For Panama City Beach Florida” www.pcbeachspringbreak.com.
