Well, if you haven't heard the big news, President Obama and his family will be in Panama City Beach for a private vacation next weekend.

No public or press appearances are planned.

Welcome to PCB Mr. President! Hope you enjoy the World's Most Beautiful Beaches!


Here's more info on the story:
wmbb.com - Obama Family to Visit Panama City Beach Next Weekend

Politics aside, this is some great P.R. for Panama City Beach. As far as I know, this will be the first time a sitting U.S. President has visited PCB for a vacation.

BTW - Carol Browner, Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy, visited Panama City Beach and Schooners today. More info on Carol Browner.

She held a round-table discussion with local business leaders discussing the BP oil spill and it's economic and environmental impacts on Panama City Beach.

A few pics of the event are attached. Photo credit to Ashley V. (thanks Ashley!)

Maybe the President will be next to visit the Last Local Beach Club! (if he sees this live cam, how can he resist?!)

Attached Thumbnails

       

Hopefully the exposure will also encourage his buds from the DC area to come on down. I think Southwest has a direct from Baltimore. This is good news for PCB and surrounding areas, even if he isn't that popular in these parts.

It will be so cool for PC Beach to get this kind of positive exposure... I hope the media gets a ton of gorgeous beach shots and runs 'em for a WEEK all over the world!

Now, we're on the map for something besides Spring Break! Not that there's anything wrong with Spring Break, of course, but, we need family beach messages for our summer business, too!

Here's an awesome presidential welcome message Beach TV prepared for the president and his family! It's full of great vacation ideas for him (or you!) to partake in while visiting Panama City Beach!

Click below to watch:
Obama Vacation in Panama City Beach, FL Welcome Message

Great idea! Well done folks.

That's cool! Where will the president be staying tonight and wondering where he will go in for his dip tomorrow?
Major CNN coverage! I'm sure this will tourism even more for the Labor Day holiday! We are coming again in October...can't wait!

I heard something on one of our local radio stations about Obama in PC Beach. You could hear him laughing, I think he and his wife and Sasha were playing putt putt golf. I'm curious where he stayed and where they were playing putt putt. There are so many cool putt putt courses down there. I hope they go to the beach and swim.

They are staying at Bay Point Resort.

Funny story - we were wanting to eat out tonight and avoid being anywhere near all the craziness that follows the President. Ended up being almost right in the middle of it.

We ate dinner at Sweet Basils tonight (Edgewater Shopping Plaza) and shortly after we were seated, about 30 members of the press came in to eat. Didn't take long to realize they were the Presidential Press Corp. One of the reporters was editing photos (see pics) of the Obamas playing mini golf at Pirate's Island (just across the street). We noticed secret service and law enforcement in the parking lot and figured the Obamas must be nearby, maybe even eating at Firefly restaurant (other side of parking lot). Got dessert at the Pink Flamingo (?) ice cream shop and they confirmed Obama was at Firefly. Before we left, we got to see Obama's motorcade leave from the rear of Firefly and head down Front Beach Rd. All totally unexpected, but ending up being a night to remember.

Here's more info and some great photos:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100815/...re_us/us_obama

Attached Thumbnails

 

President and family just cruised by my house in an elegant old-fashioned water taxi with American Flag flying (could have been from Harry Truman's time) and a little green pontoon boat puttering along behind them LOADED with press snapping pictures - I only saw one Coast Guard little red inflatable boat and one Marine... Patrol - no helicopters circling. Just taking a Sunday cruise.

Awesome! I'm starting to see some really cool photos, videos and stories about Obama's visit to PCB on national news outlets. PCB is getting a ton of promotion out of this. Wonder what the dollar value would be?

I just checked on a hunch and "Panama City Beach" is the number nine most popular search right now. Pretty impressive.

Thanks for all the info on the Prez at PCB. That's great they at ate Firefly. It can be nothing but good for the PCB area.

SWN---would love to see a few more pics you took of the press and the hoopla!! thanks!

I really only got that one I posted. I took some of the motorcade but it was night and all you could see was blurry blue lights. If I had known we'd be that close to the action, I would have brought a real camera instead of using my phone!