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Old February-25th,2008, 11:14 PM
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PCB Spring Break tips compiled and categorized

So I was going through all the stuff on this site, and I was like "this stuff is amazing, but there's no way I'm going to remember it all for Spring Break." So I went through and copy and pasted any useful stuff I found into a Word document, and I categorized it to make it easy to find (since I'm not going to be in any condition to read through a long paper while I'm down there ). A lot of it is from JSealse's thread, but there's stuff from other threads too, and I hope it adds something anyways, especially since it makes all the tips easy to find. Some of the stuff may conflict with each other, but that's because different people on the boards have different opinions. Sorry I didn't keep track of who said what so I could give you guys credit, but thanks for your contributions. I hope this helps everyone make their spring breaks even more sick!

Daytime
  • Most of the Action during the day is on the Beach behind the super clubs and larger hotels (especially Sunspree and Holiday Inn). Tons of free stuff handed out
  • Don’t worry about day time pool parties at hotels, no one spends any time there during the day.
  • During the day, everyone is on the beach behind the super clubs and Holiday Inn Sunspree. Also, the best pool party during the day is at Club Lavela ( no cover).
  • Spinnaker daytime: free entry, 5 beer pong tables, $1 beers, $4 pitchers
  • The beach behind Spinnaker and LaVela are pretty much one big party.
  • MTV is the behind Boardwalk this year
  • A lot of sponsor tents are behind Summit
  • Spinnaker will be giving away free entry passes for the night during the day.
  • When all the vendors/stages start closing up during the day, La Vela is the place to be
  • I do recommend going to Pineapple Willy's and getting the Fat Tuesday frozen drinks at the bar there. It works magic on a hangover.
  • All you need to know is if you see someone with a plastic bat is bring a beer over and ask them how to play.
  • If you're really into drinking games other than beer pong at Spinnaker, go behind the Summit where it is most densely populated.
Hotel Parties/Pools
  • if you are not registered at the larger hotels you can not party there unless someone can sneak you a bracelet.
  • The Holiday Inn Sunspree will have a DJ spinning it 24/7 around the pool area along with a really sick party plus they host swimsuit/wet t-shirt contests and have all kinds of games out on the beach front.
  • The Boardwalk (hotel area, not the condos) also hosts contests and games. I dont know exactly what its going to be like this year since MTVU is taking over the scene but I'm sure it will be a major party scene as well.
  • Chateau doesn’t ever check wristbands
  • Sandpiper has both an indoor and an outdoor pool, an indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi, and a lazy river.
  • Someone said you can buy a daytime wristband for Holiday Inn for $25
Contests/Freebies/Stages
  • Volunteer for everything and I mean everything. There will be planned events all day long from…… wet t-shirt contest and tug of war to obstacle courses and mud wrestling. Do it all!
  • If a promoter offers you free stuff…….. Take it!!! You may have to fill out a couple papers here and there, but who cares…
  • The best promotion booth is the Trojan Condom Booth (Usually set up outside LaVela). They will give out free condoms, but you have to play their games to get them. However if you win you can get the ultimate prize… The vibrating condom or the visor what ever you prefer…
  • The more girls you bring on stage with you during wet t-shirt contest and booty shaking conest the better chance you have to win (free bar tabs, free club entry, and stuff like that)
Restaurants
  • The best after hour hang out place is " The Waffle House".
  • Pineapple Willy’s: we eat at Pineapple Willy's when we want to watch march madness; We went to Pineapple Willy's every year to watch March Madness too. They have good food too. The best was their Fat Tuesday frozen drinks there. We would walk down there from the Boardwalk. Great cure for a hangover. My fav is Pinneapple Willys, no questions asked!! If you can get seated out on their deck, its the best atmosphere and you can get as loud as you want. This time im gonna have to try their famous ribs in a bucket.
  • hungry howies and steaks shakes and pancakes im thinking was good and cheap
  • Spinnakers: has my favorite food. Its prolly the best priced too. Gotta love Spinnaker's paradise burger, that thing is huge and taste great.
  • Angelos has great steaks.
  • Captain Jacks used to have a great seafood buffet. Used to be alot of hot girls in there.
  • right across the street of sunspree they always have free breakfast at the bowling ally
Party Cards
  • Don't be fooled!!!!!! I know that most of the La Vela and Panoramic Party Cards say that you get free beer between 7pm-9pm, but LaVela and Spinnaker actually gives everyone free beer from 7pm-9pm (most of the time). You get one plastic cup when you enter the club and u can refill this cup with as much beer as you can drink up until 9pm. Spinnaker actually lets you choice between beer and Rum punch!
  • If you don't like lines buy a VIP pass to Spinnakers, because that will get you in the place in 2 seconds. They're only like $60, and good for the whole week. Spinnakers says they open at 7 pm, rarely do they. It is often 7:30. You might not think this is a big deal but if you're in the back of the line with 250 people in it and they take their sweet *** time checking ID's like they always do your 2 free hours of drinks from 7-9 just turned into a half hour.
  • Panamaniac card: I dont care about the free beer portion cause the lines are usually so long for them that you might get 2 to 3 cups filled that night before they run out.
  • Yea the lines can be long but it saves u on cover every single night
  • Rockstar: I heard alot of people complain about it last year so I wouldn't get it.
  • Spinnaker sells a “Super Card” for $125. It gets free express entry for 4 people, discounted drink prices, and admission to VIP lounge and Penthouse Bar. Probably be better off with a Panamaniac card.
  • The cards are an even better deal if you’re under 21, since then you’d otherwise be paying a much higher cover.
  • If you buy a Panamaniac card, mention to the person about free Tiki Bar passes. I wasn't going to buy one so I told the guy I'd be going to the Tiki Bar a lot instead of the bigger clubs and he threw in 3 free Tiki passes for me and my two friends.

Last edited by WestCoastDave; February-28th,2008 at 12:16 AM. Reason: adding more tips
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Old February-25th,2008, 11:15 PM
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cont'd

Nighttime
  • The hotest hang out spot in the early evening is Front Beach Road. Everyone cruises down the strip hanging out, flashing body parts, and playing loud music. It is a lot of fun.
  • Around 7-8pm go to Lavela it only cost $5 to get in. Get your hand stamped and hed over to Spinnakers. It also cost $5-$10 to get in. Go in get your hand stamped and then leave. You can go back any time you want if you r over 21 and not have to stand in the long lines. Also after 9pm both clubs can charge from $20-$35.
  • If you can get VIP access at Spinnaker night club—ladies, you have a better shot—you get discounted drinks at the bar.
  • The bars at La Vela get really packed on the first floor and basement levels. If you want a quick drink, try the second floor lounges. They are usually less crowded.
  • The back entrance to Harpoon Harry's is often much faster than the front.
  • Check out latitudes for 25 cent beer night!! Also, latitudes has THE BEST wet tshirt contest in town
  • NO RE-ENTRY under 21, so if you are under 21, either show up early for the cheap cover or wait till later and pay in full (I've seen it get up to $45). They do that to prevent kids from going out to their cars, drinking, and coming back in. Did somebody say flask?
  • while you're dancing, and most likely on your second drunk of the day, you don't need EVERY SINGLE $8 beer, so refill your beer bottle with water every once in a while. You can keep the drinking motion (so you don't lose practice), but you're rehydrating and it winds up being marginally cheaper.
  • Drink prices: .50-$5 for a beer (latitudes has .50 beers on Thur) and about 6-9 dollars for a shot and about 7-10 for a mixed drink.
  • My group usually goes to LaVela at 7 pay the $5 to get in, go to Spinnakers pay $5 and then run over you Hammer head freds pay $5 and then go back to the hotels and relax till about 10-11pm. We then find out what club has the best party that night and hang out there. If it gets dead we jump to the next one. You will only pay $15 for three clubs.
  • Tiki bar is supposed to be fun; lax with fake IDs; is a bar, not a club; everybody be sure to spend some time at the Tiki Bar...that sh!t was poppin every night
  • La Vela: good if you want a big crowd and a bunch of different types of music/themes. Some complaints included that it was too big and that it’s sometimes a sausage fest.
  • Latitudes: smaller (in a good way, according to many), lax security, and good contests. Contests get going at 12 AM.
  • Harpoon Harry’s: a lot of people swear by it.
  • Hammerhead Fred’s: good girl/guy ratio; outdoors, so you don’t get too hot;
  • Get the cards from churches with their numbers… they will drive you around in a bus for free, so that you don’t need a DD
  • Spinnaker has a mechanical bull for the ladies to ride; overall, great reviews of this club
  • We got there around 8:15PM with the girls and the line was huge. Don't get there at 8:15. Get there at 7.
Concerts and Special Events
  • Anything you wear to a foam party will not likely make it through the night!!!!!! wear something you don't want to keep or as little as possible
  • If you want to get close to the celebrates the best place to go on a Tues or Thur is LaVela’s. After the MTVu concerts in the afternoon are over, MTVu usually takes its celebrities over to LaVela’s pool side deck to shoot commercials and TV spots. You won’t be able to get right up on them (unless you are a beautiful woman and then you will be sitting at there feet) but you will be able to get close and be on MTV.
  • MTVu is not the only concerts going on in Panama City Beach. Check the events schedule on this site or on the clubs sites for more concerts.
  • It does not say this on there web site, but you have to buy a ticket for Club La Vela's foam parties.
  • MAKE SURE THAT IF YOU GO TO A FOAM PARTY AND MUST BRING A CELL PHONE AND/OR CAMERA THAT YOU PUT IT IN A DOUBLE ZIPPED LOCK BACK.
  • DEFINITELY go on the bar crawl. It was by far one of the best things we did all week. You get to see a good amount of the clubs in one night, plus you get to meet people that you will wind up chilling with the rest of your trip! Get your tickets early and I mean early, because they go fast!
  • The pub crawl is $25 on site, $20 in advance. It’s on Tuesdays. You go to five bars, and at each one, you get free cover and one free beer/drink.
  • The Hammerhead Fred’s foam party is $20 on site, $15 in advance. It’s on Thursdays.
  • On the other hand, the beach bash, was a let down. Yes, free beer and jungle juice all day, or whatever the hours were... IF YOU CAN GET IT! It was so packed, we unsuccessfully tried getting to 'the goods' for over a half hour before we got pissed and took off.
  • Of the beach bashes, Sharkys’ seems the most famous
  • The bad thing with the pub crawl is it starts kind of early and when we went, it took us to bars where our group was the only people there, not all bad, but it's not that great to walk into a completely empty place. It was literally like get on the bus, sit there for a minute drive to a bar, file off, drink two or 3 drinks, go to the next one and do the same thing.
  • Booze cruise here is a joke.
  • Club La Vela’s foam party is on Thursdays from 9 PM to 2 AM
Shopping/supplies
  • Most Spring Breakers will have a full Kitchen in their rooms. The best place to by food is at the Wal-Mart on Front Beach Rd. However during Peak Week it can be very hectic. So try the less popular Target on Back Beach Rd.
  • instead of picking up an 80-pack of water bottles at wal mart, just bring a brita filter for the faucet. it'll save room in your fridge, and you can just throw it in your luggage.
  • get kegs and ice. you WILL finish it. way cheaper (and cleaner) than cases. plus having a keg is tight in and of itself.
  • The liquor store in the front of Walmart is the only place you should buy liquor down there. The prices are more reasonable there.
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Old February-25th,2008, 11:16 PM
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Legal Stuff
  • Open alcoholic beverages are also not allowed within 50 feet of a public place.
  • You are also not allowed to walk on sidewalks or in parking lots with beer in your hand, so make sure its in a cup or a GIANT Beer helmet with Water written on it!!!!!!!!
  • It is against the law to take ANY glass container on the beach, so if you have liquer, put in in an empty plastic bottle or mix the drinks before you go onto the beach.
  • If you're driving down, DO NOT speed coming over the bridge, whatever you do. State Troopers sit on the bridge and at both ends.
  • The cops are really bad at night, but during the day as long as your not fighting or drinking and driving you should be cool.
  • don't have a beer in your hand on the strip, don't stumble down the strip drunk(u can be wasted and they usually won't bother u), don't hang out of a car too far or out the back on a suv with the gate open
  • One thing I did see that they hated was fake ID's, if ya use one make sure they don't fine it!
  • underage drinkin is one thing but they dont mess around with drugs
  • Normally if you’re underage and they catch you with a lot of beer/liqour on you, they make you poor it all out in front of everyone. Other than that, I believe you just get a ticket, not sure the amount.
  • If you're caught drinking underage and you were in a fight or something, then its obvious you're going to jail.
  • Don't even think about drinking underage in the clubs.
  • you wont see that many police during the day on the beach
  • Fake ids they will just take not call the police
Health
  • Drink as much water as you can before you go to sleep. Leave a bottle next to your bed before you go out for the night.
  • Before coming to Panama city, everyone should stop by their GNC and get vitamin B and C tablets to take. Once before you start drinking, and one for the next day to have after breakfast.
  • water water water, gatorade gatorade gatorade, electrolytes and fructose. Remember that if you have a headache, most likely its because you're still dehydrated.
  • eat a banana or kiwi every other day
Miscellaneous
  • The best way to get around Panama City Beach is by scooter. However, be careful. Some of the scooter shops will try to rip you off. Make sure you inspect the bike before you take it and if you see anything wrong with it (dents, scratches......) make sure you tell them about it. They will blame you for it and keep your deposit of $200.
  • Make sure you purchase beads (mardi gras beads) before you head down. You will save money, because they are kind of over priced when you get there and guys don't just give them away...
  • The best way to get around in Panama is walk. It can take up to 2 and 1/2 hours to drive 4 miles on certain nights, plus by walking you get to meet all kinds of people plus sitting outside some of the clubs is better than inside.
  • Your best bet is fly into Pensacola and get a one way rental into Panama
  • If your room sleeps four, you’ll get four wristbands, even if you only booked for two people.
  • we had a clever system aiding the youngest member of the crew in consuming "special beverages". Our oldest member carried a flask of "special mix". The youngest ordered a coke for $2. The oldest passed him the flask in the bathroom and he filled up. 21 and over get free re-entry so the oldest went out to the car, got a refill, and repeated the process.
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Old February-25th,2008, 11:17 PM
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nice + rep power

by the way dave i live in redondo beach
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Old February-25th,2008, 11:23 PM
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nice, man, not too far away. I'm down in Dana Point in South OC.
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Old February-25th,2008, 11:26 PM
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nice my girl lives near orange coast college....but she doesn't know im going to pcb for 2 weeks....
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Old February-25th,2008, 11:34 PM
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  1. If you're driving to your Spring Break remember check all belts, hoses, fluid levels, tires, toolkit and first aid kit.
  2. Make sure that you have your cell phone and cell phone charger with you. Carry your AAA card, water and snacks just in case the car breaks down.
  3. get your suntan lotion with a high SPF (40 or higher). Oils and low SPF sunblocks do help protect your skin as well. Even if you tan easily, you'll still need sunblock, but, make sure that you re-apply after you've been sweating or gone swimming. Carrying a sunhat along also helps.
  4. Most of all, carry along your common sense. You'll be partying all day and most of the evening and will be in the hot sun having a blast. Make sure that you stay level-headed and don't do anything silly. This'll ensure that you have a Spring Break that is tons of fun but also safe.
List of must-have items for your Spring Break:
  • Shampoo, brush/comb
  • Prescription glasses & sunglasses (UV rays protected)
  • Toothbrush, toothpaste
  • Prescription medicines, birth control pills
  • Sunscreen and sun-protective lip balm
  • Shaving cream/razor, aftershave
  • Deodorant, favorite soap, perfume
  • Personal care items
Other essential items to carry along:
  • Camera/film/batteries
  • Bathing suit/towel
  • Books/magazines
  • Light colored, lightweight clothing
  • Long sleeved T-shirt or other cover-up
  • A comfortable pair of walking shoes
  • Sweater or sweatshirt for cool evenings
  • Alarm clock
  • Sports-related equipment
  • Flashlight
  • Telephone, credit card
  • Personal Identification
Your flight can be the most important thing to get right when going on Spring Break. Make sure you have everything, you are on time, and you know all your flight information.



10 Guidelines for a Smart Spring Break



So, you're in Spring Break country, life is stellar, everything's a big party and you're living everyone's best description of utopia. But, how about checking out these quick & smart tips on what you should do during your spring break toensure the success of your trip?
  1. Buddy System:
    I think everyone learned this in Kindergarten, so don't be walking around alone.
  2. Scheduled Events:
    Go to all of the events you can. There will be a party at most events!
  3. Drink Responsibly:
    Know your limit...If you are a light-weight at home, it probably won't change on Spring Break. You want to have fun, not be passed out when all the action is happening. Don't accept drinks from strangers or walk around the streets with open containers.
  4. Drugs:
    Don't use, buy, or sell them. They are illegal and you will get arrested just like at home.
  5. Beaches/Pools:
    Don't go on the beaches or swim at night. Follow all the rules in the pools or on the beaches. Follow all the flag postings, because they actually do warn you of danger.
  6. Mopeds:
    Just don't rent them. That is just asking for trouble and danger.
  7. Travel Tips:
    Be respectful to all citizens, drink lots of water, wear sun-block, don't be stingy with tips.
  8. Hotel Tips:
    Check out for damage upon arrival, keep valuables in a safety box, don't damage rooms, lock all doors all the time, don't use the hotel phone if possible.
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Old February-26th,2008, 01:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by WestCoastDave View Post
Tiki bar is supposed to be fun; lax with fake IDs; is a bar, not a club
Sorry but this is kind of poorly written...you saying that the Tiki Bar isn't strict on fake ID's? One of our guys is underage so we might try to get him a fake.
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Old February-26th,2008, 02:11 AM
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Good job on putting all these together Dave, this is GOLD!!

I had also copy pasted the tips, but it was quite in a mess compared to that!

Thanks, added some rep

Last edited by MIKE_qc; February-26th,2008 at 05:31 AM. Reason: typo
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Old February-26th,2008, 02:40 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SupaSteve! View Post
Sorry but this is kind of poorly written...you saying that the Tiki Bar isn't strict on fake ID's? One of our guys is underage so we might try to get him a fake.
I didnt write any of this, it's all copy and pasted. That being said, yes, I think that bullet is saying tiki bar is cool with fakes
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Old February-26th,2008, 03:46 PM
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Wow, good job man...reppped!
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Old February-26th,2008, 04:50 PM
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Yes, very very good job! Easy, organized, and we can tell you cant wait to come party East Coast style! You have been repped!!!
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Old February-27th,2008, 10:53 AM
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Very good stuff!
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Old February-27th,2008, 05:56 PM
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great post man!!!

very useful info
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Old March-2nd,2008, 11:32 AM
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glad I could help I'll update it with more info from newer threads when I get some time
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