Downtown Panama City... Everything's Waiting for YOU!

Panama City, FL - Of course Panama City is best known for its glamorous beaches... miles and miles of sugary-white sand along the Emerald green water of the Gulf of Mexico... but what about "downtown?" You just might need something to do on a rainy day or you can forget all your troubles, forget all your cares and go... downtown!

Lately there's been a resurgence of wonderful antique malls, art galleries and Museums, fabulous shops and great waterfront

Did you know that Panama City has an historic, refurbished downtown with quaint cafes, a Visual Arts Center, galleries and two fabulous theatres? There's even a first class Mall with all the designer names - the Panama City Mall, just a short ride from the beach? Come on...be brave, cross the new Hathaway Bridge and see what's in store for you-you'll see right away that Panama City has much more to offer than those "world's most beautiful beaches!"

The Panama City Mall is right up 23rd Street at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. If it's raining, it's the ONLY enclosed shopping center within 65 miles! Over five million people a year enjoy this great shopping mecca, anchored by Dillard's, JCPenney, Sears and stores like the Gap and Victoria's Secret but it's also home to over 100 specialty stores offering the best names around. Plus, you can satisfy any taste with the wide variety of foods at the fun eateries found throughout the Mall.

Naturally, there's a "B. Dalton's" for that must read vacation book or check out "Pac Sun" for the latest "skim board" - you'll notice all the young kids skimming along the shoreline... it's fun and relatively safe once you get the hang of it! You can count on the Body Shop for some hip swimwear and you'll find the coolest sunglasses at Sunglass World. OK... it's everything to use back on the beach, but shopping is FUN and remember, the Mall's completely covered - you would never know that it's raining "cats and dogs" outside!

If all else fails, how about a movie? The Carmike 4 is right in the Mall (850-769-2345) and you passed both the Regency 6 (850-763-3657) and the Carmike Cinema 10 (850-913-9291) on your way up 23rd Street. The only other cinema is on the Beach in the Edgewater Shopping Center on Front Beach Road, the Edgewater Cinema 6 (850-234-9232). During the hotter months, a box of popcorn and a coke inside a cool, cool movie-house is an excellent idea!

Turn South on Harrison Avenue off of 23rd Street or 15th Street and you will end up in Downtown Panama City. Things will be great when you're... Downtown! Lately there's been a resurgence of wonderful antique malls, art galleries and museums, fabulous shops and great waterfront restaurants! The Bay snakes around and right in the center of Downtown is a wonderful marina, filled with enormous yachts and lots of friendly characters. The Downtown Area is really pedestrian friendly with tree-lined streets perfect for walking, jogging, or cycling.

Also located in the heart of downtown, is the Visual Arts Center of Northwest Florida (850-769-4451), the only museum quality exhibition space within a 100 mile radius. The original building was built in 1925 in a Spanish Revival Style, but there are areas of Art Deco, which has prompted the description, "a decorative combination of Neo-classical, Gothic and Baroque features." The Center hosts approximately 12 events annually in its indoor gallery spaces... the Main Gallery, The Higby Gallery, Lobby Gallery, Walkway Gallery and Impressions - a Hands-on Children's Gallery.

Since the Visual Arts Center opened in 1988, the visual arts program has presented some of the world's most notable art exhibits, as well as artists of local, state, and regional acclaim. The Center has hosted exhibits of Russian Icons, a national Watercolor Competition and an international Photography Competition. The Center also offers classes, workshops and lectures for locals and visitors alike.

Downtown Panama City also boasts two wonderful theatres, the Marina Civic Center (850-763-4696) and the smaller, Martin Theatre (850-763-8080), both on Harrison Avenue.

Built in 1936, the Historic Martin Theatre was originally called "The Ritz", and was one of a chain of Columbas, Georgia-based, Martin Theatre-owned, "Ritz" theatres. During the "Movie Palace" era, the theatre hosted movies, vaudeville and talent shows and was equipped with a small stage and two small dressing rooms, as well as a movie screen. In the late 1950's, the "Ritz" became the "Martin Theatre" and was extensively redecorated, received it's trademark Marquee, and started showing movies exclusively. In the early 70's the theatre closed, stood vacant for over a decade, and was eventually purchased by a private group and converted into a shooting gallery. The Panama City Downtown Improvement Board, whose mission is to bring about the renaissance of the downtown Panama City area, made plans to renovate the building into a multi-use facility and performing arts center in the mid 1980's. Returned to its art deco glory, its doors were reopened in November of 1990, renovated and rejuvenated and ready to serve the community. Though small in size (seating is limited to 469), the Martin Theatre is now a state-of-the-art facility that hosts many popular plays and attractions.

Panama City's Marina Civic Center is a much larger performing arts facility committed to providing cultural enrichment opportunities for the citizens of Panama City, Bay County and the surrounding area. After a $6 million renovation in 1994, the center now houses a 2,508 seat theatre, three 980 square foot meeting rooms, a fully equipped stage, and industry standard sound and lighting systems. The Center now serves as a front door for Bay County, attracting national touring acts, competitions, and individual entertainers, providing a center for performing arts and cultural events. In addition to its performing arts capabilities, the Marina Civic Center is also fully equipped for conferences, seminars, and receptions by offering the latest in audio and visual technology, food service, catering, and box office ticketing. Beautifully decorated with maintained grounds and parking available on 3 sides of the building, the Marina Civic Center is a focal point in downtown Panama City. With a beautiful panoramic view of historic St. Andrews Bay, the Center is within a short walk of downtown shops, restaurants, music stores, and art galleries.

And finally, there's the Kaleidoscope Theatre, only miles from downtown in Lynn Haven... Kaleidoscope Theatre is an all-volunteer community theatre, now in its 33rd season of producing quality theatrical productions for Bay County residents and visitors. Kaleidoscope goes against all the rules for sustaining a theatre: it's totally run by volunteers; funded totally from ticket sales, donations and program advertising; and they hold open auditions, encouraging new participants each year. Their mission is to produce quality theatrical productions for Northwest Florida Panhandle residents and visitors; to provide community participation in the creative process of staging live presentations; to showcase local talent in all aspects of the performing arts; and to develop an audience with a cultural appreciation of live theatre as an art form.

Whether it's something to do on a rainy day or an evening's entertainment you're after, Panama City has it ALL ...just remember, there's no reason NOT to leave the beach for a while and venture across the bridge. Chances are, you'll still have some sand in your shoes but "things will be great when you're downtown. Everything's waiting for you!"