Hi! Kid Augustine here! Yup, that’s me in the photo above, running into the Gulf of Mexico with my favorite pineapple float on one of my favorite beaches in the world, Shell Island. And nope, we didn’t have to use any fancy tools to photoshop any one out of this photo- the beach was all ours!

But let’s back up. Shell Island, a small barrier island off the coast of Panama City Beach Florida is only accessible by boat (pontoon boat, sail boat, speed boat – it doesn’t discriminate! kayaks and canoes are welcomed too!) It’s 7-miles of per bliss and a can’t miss when you’re planning your trip to PCB.

This is my second time to PCB. I first fell in love with it when I was only 6 months old. See below- that’s how cute I was back then!

This time we joined eight other families for a weekend of exploration and adventure. While I had never met them before, all the kids soon became my new besties and the four days at the beach was not nearly enough time.

Here’s what we did:

We flew in late Thursday afternoon and watched the thunderstorm from our oceanfront balcony at The Holiday Inn Resort Panama City Beach, the #1 rated family beach hotel in all of PCB, as the sunset over the ocean. The family rooms at the hotel are super cool for kids of any age, but I loved hiding and climbing up and down on the bunkbeds.

In the morning we got up and went to breakfast at Andy’s Flour Power, a favorite pancake spot of my mom’s and a great way to start the day. We were already in our bathing suits, so as soon as we got back, we hopped over to the splash pad before conquering the pool.

The beach was our next stop, and splashing in the emerald green waters was top priority! The Gulf is so calm and warm compared to the Atlantic Coast and so perfect for a cool 2.5 year old like me.

After we played so hard, we stopped by the oceanfront beach bar, Sea Glass Bar for tacos and kiddo pina coladas. They were my favorite.

We ended the night with a sunset dolphin cruise with Island Time Sailing. We saw so many dolphins. If you know me at all, you know I love unicorns, flamingos and dolphins the most. I wanted to jump in and swim with them but my dad said I had to wait until I was a big kid. Fair enough.

The next morning we woke up early to catch a pontoon boat with Shell Island Snorkeling over to Shell Island. A little PSA: This is a must when visiting Panama City Beach or really any beach town on the Gulf Coast off 30A. St. Andrews State Park and Shell Island are slices of heaven. From deer running on the beach to private inlets that feel like you’re on another planet or at least in the Caribbean, it’s so nice to know that places like this exist in Florida and don’t require a passport.

After Shell Island (in which I never wanted to leave), we came back to the hotel and took a quick nap before heading over to Pier Park and City Pier.

Then we met the whole group back on the beach for tacos and s’mores from Juan Tacos and Endless Beach Rentals. If you’re looking to entertain a big group of people and have a lot of kiddos who can’t sit still at a restaurant (hey, that’s me!) this was perfect. The kiddos were able to play in the ocean and build sand castles and the adults were able to chat, eat and enjoy not worrying so much about us. It was a blast!

The final morning we immediately got up and headed to the beach. We wanted to soak up every last second before we had to leave. But, we didn’t forget breakfast. Nope, we had donuts at Thomas Donuts and then played across the street at the beach all morning. Pro tip: Get there early or be prepared to wait in line. The donuts are GOOD and people come from all over to get their share each morning.

Until next time, PCB. Maybe then I’ll be a “big kid” and can snorkel with the dolphins and rays! xox, Kid Augustine

Notes from my mom:

Planning your own trip? Here are some of our favorite places to eat and things to do in PCB:

Dining:

• Hook’d Pier Bar and Grille
• Craft Bar
• Finn’s Island Style Grub
• Spinnaker’s Beach Club
• The Grand Marlin
• Liza’s Kitchen (breakfast)

Activities:

• Gulf World Marine Park
• Shipwreck Island Waterpark (maybe when A is a little older)
• Conservation Park for hiking
• Carillon Beach SUP
• Helicopter Tour over the coastline
• Snorkeling or diving
• kayak fishing