Panama City travel guide

Panama City Tourism | Panama City Guide

You're Going to Love Panama City

With a population of 36,484, Panama City is a must-see destination in Florida, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything Panama City has to offer.

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Where to Eat in Panama City

If you’re looking for affordable options, G. Foley's (3212 W 23rd Street) and Dreamers Restaurant & Bar (1136 Thomas Dr) are great picks.

When to visit Panama City

Panama City in November
Estimated hotel price
$97
1 night at 3-star hotel
Panama City in November
Estimated hotel price
$97
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Panama City in July, when the average temperature is 80.6 °F, and the highest can go up to 87.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 44.6 °F, with an average temperature of 53.6 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in July, when precipitation is around 7.9″. In contrast, May is usually the driest month of the year in Panama City, with an average rainfall of 2.8″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Panama City

Plane

When flying to Panama City, you’ll arrive at Panama City NW Florida Beaches (ECP), which is located 16 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Panama City include Delta, Southwest and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Panama City departs from Austin and takes around 1h 50m.

Car

Another option to get to Panama City is to pick up a car rental from Pensacola, which is about 95 miles from Panama City. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Turo, among others, in Pensacola.

Bus

Panama City’s bus station is located 1.8 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Panama City, you’ll arrive at Panama City NW Florida Beaches (ECP), which is located 16 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Panama City include Delta, Southwest and United Airlines. The shortest domestic flight to Panama City departs from Austin and takes around 1h 50m.

Car

Another option to get to Panama City is to pick up a car rental from Pensacola, which is about 95 miles from Panama City. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Turo, among others, in Pensacola.

Bus

Panama City’s bus station is located 1.8 miles from the city center.

Airlines serving Panama City

KLM
Good (1,405 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,518 reviews)
Delta
Good (7,982 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,468 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,997 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,995 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,477 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,383 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,657 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,350 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,537 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,161 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,333 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,128 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,871 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (990 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,589 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,153 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (8,104 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,681 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Panama City

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Quality Inn & Suites and Comfort Inn and Suites Panama City North. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Panama City, with prices from $52 to $301 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Panama City are about 135% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Panama City by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Panama City

Most booked hotels in Panama City

Hotel Indigo Panama City Marina By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (9.5, 142 reviews)
$122+
Hilton Garden Inn Panama City Airport
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, 267 reviews)
$110+
Holiday Inn Panama City By IHG
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 425 reviews)
$97+
La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Panama City
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1189 reviews)
$78+
Days Inn by Wyndham Panama City Beach/Beachfront Resort
2 stars
Excellent (8.2, 3475 reviews)
$92+
Hampton Inn & Suites Panama City Beach-Beachfront
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 1430 reviews)
$94+

Renting a car in Panama City

Renting a car in Panama City costs $54 per day, on average, or $163 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Avis and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Panama City is the Hertz branch at 6300 West Bay Parkway, which is 16 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 17% cheaper than airport locations in Panama City.

Expect to pay $3.48 per gallon in Panama City (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $41.79 and $55.72. The most frequently booked car type in Panama City is Compact (Nissan Sentra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Jeep Wrangler or similar) are, on average, 47% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Panama City costs $54 per day, on average, or $163 if you want to rent if for 3 days. Alamo, Avis and Budget are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Panama City is the Hertz branch at 6300 West Bay Parkway, which is 16 miles from the city center.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 17% cheaper than airport locations in Panama City.

Expect to pay $3.48 per gallon in Panama City (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $41.79 and $55.72. The most frequently booked car type in Panama City is Compact (Nissan Sentra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Economy rental cars (Jeep Wrangler or similar) are, on average, 47% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Panama City Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Panama City city guide for the best Panama City travel tips. To help you organize your Panama City trip ideas, this Panama City visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.