PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — Fireworks on the fourth of July are a big draw when it comes to tourism. Even locals turn out for the nighttime celebrations. People are saving their money and traveling cross country to experience the white beaches and multiple fireworks shows Tuesday night. With the large uptick in traffic, […]
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (WMBB) — Fireworks on the fourth of July are a big draw when it comes to tourism. Even locals turn out for the nighttime celebrations.
People are saving their money and traveling cross country to experience the white beaches and multiple fireworks shows Tuesday night.
With the large uptick in traffic, it can only mean one thing. It’s peak tourist season in the Panhandle.
“Oh, honestly, the white sand. I’ve been looking forward to that,” said tourist Justin Warfield.
The Independence Day holiday includes many different events in Panama City and Panama City Beach.
Couples, college students, and families have traveled far and wide to enjoy the sights and attractions.
“So since I’ve been here, we’ve been going to the beach every single day, and I’m loving every minute of it. Trying to see if I still want to go golf or not. I’m a golfer, so it’s kind of hard driving past all these golf courses and not going,” said Warfield.
After months of saving up money, one family traveled all the way from Kentucky to see the emerald-green water.
“Well, we are on our very first vacation. All the children got jobs, and we all put money together, and we’re able to come down here and have a little vacation for a few days. So, we’re just spending time on the beach and doing some snorkeling. We swam with the dolphins yesterday, and now we’re doing some shopping,” said tourist Kimberly Morris.
Not only are tourists excited about the holiday but locals are too.
“Well, for the 4th of July, we’re probably going to get into a little crayfish boil and, uh, you know, put the boat in the water sunscreen is going to be in the play. And the most important thing is to have fun and be safe out here,” said Panama City Beach resident Avery Whaley.
Even though vacationers are looking forward to playing in the gulf, locals are making sure they are aware of their surroundings.
“I would just like to encourage everybody to be cautious of the riptides. It’s you know, it’s a real danger,” said Whaley.
While safety is important having fun along the world’s most beautiful beaches makes the holiday complete.
“You know, we are in the promised land, and we just want to respect that,” said Whaley.
The gulf may be the reason most tourists come to visit, they are also here for the fireworks.
There are a lot of events happening around the panhandle. Panama City, Panama City Beach, and Lynn Haven are just three of the area’s cities with fireworks displays.
To see a complete list of events click here.
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