Family Spring Break Debuts In Panama City Beach, Fla.

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (March 25, 2009) - Parents looking for sun and fun are in luck, with Family Spring Break kicking off now in Panama City Beach, Fla.

You’ll find concerts by chart-topping teen bands, unique events, water sports, attractions and 27 miles of pristine white-sand beaches. Whether you spend your days building sand castles, hunting sea shells, gliding atop the water on a skim board, swimming with dolphins, reeling in a big catch, savoring the best grouper on the Gulf, or listening to live music by jazz greats and country music stars, you’ll find there’s something for everyone on this beach built for family fun.

Here’ s the lineup of Family Spring Break events in Panama City Beach, starting in late March and continuing throughout April.

-- Tyndall Air Force Base’s Gulf Coast Salute Air Show – Catch the high-flying action, March 28 – 29, of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Army Golden Knights Parachute Team. The event showcases the F-15C Eagle, F-22 Raptor and other acts. The action continues on the ground with aircraft displays and children’s activities.  Admission is free. For more information, visit http://tyndall.schultzairshows.com

-- America’s Number One teen country music band -- The Springs – comes to Pier Park, April 9. The Springs was the 2008 ICM Youth Artists of the Year at the 14th Annual Inspirational Country Music Award Show. With two Number One hits off their debut CD, these inspiring young artists offer families a different kind of country music. The group has performed as the warm-up band for such country music stars as Steve Holy, Craig Morgan, Aaron Tippin, Kid Rock and Sara Evans.

-- The Seabreeze Jazz Festival makes its Panama City Beach debut, April 16 - 19, also at Pier Park. Recognized as by JAZZIZ Magazine as one of the “Top 10 Jazz Festivals in the USA," the event attracts music lovers across North America. Performers include smooth jazz greats: Boney James, Wayman Tisdale, Will Downing, Nick Colionne, Warren Hill, Joyce Cooling, and more. For more information, visit http://www.seabreezejazzfestival.com.

-- The Annual Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show and Music Festival rides into Panama City Beach, Wed., April 22 – Sat., April 25, for a weekend of music, arts, crafts, food, children’s rides, prizes and horse shows. One of America’s largest equestrian celebrations, the Gulf Coast Charity Horse Show draws thousands of travelers and locals annually to Frank Brown Park. Back by popular demand this year, the Ivey Brothers are among the groups promising crowd-pleasing musical performances. For more information, visit http://gulfcoasthorseshow.com.

Additional family-friendly concerts and event take place throughout April. For the full listing, visit http://www.familyfuninpcb.com.

Reel Adventures

Stand-up paddleboarding is the newest way to explore the Panama City Beach waters. As in surfing, riders stand on a buoyant longboard, but they navigate with an extended paddle.

The clear, emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay make Panama City Beach a natural playground for other water sports too -- snorkeling, kayaking, windsurfing, power boating, jet skiing, kite-boarding and parasailing. Dubbed the “Wreck Capital of the South,” Panama City Beach offers scuba divers a variety of historic wrecks and artificial reefs to explore. The shallow waters along the shores are also paradise for skimboarders.

For anglers of all ages, Panama City Beach’s Russell Fields Pier reopens in June following extensive renovation. Known to locals as the best spot to take in spectacular sunsets, the landmark, concrete city pier is a prime fishing spot. It will extend more than 1,600 feet into the calm Gulf waters, making it the longest pier on the Gulf Coast. Rod rentals and tackle are available onsite.

Family Attraction Action

Beyond the sand and surf, Panama City Beach serves up a wonderland of affordable family attractions.

Located in the heart of town across from the new pier, Pier Park is Northwest Florida’s largest shopping/dining/ entertainment venue. Spanning nearly one million square feet, the open-air complex houses a full array of restaurants and stores ranging from popular national chains to favorite local boutiques and eateries. Guy Harvey’s Island Grill joins the Pier Park lineup, April 16, 2009, bringing his distinctive marine and wildlife décor and menu of fresh, sustainable seafood and other American fare. Plus, Pier Park’s Grand 16 Theatre -- a 16-screen, 3,000-seat movie theater complex – treats families to the latest blockbuster hits.

Not far from Pier Park, Gulf World Marine Park’s Dolphin Encounter invites visitors to learn about preservation before getting into the water for a dolphin swim. In the six-hour Trainer for a Day program, guests study dolphin behavior and then step onto the stage to perform alongside trainers during the Dolphin Show in the state-of-the-art Dolphin Stadium.

Offering new exhibits, extended hours and more than 25 shows, Gulf World features sea lions, exotic birds, penguins and more. The attraction also is home to a rescue and rehabilitation program for sick or injured dolphins, sea turtles and other marine animals as area coordinator for the Southeast Marine Mammal Stranding Network. Thanks to the gentle care of the park’s onsite veterinarian and supportive staff, many stranded creatures have been successfully rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

At one of Florida’s largest theme water parks – Shipwreck Island Waterpark – little ones favor the waterpark’s specially designed Tadpole Hole, offering slides, towers, tubes and swings. The 500,000-gallon Ocean Motion Wave Pool and 2,000-foot Lazy River provide cool relaxation, while water-based thrill rides are designed to get the adrenaline pumping. Older visitors prefer the White Knuckle River, a 600-foot family tube ride; the 65-foot Tree Top Drop; Great Ship Wreck, and Zoom Flume.

Get up-close-and-personal with animal friends as Keeper for a Day at ZooWorld Zoological & Botanical Park. Designed to educate and amaze, this unique program promotes wildlife preservation through hands-on activities and personalized animal encounters. Visitors can feed endangered primates, assist in an animal show or go behind the scenes with a guided tour of the Tilghman Infant Care Facility, offering close-up views of the baby animals born at ZooWorld. The attraction is home to more than 250 animals, including rare and endangered species. Lions, tigers, and bears . . . along with monkeys, alligators, camels, giraffes, reptiles, exotic birds, and jaguars are all part of the educational entertainment.

Designed to look like a 1950s luxury cruise liner run aground on the beach, the Ripley’s entertainment complex houses Ripley’s Moving Theater and Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium. Showcasing fascinating finds from around the globe, the odditorium lists among its highlight
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