The Emerald Cafe - Panama City Beach

What a fantastic way to spend the day! We took the water shuttle to Shell Island for a perfect family outing. We collected plenty of seashells and captured some amazing photos. It was so secluded, with nothing around but nature. Just be sure to bring your chairs, umbrellas, and plenty of drinks and snacks. We will definitely be coming back next year!

I absolutely love going to the beaches at St. Andrews State Park. Although the pier was closed for repairs today, the beach still had its charm. The roads in the park could use some work, but I suspect the state intentionally leaves them in disrepair to encourage drivers to slow down and appreciate this beautiful land. The restrooms are clean, and you can take a boat to Shell Island from the bay. The water was warm and the waves were just perfect. We had a fantastic day enjoying the beach with our community! Make sure to visit and have an amazing time on these beautiful beaches!

I would highly recommend coming here and spending the day. It is $8.00 for a car or $4.00 for motorcycles to go $2.00 or drive a bike. It is worth from all hiking trails to the beach and fishing pea and a jetty. There is a boat starting a playground and storage places there is something to do for the whole family here. There is even a ferry that will take you to the island... You can snorkel and dive. As I said, it is highly recommended, I promise you want to be disappointed...

Very nice area to visit. In December it was not crowded and the weather was nice. There are ways to see wildlife. We saw many birds Herons, Egrets, Ducks, a little snake and a little frog. The facilities are clean and have a nice access to the beach, pier and jetty. Admission was $8 per car at the time of our visit. We would go this place back if we were in town.

We loved St. Andrews State Park and all the wildlife (some of our pics are attached) but a map of the park indicating where to find the trails along with their details would be extremely helpful. I'd recommend skipping the Shell Island tour. We were under the assumption from everything we read that there would be good birding and shelling opportunities there but sadly, there were neither when we visited--just an expanse of beach. The best part of the trip to Shell Island was the boat ride over there.