Florida Panhandle Travel Guide

Everything in the Panhandle west of the Apalachicola River is in the Central time zone. Many people who come to the Panhandle believe all of Florida is in the Eastern time zone. This can cause some confusion when you have made reservations at a restaurant or golf course an hour early.

Summer in the Panhandle essentially lasts from April through early October. From late May to early September temperatures can rise into the 90s and the humidity not far below. This combination makes for very sticky going. Activities like golf should be scheduled in the morning; even late afternoon can still see temperatures in the high 80s. Pack light clothing, a hat with a brim and plenty of sunscreen.

It used to snow every five years or so at some point along the Florida Panhandle, but the last few decades have seen snow only about every 10 years. There can still be short stretches of days when the temperature fails to climb above 50 degrees. More likely, are long stretches of winter when the temperature hits the 70s and 80s.

The only major airports the Panhandle are in Tallahassee and Pensacola. There are two methods of getting from one panhandle town to another. The fastest way is to take Interstate 10, but by far the more scenic route is to make your way through small towns along the beach-access highways. If you use I-10, you'll have to take exits to get to the towns.

The Florida panhandle features a number of excellent golf courses. Perdido Bay Country Club course used to play host to the PGA Tour's Pensacola Open and has challenged such luminaries as Arnold Palmer and Curtis Strange. The Sandestin Golf Resort is a semiprivate course that has been named one of the top 75 courses in the country by "Golf Magazine" several times.

There are several attractions worth visiting in the Florida Panhandle. Pensacola's National Aviation Museum is dominated by classic military aircraft hanging from the rafters. If you visit in the summer, you can take in a free air show as the Blue Angels practice overhead. The Zoo at Gulf Breeze is a surprisingly nice little zoo nestled between Gulf Breeze and Ft. Walton Beach. Shipwreck Island in Panama City is a water park that offers an adrenaline rush after all those calm days at the beach.