Panama City: Art, History and Culinary Delights

Panama City offers several concrete ways to experience art, history, and cuisine: large-scale murals in various neighborhoods, historical themed trails, and a year-round farmers market are all part of the picture, along with cultural offerings at the Panama City Center for the Arts. For planning a trip with children, it is especially helpful that the Center hosts family-friendly activities. You can choose which themes will shape your stay based on your interests.

Art and History in the City

The Panama City Mural Trail is a self-guided tour of large-scale murals throughout the city. It includes more than 15 works of art and extends from St. Andrews through Downtown Panama City to Millville. Those interested in public art can use it as a way to explore Panama City across several neighborhoods. The trail’s reach is also useful for planning your day: its stops are not limited to a single named neighborhood.

The Glenwood Historical District Sign Trail focuses on a different perspective on the city’s history. Interpretive signs there present the African American history, community development, and resilience of Glenwood. These themes make the trail especially interesting to travelers who want not only to view artworks but also to learn more about a community’s history.

The Panama City Publishing Company Museum preserves and presents local history, cultural resources, and historical printing art. The Panama City Publishing Company building was built in 1920 in historic St. Andrews. This gives the site a specific year and a named neighborhood, along with a subject distinct from the murals and the signs in Glenwood.

Cultural Offerings and Opening Hours

The Panama City Center for the Arts hosts live events and family-friendly activities. It is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours until 7 p.m. on Fridays. Admission is free. This information makes it easier to plan a cultural stop: a Friday visit offers a longer time window than the other days it is open. Family-friendly activities are explicitly part of the program, and you can choose specific events to suit your travel dates.

Market and Culinary History

The Market at St. Andrews takes place year-round every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Oaks by the Bay Park in historic St. Andrews. The waterfront farmers market focuses on agricultural products, food, and crafts. If visiting a market is among your travel interests, Saturday morning is a clear point of reference for planning.

The history of cuisine in Bay County is also represented as an exhibition topic. On February 21, 2026, the Bay County History Museum opened the Smithsonian FOOD exhibition “Bayside Bounty – The Culinary Heritage of Bay County.” As a historical and culinary perspective, this theme complements the market offerings with another way to explore regional food culture.

Carl Gray Park is a waterfront park in Panama City. Along with the waterfront farmers market, the park expands the options for travelers who also want to consider waterfront locations when planning their trip.

Which Focus Suits Your Trip?

When choosing a vacation rental in Panama City, you can start by considering which experiences matter most to you. The Mural Trail extends from St. Andrews through Downtown Panama City to Millville. By contrast, the market and the Panama City Publishing Company building are specifically located in historic St. Andrews; guided tours there also provide insight into the neighborhood’s community. These different location references can help you keep your own interests in mind when choosing a starting point, without assuming that individual offerings are right next to each other.

If you would like to explore more destination pages for your trip planning, you can also find Upper Grand Lagoon, Callaway, Mexico Beach and Panama City Beach here.

For the broader travel overview: Bay.