Beaches

Panama City Beach piers

Panama City Beach has two public piers on the Gulf, both open around the clock. The Russell-Fields City Pier across from Pier Park charges $4 to walk and $7 to fish. Bay County's M.B. Miller Pier, further east, charges $3 and $6 and takes cards only. Florida doesn't require your own saltwater license on a pier that holds a valid pier license.

Pick a pier

Checked November 2, 20262 Gulf piersFrom $3 a day

Russell-Fields City Pier · Photo: Scott Long / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0 · Credits

The short answer

Which pier for your day

A walk with Pier Park across the roadRussell-Fields City PierThe city's pier, with lifeguards on the beach beside it from April to September.$4 a day
Fishing at nightM.B. Miller County PierBoth piers are open 24 hours; the county charges $1 less to fish.$6 a day
The cheapest walk out over the GulfM.B. Miller County PierThe county's spectator fee; the city pier charges $4, or $3 for seniors 65+, military and people with disabilities.$3 a day
A fishing pier in a state parkSt. Andrews State ParkIts pier is on Grand Lagoon, not the Gulf. The park says you need a Florida saltwater fishing license.$4–$8 per car

Side by side

City pier or county pier

Russell-Fields fees, hours and services are from the City of Panama City Beach, its parking from Visit Panama City Beach; the county figures are from Bay County's pier page. Confirm at the entrance.

Walk on the pier
Russell-Fields City Pier$4; $3 for seniors 65+, active or retired military and people with disabilities (ID required); free for children 6 and underM.B. Miller County Pier$3 a day
Fish from the pier
Russell-Fields City Pier$7; $3 for seniors 65+, active or retired military and people with disabilities (ID required); free for children 6 and underM.B. Miller County Pier$6; $3 for seniors 65+, active military and people with disabilities; free for children 6 and under
Passes
Russell-Fields City PierFishing: $80 for 20 visits or 3 months, $150 a year. Walking: $40 and $120. City passes also work at the county pierM.B. Miller County PierAnnual passes are sold at Frank Brown Park and work at both piers
Hours
Russell-Fields City Pier24 hours a day, 365 days a yearM.B. Miller County Pier24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Length
Russell-Fields City PierAbout 1,500 feet (the tourism office gives both 1,500 and "over 1,500")M.B. Miller County Pier1,500 feet
Parking
Russell-Fields City Pier: The tourism office says the pier's lot fills up quickly and points to parking across the road at Pier Park; no fee published. The city's paid lots are elsewhere (see the beaches guide)
M.B. Miller County Pier: $2 an hour or $12 a day by Passport; Bay County residents park free with a free permit from the county
Paying
Russell-Fields City PierFishing pass sold at the entrance; payment methods not publishedM.B. Miller County PierCards only, no cash or checks
On site
Russell-Fields City PierHook'd Bait and Tackle rents rods and sells bait, says the city's pier page; its facility page says the bait shop is closedM.B. Miller County PierRestrooms, mobility mats at the beach accesses, bait and tackle shop, seasonal drinks stand
Lifeguards on the beach
Russell-Fields City PierApril 1 to September 30, 10 am–6 pmM.B. Miller County PierMay 27 to Labor Day
Accessibility
Russell-Fields City PierHandicapped accessible, says the city. Three free beach wheelchairs at the ticket office; you fill in a form and show IDM.B. Miller County PierMobility mats at the beach accesses; the county doesn't say whether the pier deck is accessible
Phone
Russell-Fields City Pier850-233-5080M.B. Miller County Pier850-236-3035

The two piers

What each pier is like

Pier Park area · 16101 Front Beach Road (the city says 16201)

Russell-Fields City Pier

The city's pier, across Front Beach Road from Pier Park. The beach on both sides is the only one with stationed city lifeguards, two to four on the east and west sides of the pier in season.

Walk: $4 a day, according to the tourism office
Fish: $7 a day; buy the pass at the entrance. The city's pier page says Hook'd Bait and Tackle rents rods and sells bait; its facility page says the bait shop is closed. Call the shop at 850-233-8232
Hours: 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, according to the city
Next door: Dog Beach, west of the pier at accesses 56 and 57

The tourism office's text says the pier is over 1,500 feet long; its listing says 1,500 feet.

Sources: City of Panama City Beach: city pier, Visit Panama City Beach: piers, City of Panama City Beach: beach safety

Pier Park guide

Open Sands area · 12213 Front Beach Road

M.B. Miller County Pier

Bay County's pier: 1,500 feet long, with 1,700 feet of beach and six beach accesses. Restrooms, mobility mats at the beach accesses, a bait and tackle shop and a seasonal drinks stand.

Walk: $3 a day
Fish: $6 a day; $3 for seniors 65+, active military and people with disabilities; free for children 6 and under
Hours: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Parking: $2 an hour or $12 a day through the Passport app; Bay County residents park free after applying for a free annual permit on the county's Passport portal

Cards only. The county says its kiosks turn cash into prepaid cards. The tourism office still lists the lot as free.

Sources: Bay County: M.B. Miller County Pier, Visit Panama City Beach: piers, beach safety

The beach at the county pier

A rope fence along the dunes at sunset near the M.B. Miller County Pier — Dunes near the M.B. Miller County Pier at sunset.Open Sands, near the county pier · Photo: Grant Gould / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0

Fishing license

Do you need a fishing license on the pier?

Not if the pier holds a valid saltwater pier license: Florida's wildlife agency says that license covers everyone fishing from the pier. The tourism office says both piers sell the license with the fishing pass. Neither the city nor Bay County mentions a pier license on its own pages, so ask at the ticket office.

Sources: FWC: do I need a license?, FWC: pier licenses, Visit Panama City Beach FAQ, piers, Bay County

Fishing charters and party boats

Florida rule: You don't need your own saltwater fishing license on a pier with a valid saltwater pier license. The pier's owner or operator holds it, and it covers everyone fishing there
M.B. Miller County Pier: The tourism office says the fishing fee includes the license. Bay County's own pier page doesn't mention a license
Russell-Fields City Pier: The tourism office calls the $7 daily pass a fishing license. The city's pier pages don't mention a license
Before you fish: The state's license pages don't list which piers hold a license. Ask at the ticket office

Dogs and alcohol

What you can't bring

Dogs aren't allowed on the city pier. Dog Beach, just west of it at accesses 56 and 57, is the only stretch of the city's beach where dogs may go, on a leash. Bay County bans dogs on its beaches too, except on areas it has approved.

Drinking is banned all year on the sand within 400 feet of the city pier, except at events with a city permit, and in March on the city's beaches and in the county's beach zone. Glass is banned on the beach all year.

Sources: City of Panama City Beach: dogs, city code chapters 3, 4 and 7, Bay County code chapters 3, 4 and 5.

All beach rules

Where to stay

On the sand, a short walk from Pier Park

These three hotels are on the sand within a 10-minute walk of Pier Park, which is across the road from the pier. Walking times are our estimates from OpenStreetMap routing. More choices: hotels in the Pier Park area.

Pier Park · 15811 Front Beach Road
The Driftwood Lodge
Free parkingNo petsKitchen: Some units
A low-rise lodge on the sand next to Osprey, eight minutes from Pier Park on foot. Some rooms have a kitchen or a balcony, and the pools are shared with Osprey.
- Good for Walking to Pier Park from the sand
- Good for Free parking
- Skip if You're under 25; check-in is 25+
Before you book: Fees: $100 deposit a stay (per Expedia).
Check prices on Expedia Photos, rules and fees
Pier Park · 15801 Front Beach Road
Osprey on the Gulf
Free parkingNo petsKitchen: Full kitchen
A low-rise on the sand, nine minutes on foot from Pier Park. Every room has a balcony and a full kitchen, and the pools are shared with The Driftwood Lodge next door.
- Good for Walking to Pier Park from the sand
- Good for A balcony in every room
- Skip if You're under 25; check-in is 25+
Before you book: Fees: $100 deposit a stay (per Expedia).
Check prices on Expedia Photos, rules and fees
Pier Park · 15727 Front Beach Road
Hyatt Place PCB Beachfront
Parking in the resort feePets: Dogs onlyKitchen: Mini fridge; kitchenette in some room types
On the sand, ten minutes on foot from Pier Park, with a lazy river and free breakfast. The daily resort fee covers parking for one car and beach chair service.
- Good for Walking to Pier Park from the sand
- Good for A lazy river
- Skip if You're under 18; check-in is 18+
Before you book: Fees: daily resort fee $40 plus tax March–October, $25 November–February (subject to change); includes parking for 1 vehicle and beach chair and umbrella service; Expedia lists no resort fee. Pets: dogs only, up to 2, under 50 lb each; $125 for 1–6 nights, $225 for 7–30 nights; cats and other animals not accepted (Expedia: $141.25 depending on length of stay, plus a $113 cleaning fee).
Check prices on Expedia