Panama City Beach FL
When I decided to set off on this final destination-less journey, all I knew is that I wanted to be warm for NYE and I wanted to drive there, wherever there turned out to be. I know it sounds a bit silly, but the best New Years Eve I ever had, I was warm…so apparently I am perpetually trying for a repeat.
I have never been a big fan of Florida, but two things remain true. 1) It is warmer than New England in the winter and 2) it is drivable from New England. Also, a dear friend of mine who feels similarly about Florida had recently spent time on the Panhandle and encouraged me to try it, noting how different it was from what we were used to.
She was right. I booked a month stay through Airbnb knowing little to nothing about the area. All I knew is I could see the Gulf of Mexico from the condo and that was good enough for me.
I settled on a one bedroom condo in Panama City Beach (west), on Front Beach Rd, near the entrance to Pier Park. To say this location was just what I needed after a hectic and busy holiday season, and in the midst of a stressful work period would be an understatement.
The condo was quiet, comfortable, and well appointed. The pool was heated to 88 and the hot tub to 104, I usually had the gym all to myself (that is when I couldn’t get my workout in on the beach), and the beach…
The beach was a mere 4 minutes walk from my door, the sand was soft and white (almost as nice as Clearwater beach, but not quite), the Gulf is clear and an array of beautiful shades of blue and green (if you time it right, you might even catch a pod of dolphins swimming along the shore), and warm enough in January for me to be walking through the surf every night leading up to sunset…oh and the sunsets, the sunsets were remarkable, with Mother Nature showing off a different shade of her personality each and every night. Photos never do it justice, but you can’t help but take a million to try and capture what your eye never want to stop seeing.
January is the slowest, sleepiest month of the year in Panama City Beach, and that was just about perfect for me. I spent time reading books I had piling up on the bedside table, and accomplishing projects (like this blog) that I had struggled to find time for previously. I was able to clear my mind, and meditate often with my walks in the sand and surf. There is nothing more grounding that having you feet swallowed by the sand. What an absolute privilege it was to have that all at my fingertips.
Now for the logistics of it all:
-Rent for the month was almost exactly equal to what my rent and utilities in New England would have been for a month. The bonus of doing it through Airbnb is all utilities and internet etc are included…so budgeting for housing was easy
-Groceries are more expensive in FL than they are in New England.
-But, because of my location…I hardly ever drove my car and what I saved in gas money, easily made up for what I spent on groceries.
-For a bit I fell into wanting to just order Doordash instead of cooking, but after a couple times was quickly reminded how much of a rip off that is and how it should only be a rare treat.
If I were to do Panama City Beach again, I think I would do it the exact same way!
Please comment below if you have any questions about my stay in PCB or if, moving forward, you want me to provide more specifics on $$ etc. While this blog is aimed to fulfill my love and desire to write, I also want to ensure I am providing value for kindred spirits who may want to take the plunge and try to go digitally nomadic for a while.
Komentāri