Florida’s Panhandle—often simply referred to as “The Panhandle,” or the “Emerald Coast”—is an utterly unique region that blends Southern charm with Florida flair. Renowned for its distinct culture and geography, this northwestern part of Florida borders the glistening waters of the Gulf of Mexico.
Of course, there are better-known Florida cities that tend to attract high-profile, larger meetings and conventions (read: Orlando and Miami), but the beach destinations of the region, namely Pensacola, Fort Walton Beach, Destin and Panama City Beach, have their own allure with fewer crowds and a more relaxed pace. Truly, The Panhandle might be the state’s best-kept secret.
Destin and Fort Walton Beach
“We’re different in that meeting attendees don’t have the distraction of the theme parks—or the traffic—of big meeting cities. We get many military and religious groups that come to the area for the quiet, and because most of our meetings are small- to mid-size, we can customize every meeting,” said Jennifer Adams, tourism director, Destin-Fort Walton Beach.
They are equipped for larger meetings with the Destin-Fort Walton Beach Convention Center, at 60,000 square feet, however.
“It is ideal for a plated dinner for 1,600, and we have a 30,000-square-foot tented area for outdoor events,” Adams said.
Groups mainly come for all the outdoor activities available before and after meetings, Adams noted.
“Our Gulf of Mexico beaches and the Okaloosa Sound make guests want to get out on the water for a fishing boat charter or a dolphin tour. In October, we have the Destin Fishing Rodeo, a great teambuilding activity,” she said.
Seafood lovers are in luck, too, as group dine-arounds are popular, especially on The Boardwalk on Okaloosa Island where guests can sup and sample delicacies from any number of seafood restaurants, including the Surf Hut, The Crab Trap and Boathouse Landing, featuring unforgettable menu selections of fresh and local catch, prime steaks and tropical-inspired cocktails.
The Northwest Florida Fairgrounds offers groups a vast array of group booking options and can be rented out for live performances and festivals. Whether your soiree is indoors or out, the convention center’s Aramark catering team will create and cook up five-star foodie events.
There are plenty of group activities that teach as much as entertain, as well, including the Air Force Armament Museum, Emerald Coast Science Center and the Destin History & Fishing Museum.
Big news for the area is the acquisition of the SS United States, a former luxury liner larger than the Titanic. It will be sunk off the coast of Destin-Fort Walton Beach to create the world’s largest artificial reef. Other plans include a seaside museum showcasing the history of “America’s Flagship,” launched in 1951.
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South Walton
Meetings have continued at a strong clip in South Walton following the pandemic with little let-up, said Karen Morris, director of sales, Walton County Tourism Department.
“There was no down time for us as we worked with many groups looking to relocate their meetings that were contracted to go to the Caribbean, international destinations or large metropolitan destinations closed due to travel restrictions and lockdowns,” she said. “Florida was fortunate to open well before other destinations and South Walton’s wide-open spaces in an uncrowded coastal paradise offered planners a safe and desirable meeting destination. Now, in 2024, even though all travel restrictions have been lifted, we continue to see heavy demand for groups in South Walton.”
Sixteen unique beach neighborhoods make up South Walton with sugar-white beaches, top-notch hotels, restaurants that cater to all tastes and shopping. The area is also home to a collection of championship golf courses imagined by the likes of course-design giants Robert Trent Jones Jr., Tom Jackson and Rees Jones.
One unique spot for offsite events is the WaterColor LakeHouse at the WaterColor Inn & Resort overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in Santa Rosa Beach (part of the Destin area). At 3,700 square feet, it makes for an unforgettable setting for meetings and group events. Tucked between the soft, white sands of a private beach and a coastal dune lake, the 5,500 square feet of flexible indoor function space provide an inspiring backdrop for events. Overlooking Western Lake, the WaterColor Boathouse, at 1,840 square feet, can accommodate up to 160.
Panama City Beach
“Panama City Beach is a mecca for small and mid-size meetings of about 250 to 300 people,” said Steve Bailey, Visit Panama City Beach’s vice president of sales.
“We can accommodate more—up to 2,000—but we’re best suited for smaller corporate, incentive travel and pharmaceutical kick-offs, for example, where the meeting is not going to be consumed by citywides,” Bailey said.
“We have a lot of new hotel product just perfect for meetings of 300 or less,” he added. “We’re also more budget friendly than some of the bigger cities in Florida and we have the best beaches and water in the world.”
One way to dazzle groups, Bailey offered, is an opening reception with a bonfire on the beach beneath a skyful of stars. Only two counties in Florida (Walton and Pinellas) allow them and one wonders if perhaps they all should.
“Groups can sip a custom-made cocktail or create s’mores while watching the bonfire as the sun sets over the ocean,” Bailey said. “We also have jet skiing, airboat tours, shelling on Shell Island, catamaran tours, helicopter rides, great shopping and fantastic dining.”
Panama City Beach is also great for the bleisure traveler. Meeting attendees will want to bring their families and take full advantage of the spectacular beaches and a full range of affordable, fun and memorable family and recreational activities.
Pier Park caters to this crowd, renowned for its smorgasbord of shopping, dining and entertainment options, including the SkyWheel, towering nearly 200 feet above the Gulf’s emerald waters.
Bailey notes that the opening in July of the Duplin Winery has been a big hit, too, offering groups a tempting assortment of wine tastings, tours and live music. Try grape stomping in September surrounded by live music, food, games and wine, of course. Groups can also bottle their own keepsake wine in the hand-bottling room on weekdays throughout the year.
“Panama City Beach is a great spot for teambuilding activities,” Bailey said. “We’ve heard that a lot of high-end executives feel comfortable here because they can be themselves, they can let their hair down. They even enjoy our dive bars, especially the ones with karaoke!”
[Related: Why Meeting Planners Across Multiple Industries Are Choosing Orlando]
A Planner's Perspective on Meeting in Pensacola
When the Kennesaw, Georgia-based Evonik Corporation held its 9th Annual Doctoral Student Seminar at 161-room Pensacola Beach Resort in October, it was the first time the company held a seminar in Florida.
“We spent our first night on the beach at The Salty Rose Beach Bar & Grill and the service and the food were amazing. It gave us a chance to have a great first night getting to know all the students before we started the meeting for the rest of our stay,” said Janea Davis, technical service and marketing assistant for Evonik.
“The following day we held our meeting in one of the meeting rooms which was perfect for our group size. In addition, the breakfast and lunches were fantastic; no complaints from our Evonik team or the students. We were able to have some fun besides our meetings, like playing corn hole on the beach and taking dips in the Gulf.
The group also chose some offsite restaurants nearby so attendees could walk to and from the restaurants.
“All in all, we enjoyed our time at The Pensacola Beach Resort,” Davis said. “According to my colleagues, this was the best location for the seminar, and we would love to have future seminars here.”
