Panama City Beach's St. Andrew's State Recreation Area was named the Top Two beach on the TripAdvisor 2008 list of America's top 10 beaches and the area is using the rating to publicize its other attractions. Like all area beaches, St. Andrew's is known for its sugar-white sand bordering the Gulf's clear emerald-green waters. Among its coming attractions is a new airport opening in 2010. News of the airport has sparked tremendous development. From 2007 to the present, 15 properties opened, raising inventory to 21,200 units. Shopping and dining are on the rise too. Front and center is Pier Park. At nearly one million square feet, it will be the largest shopping, dining and entertainment venue in Northwest Florida. Opening this spring are Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville, Dillard's, JC Penney's, Ron Jon Surf Shop, Nashville landmark Tootsie's Orchid Lounge and more. Additionally, Pier Park hosts outdoor concerts, fishing derbies, circus performances, car shows and more. Developed in conjunction with the airport will be the West Bay Preservation Area, a 40,000-acre preserve with the largest expanse of undeveloped coastline in Florida, where visitors can enjoy a sanctuary for hiking, fishing and bird watching. For more information, visit
www.thebeachloversbeach.com.
