Free in Panama City: a history museum and arts center, bayfront parks and boardwalks, audio walking tours, outdoor yoga, library programs and free concerts.
Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Sources: each museum’s own website, the City of Panama City’s parks and facilities and event calendar, and Destination Panama City’s walking tours and events calendar, linked below. “Free” means free to get in; food, drinks and parking may cost extra.
Panama City’s best free things are the bay and its history: shaded parks and boardwalks on the water, two free museums downtown, three self-guided history walks and a steady run of free concerts, markets and community events. Below, what is free all year, then what is coming up.
Good to know
- City parks: most are open dawn to dusk; Parks, Culture and Recreation, 850-872-3199
- City event alerts: text PanamaCity to 38276
- Visitors center: 101 W. Beach Drive, 850-215-1700
Museums and galleries
- Bay County History Museum, 133 Harrison Ave.: free admission and free parking. Open Tuesday and Thursday 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Website.
- Panama City Center for the Arts, 19 E. Fourth St.: “always free to visit and explore,” it says. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and until 7 p.m. Fridays.
- Panama City Publishing Company Museum, 1134 Beck Ave.: historic printing presses in the building that printed the city’s first newspapers. Open Tuesday to Friday 1 to 5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; donations welcome.
Parks, boardwalks and the bay
- Oaks by the Bay Park, 2715 W. 10th St.: a boardwalk to the bay under big oaks, with a gazebo and observation platform.
- McKenzie Park, 17 E. Third Ct., downtown: shade and a large gazebo that hosts concerts and art shows.
- Carl Gray Park, Collegiate Drive on North Bay: a waterfront playground, swimming and picnic tables.
- Walking tracks: Harvey Dee Mathis Park (1 1/2 miles) and Bay Memorial Walking Park (a lighted mile).
- Al Helms Dog Park, 1022 Balboa Ave.
More: parks and trails, walking and biking trails and dog-friendly Panama City.
Walks, art and history
- Self-guided audio tours: St. Andrews (1/2 mile), historic downtown (3/4 mile) and Glenwood (1 mile), free in the Otocast app. Free guided St. Andrews tours leave the Publishing Museum at 1 p.m. Wednesdays and Fridays. Details.
- Mural trail: murals downtown and in St. Andrews.
Every week
- Saturday farmers markets: Harrison Avenue, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the Market at St. Andrews at Oaks by the Bay Park, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free to browse. See farmers markets.
- Outdoor yoga at Oaks by the Bay: a free, all-levels class on Thursday evenings through Nov. 19, sponsored by the city; the city’s calendar lists it at 6 p.m. City calendar.
- Library programs: free story times, LEGO Club and family game days at the Bay County Public Library, 898 W. 11th St.; see kids’ activities.
- City programs for older adults: card club, crafts and line dancing at the Glenwood Community Center, 722 E. Ninth Ct., many of them free, on the city’s programs page.
Coming up, free
| Date | Event | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday, Oct. 15 and 22 | Backstage Pass concerts, 7 p.m. | Marina Lawn, 7 Harrison Ave. |
| Friday, Oct. 16 | Fire Department Open House, 5 to 9 p.m. | Fire Station 2, 2003 Beck Ave. |
| Saturday, Oct. 17 | Tree giveaway, 8 to 11 a.m. | Millville Waterfront Park, 301 Maple Ave. |
| Thursday, Oct. 29 | Trucks and Treats, 5 to 8 p.m. | Ascension Sacred Heart Bay, 615 N. Bonita Ave. |
| Nov. 6-7 | Public Eye Soar projection art festival | Gulf Coast State College |
| Saturday, Nov. 7 | Touch-a-Truck, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. | Carl Gray Park |
| Saturday, Nov. 7 | Fall ArtWalk, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Downtown |
| Saturday, Dec. 5 | Christmas parade, 6 p.m. | Harrison Avenue |
| Saturday, Dec. 12 | Boat Parade of Lights and Holiday Village | Panama City Marina |
| Tuesday, Dec. 22 | Christmas caroling, 6 p.m. | St. Andrews |
Details on each: Halloween events, fall festivals, Christmas parade and tree lighting and holiday lights and Christmas events.
Related: things to do this month and historic downtown Panama City.
Frequently asked questions
Are there free museums in Panama City, Florida?
Yes. The Bay County History Museum, 133 Harrison Ave., has free admission and parking, and the Panama City Center for the Arts, 19 E. Fourth St., says it is always free to visit.
Is there free yoga in Panama City?
Yes. A free, all-levels outdoor yoga class meets at Oaks by the Bay Park on Thursday evenings through Nov. 19, 2026, sponsored by the city’s Parks, Culture and Recreation Department.
Are there free concerts in Panama City?
Backstage Pass puts on free concerts at 7 p.m. on Thursdays in spring and fall on the downtown Marina Lawn; the fall 2026 series ends Oct. 22. Bay County’s Concerts in the Park series is also free.
What free events are coming up in Panama City?
Fall ArtWalk downtown on Saturday, Nov. 7; Public Eye Soar at Gulf Coast State College on Nov. 6-7; the city’s Touch-a-Truck on Nov. 7; the Christmas parade on Dec. 5; and the Boat Parade of Lights on Dec. 12.
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