Big Tri Week @ Panama City Beach - Where to stay?

jimmy augustine

I am signed up for my first IM this november in florida.
Ahead of that, I would like to go visit the area in August. I will be with my wife and 2 kids (7 and 3yrs) and need to find a place to stay.
The "host" hotel for the race is the Boardwalk. They have 2bdrm condos that will run about $220 per night which could work.
My mom and step dad / training partner will be there as well so I guess we could look for a house to rent if it were close to the beach.

Has anyone stayed at the boardwalk? Anyone have a better choice?

I still need to find a place to stay for the race itself as well I guess. Once I get these details nailed down I can go back to forgetting about this race for a while...

Thanks in advance!

Paul Hough

Jimmy - I stayed there for a Multisport Camp I did in 2007 which was 15 months before my first Ironman (IMFL 2008). The Boardwalk has a condo section and a hotel section which includes the expo area for the GCT and IMFL. I stayed on the 2nd floor beach side (during Sep) of the hotel section. Nice view, average hotel that shows its age.

I also went to High School in Panama City and know it well (I'll be there this coming weekend). I've finally signed up to do the Gulf Coast Triathlon in May this year, and I'm even staying a few days longer for a business conference at the Edgewater Resort (haven't been there before). The problem with going in August is that it is still high season. Costs will plummet after Labor day weekend...not to mention that it would be a whole lot safer to ride your bike after the crowds depart. You can swim anywhere on the gulf and get a feel for the race - it doesn't have to be at the hotel.

You might consider staying somewhere further out and driving to St Andrews State Park for a beach day with the family. You could swim there AND run on the part of the course that goes into and out of that park. When I visit, I don't bother with the beach; I go to Frank Brown Park off of Back Beach Road (98). They have a first class pool facility (saline) set up for long course in the morning till about 10, then they close down for an hour or so, and reopen as short course. There is also a small water park on the side. The fields around the park have great running and there is a bike trail off the back of the park that goes out both ways. I've run it to the end each way and it's not far enough for serious cycling, but fine for running. For $220 I wonder if you could do better at the Marriot or Holiday Inn Club Vacations both at St Andrews Bay? Cycling is an issue in my mind. I would not ride most of the IMFL course in the summer -- especially State Road 79 with all the north/southbound traffic coming from Lower AL...people in a hurry to get to the beach or get home.

Brenda Ross

Laketown Warf. Beautiful condos and very very reasonable prices.

jimmy augustine

Thanks Brenda. I will check them out.
Paul - Unfortunatly, after labor day means kids back in school so that wont work for us. Gotta be august.

For the family, a beach vacation is going to happen. They like the walk out the door and onto the sand variety.
I guess it dosent have to be @ PCB but metally, I like the idea of at least having been on part of the course prior to race week. Not a need to have, just a nice to have. It would also let the fam recon the area to be better prepared to come back in november.

But if the biking is bad in the area then that is a big negative...

Pat Koss

Last November we stayed at the host hotel -- The Boardwark, i think.

The rooms are not the ritz and you do pay a premium, but there is nothing like being right in the middle of things, especially if the magic has not yet worn off IM for you. Kinda fun going down the hallway and passing pros, like Rinny wheeling her bike up to the room.

On race day my wife wanted a place to crash that was close, a thing that she did not have at IMWI the year before when our hotel was too far away. So consider your support crew.

Also, it was just perfect to turn in the final bags, check my tires, etc., early on race morning and then go back to the room and drink my coffee while watching the gulf and everyone assemble. That was really nice. Nice too was being close so that after my run I could eat, take a shower and go back with an easy walk to the finish line to be part of the party that is the IM 11pm to midnight hour.

For me, all this made the less than new/clean rooms and high price worth every bit.

Paul Hough

@ Jimmy - you are getting some responses that are better suited for IMFL itself as opposed to an August recon of IMFL ... e.g., I stayed at Laketown Wharf which is great for IMFL, but not what I would recommend for August. The timing difference drives a very different set of requirements. If it has to be August and it has to be PCB, then the entire strip is your domain for searching. It's all the same...one long strip of white sand. If you swim in the Gulf in August several miles to the west, what's the difference? You can still drive to St Andrews St Park for a run and beach day. And you can pick a hotel on the beach that is closer to Frank Brown park. The beach mall is near there. Best restaurant is the Firefly. Most famous is probably Capt Anderson's back at St Andrew's bay. For cycling prep, I would contact panhandlerunners.com for ideas and see if they have any group rides (they are a tri club also) and recommendations ... you certainly don't want to bike Front Beach Road to 79 during the summer season. That's insanity! My folks live in Callaway out towards Tyndall AFB, so my long rides when I visit go out 22 to Wewa (as podunk as it sounds) and then 71 on to Blountstown and back for a century ride. It's a 2 lane highway, but very rural and with a bike lane the whole way. I think 79 has a bike lane now, but the traffic will be high speed and distracted to/from PCB. I would also stay off 20 and 231 during the summer months. Another option is to take a mountain bike instead of a road bike. Then you can follow the bike trail behind Frank Brown to the west where it turns to dirt roads/trails AND/OR drive north on 79 to Pine Log state forest park...lots of mountain bike trails there.

Brian Pautsch

@Jimmy - I didn't read everyone else's responses, but I did stay at the Boardwalk Condos last Nov for IMFL. They were VERY nice. The rooms are very clean and up to date with nice decorating. If I were an owner, I wouldn't have spent so much for renters. The price was awesome too. I think we got a quote of $200/day or something like $800 for a full week. We booked the entire week and stayed 6 days, 5 nights. If I ever do IMFL again, I'll definitely stay there. If you M me your email address, I'd be happy to email you pictures.

Brian Pautsch

And good luck in FL! I did it the past 2 years and it was a lot of "fun". My race report is in the forums.

Jess Withrow

Hey Jimmy!

We stayed at the Majestic Beach Resort this past year - it's about 1.2 miles from the Boardwalk, and it's BEAUTIFUL. We had a HUGE two bedroom/two bath condo with a full kitchen and oceanfront balcony for $189/night. They have a Kid's Activity Program and I'm almost 100% positive that I saw a sign in the lobby for a movie theater IN the building. At the least, they had a Redbox in the lobby! Parking is free, but it's across the street. Not a huge deal, but I know how it is when you're trying to drag stuff AND kids across a busy street! Wal-Mart and just about everything else is a short drive (we rented a car from the airport - also cheap... ~$19/day!).

I booked with booking.com. We're planning on going back again this year and staying in the same condo - loved it!

Pat Koss

@Paul, good catch. I did not read carefully. Sorry

jimmy augustine

Sounds like I might be better served to pick another location for the big tri week. The good news is that now my wife is engaged in the location selection process. Might end up in Destin or Naples. She is going to be keen on beach and I will be after swim and cycle.

I still need to lock down a place to stay in november so thanks for everyone's input. The host hotel's condos are booked already so that is out. I will have to figure out what else is near by with a kitchen. Sounds like laketown warf is an option.

In the old iteration of EN, there were "Groups" set up for races that we could join. Do those still exist anywhere? It runs my mind that I could go look at last year's group to see where people stayed.

Thanks as always!

Paul Hough

You might consider Mexico Beach near Port St Joe. Much less crowded, and you have 71 as a straight shot to Blountstown, and/or St Joseph State Park. It is a very long spit of beach with much less road traffic. The spit helps prevent riptides. Folks die between PCB and Destin every year cause they freak if they get caught in one. I was swimming at Destin a couple of years ago along the beach and was pulled out a 100 yards. No big deal...just kept on and angled my return. But it is a huge deal for inexperienced or weak swimmers. Mexico Beach offers the beach vacation without the big crowds of the redneck riviera.

kimmydct

I stayed here for IMFL and highly recommend. Right near the run course and about 1 mile from thre Boardwalk resort....

http://www.vrbo.com/344231

jimmy augustine

Thx Kim - someone has it already! Looks great though.
guess I better get busy!!!!!

coop6

Jimmy, there's not a huge hurry on IMFL lodging. I didn't book mine till last summer for the 2012 race, and there was still plenty available. I stayed at a condo at Ocean Villa. It's about a mile out, and I walked to and from on race day. It was a really nice, inexpensive place to stay with easy parking. Look on VRBO if you haven't yet.

jimmy augustine

After making a couple of calls, I found out that the Boardwalk condos and Laketown Warf sold out pretty much immeditaly. As people were checking out from last year, they were booking again for this year.
But the rest of the area seems pretty open.
Given that My wife will be entertaining the kiddos and I will be thinking about the race I am going to let her pick a place that she can get excited about.
It looks like the nicer places are a few miles away from the race. A bit further north/west.
How much extra trouble would I be making for myself on race day if my condo is a few miles away?

coop6

Probably not much, as long as your wife is willing to drop you off race morning, and drive you back after. I think race day parking at the Walmart was no big deal, but I would defer to others who did the driving on race day to confirm that. It is kind of a pain with kids to not have a place nearby to hang out at during the race. If she wants to drive back to where you are staying, she may encounter bikes and race delayed traffic. More of a hassle for her than you.

How old are your kids? If you can get a place on the beach, it is just gorgeous. I didn't take my husband and kids, but they would've been entertained for hours playing in the sand and swimming. the town itself is nothing special, but I loved the beach

jimmy augustine

Thanks Sarah. Will it still be warm enough to play on the beach? Our kids will be 7 and 4 on race day.
Terri liked the idea of finding a place with a good pool.

coop6

In 2012, it was warm. High 70's to mid 80's all week. But I know in other years, it's been freezing. I guess you have to take my thoughts on temperature with a grain of salt though, since I'm from the Midwest. My family and I have been to Florida the last several winters and worn shorts and Tshirts and gone swimming while the natives are walking around bundled up like they are freezing to death. 65 feels pretty good when you just left 25 degrees, but maybe you wouldn't think that's warm.

Scott Alexander

Don't know if I'm too late to the game, but in 2008 I stayed at The Inn at St Thomas Square (8730 Thomas Drive #1101Panama City Beach, FL 32408, (850) 234-0349). It was a little bit of a walk from transition, but had massive condos with kitchens, and for the walk back on race night - was right across the street from the Mellow Mushroom pizza place! SCORE!

jimmy augustine

Thx scott. No, it helps.
The plans have changed for the 500th time. Wife is a bit slower to commit than I am.
Now the big tri week looks like a bike tour from ormond beach FL north along the ocean to St Augustine with some ocean swim time as well.

But race week still needs to get nailed down. I will check out st thomas square.

Yvette Metz

Hello Jimmy,

I did my first Ironman in Nov. 2012.  We did stay at the Boardwalk. It was perfect for my family. We had 8 people in a three bedroom condo. My husband and I were in the master with a private bath.  My daughter,Son-in-law and 5 month old grandson were in the 2nd bedroom ,private bath and my grandson (7 years old) granddaughter (4 years old) stayed in the third bedroom on the bunk beds. My son(28yrs) was in the living room on the pull out sofa. The full kitchen was perfect with the grandchildren. 

The Boardwalk has some condos that have a separate suite that your Mom/step Dad could stay in. You can go on line and view the condo selections.   The large condos sell out fast!

The price was a bit higher then the rest, but in the long run it was perfect. During the race they were able to go back and have lunch,snacks,naps and dinner. I would have been difficult with the grand kids around town,especially a 5 month old.  It was a long day for the family while supporting me in the race. The did appreciate the convenience of the condo being close. I will stay there when I race again.  

Best of luck to you!

jimmy augustine

Thx Yvette. I think that would be my first choice. But the condos @ boardwalk all sold out pretty much immediatly...

Yvette Metz

You are welcome! I did signup for the condos ans race together.  Hope you find what you need!