The area including Panama City Beach is known as the Emerald Coast, as well as the Redneck Riveria, due to a large number of regional tourists. While many people call Panama City Beach, Panama City, it should be noted that they are separate cities, separated by a St. Andrew's Bay, with the beaches and a large proportion of tourist activities being in Panama City Beach, and more business-oriented activities being in Panama City.The St. Andrews Bay area was home to Native Americans before it was settled as a community in the 1800s. Pirates found the deep pockets of the Bay ideal to lie in wait for merchant ships in route to Mexico or Spain. Legend has it that many a pirate buried his share of treasure at Spanish Shanty Point on Shell Island.Another area teeming with history in Panama City Beach is St Andrews State Recreation Area. During World War II, it was part of the St. Andrews Sound Military Reservation. Circular cannon platforms are still in place near the jetties. Opened in 1951, the park now covers more than 1,200 acres.For quite some time Panama City Beach has been a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the Southern United States. The city is also a very popular spring break destination, sometimes being referred to as "The Spring Break Capital of the World," with over 500,000 college and high school students who arrive during the months of March and April.Well-known locations in the city were places such as "The Hang-Out" at the Long Beach Resort motel and the now closed Miracle Strip Amusement Park. There has recently been a construction boom and the cityscape is now characterized by high-rise hotels and condominiums. http://wikitravel.org/en/Panama City Beach