2020-6 Panama City Beach trip

2020-6  Panama City Beach trip

Sometime shortly after Ken's radiation and chemo treatments, Angie mentioned we should all go to a beach for a couple days.  That sounded like an excellent idea to me!  Between Ken's cancer and treatments, the Coronavirus pandemic, and the racial protests, I was ready to get away!!!!

So I hit the Wyndham site and looked to see where we might be able to drive to for a few nights and enjoy the beach.  Edisto wasn't available; neither was Charleston or Clearwater.  But for June 17-21st, Panama City Beach was available!  I'd never been there.  Angie and Josh had been there a year ago and said it was beautiful, so I didn't hesitate to book it.  I was even able to get a studio unit with a free upgrade to a 1 bedroom lower level.  Then I booked the studio for Ken and me and requested an upgrade if one came available.  Didn't take long before I noticed we were upgraded to a 1 bedroom upper unit!  I hoped I'd be able to change the kids' unit to a 2 bedroom unit, but they actually cut out reservations for about a month due to what was suppose to be a limited availability of rooms available as the resort was reopened slowly after being closed down because of the pandemic for awhile.  Wyndham was even canceling guest reservations---good thing I reserved both units in our names.

Before the 17th rolled around, I noticed that Providence Canyon State park in Georgia was right along the way.  So I suggested we stop there for a break.  Angie and Josh liked that idea, too.  In fact, that's where they finally caught up to us.

After a couple hours in the canyon, we continued on our way.  The trip took us about 8 or 9 hours to get there.  Check in was the usual routine---check in, then go to the "concierge/sales center" for our keys, parking pass, and "owners' update spiel".  After turning them down many times, they finally gave us our keys and it was time to find the parking garage and figure out how to get to our room.

They certainly didn't do a good job planning out the complex!  It's bad enough that parking is across a busy street.  Then you have to take an elevator down to the sky bridge to go to another set of elevators to go down to the ground level, then over to another set of elevators to go up to the rooms!  It made for a long trek from the garage to the room everytime we had to go anywhere in the cars.  I made 2 rts to the grocery store 3 miles away and it took over 2 hours to complete the trip---not to mention having to go over to the hotel building to get a rolling caddy to haul the groceries up to the room on!

 Oh yeah---they also had problems with Angie and Josh's room.  The ceiling fan wasn't working and maintenance was having trouble getting it to work.  They needed to work on it 2 days while we were there.  So they gave us 2 $25 gift cards and a little box of candy.  I also noticed our fridge wasn't cold, but hoped it would be ok for the short time we were there.  But by check out day, the milk and fruit had spoiled. 

June 17, 2020---drive to Panama City Beach by way of Providence Canyon

June 18, 2020---Panama City Beach beach! Duchesne house on the market

June 19, 2020---Panama City Beach and Duchesne house SOLD

 June 20, 2020---45th wedding anniversary!!!

June 21, 2020---drive back to Georgia

Wyndham Panama City Beach

I loved the views from our room, but don't know if it's worth the hassle to go there a lot.   But I had a great time.  I think the kids did, too.   I think Ken was anxious a good part of the time and before we went, but hopefully he enjoyed the little get away, too.

Wyndham Panama City Beach--2020-6 1 bedroom deluxe

 When Angie said it was time to go to the beach again, and she found 2 1 bedroom units here, we agreed to go , too.  They had a regular 1 bedroom, we had a deluxe.  The only difference was they were on a lower level (up to level 10), and we were on an upper level (level 20, I think).

Check in was terrible.  They had some of the pushiest people for the "owner update".  We were there during COVID and hubby has cancer.  I told them we were not going to the update, but they persisted until I actually got mad.  After driving 7 hours, I didn't feel like fighting for my parking pass.

But the units were really nice---at least ours was.  The kids had a unit that needed repairs on the ceiling fan.  Took over a day to get it done.  They even replaced it and couldn't get it to work.  At least they tried and gave us a couple $25 gift cards as compensation.  

I liked that even though this was a 1 bedroom unit, it had bunk beds in the hallway. 

Nice size rooms.  Being so high, we didn't hear much of the street noise.  The kids on level 10 said the street noise was bad. 

the views were outstanding!

Even saw sunset from our lanai

The resort parking lot was very inconvenient, especially if you were handicapped.  Had to make it to the Sky Bridge level, then if you had luggage or a wheelchair, there was one elevator that went down to the main level.  Then you had to go to another area to get an elevator to the floor you need.

Layla enjoying the views as much as I did.

I could look at this all day.  We did see sting rays one morning.  When the kids were there before, they watched sharks not far from the swimmers.

The table easily sat all 5 of us, even in the 1 bedroom unit.

The beach was beautiful and the water was great.

We also enjoyed the pools.  This one was not used much, being across the street by the parking garage.

A view of the Wyndham from the water.

It was a well needed break from everything going on.