Riding the US-98 East to Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe and Apalachicola
US-98 East to Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe and Apalachicola: a 75-mile coastal ride from Frank Brown Park, Panama City Beach to Apalachicola. Plan on about 2 hr one way of riding, plus stops.
Follow US-98 east across the Hathaway Bridge and through Panama City, then along the stretch past Tyndall Air Force Base. About 40 miles from Frank Brown Park you reach Mexico Beach, the small town where Category 5 Hurricane Michael came ashore in October 2018. Another dozen miles brings you to Port St. Joe on St. Joseph Bay, nicknamed the Constitution City because Florida’s first constitutional convention met there in 1838 and 1839.
The last 23 miles run to Apalachicola, at the mouth of the Apalachicola River, with a historic district and the John Gorrie Museum. This part of the coast is often called the Forgotten Coast. Top off your tank before leaving the Panama City area.
Timing: About 2 hours one way; plan a full day for the roughly 150-mile round trip.
Open the US-98 East to Mexico Beach, Port St. Joe and Apalachicola in Google Maps before you leave, and check the National Weather Service forecast for the area on the day.
Highlights
- Crossing the Hathaway Bridge into Panama City
- Mexico Beach, where Hurricane Michael made landfall in 2018
- Port St. Joe on St. Joseph Bay and the historic river town of Apalachicola
Route
Start
Frank Brown Park, Panama City Beach
End
Apalachicola
Check road and weather conditions before you ride. Distances and times are approximate.
On the ground
Around Panama City Beach
