Panama City Beach is a resort town in the Florida Panhandle, and principal city of the Panama City Metropolitan Area. It is a popular vacation destination, especially among people in the Southern United States, and is located in the "Emerald Coast" area. Panama City Beach had a population of 18,094 at the 2020 census, up from 12,018 in 2010. Panama City Beach's slogan is "The World's Most Beautiful Beaches" due to the unique, sugar-white sandy beaches of the Florida Panhandle.
Pensacola is a city in the Florida Panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only city in Escambia County. It is the principal city of the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had 511,503 residents in 2020. Pensacola is the first settlement established by Europeans in the United States, in 1559.
Destin–Fort Walton Beach Airport is an airport located within Eglin Air Force Base, adjacent to the city of Valparaiso and near the cities of Destin and Fort Walton Beach, in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. The airport was previously named Northwest Florida Regional Airport until February 17, 2015, and Okaloosa Regional Airport until September 2008.
Moody Gardens, established in 1986 by The Moody Foundation, is a non-profit attraction in Galveston, Texas, that includes a hotel and a golf course.
The Florida panhandle is the northwestern part of the U.S. state of Florida. It is a salient roughly 200 miles (320 km) long, bordered by Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is arbitrarily defined. It is defined by its southern culture and rural geography relative to the rest of Florida, as well as closer cultural links to French-influenced Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Its major communities include Pensacola, Navarre, Destin, Panama City Beach, and Tallahassee.
Alabama Adventure & Splash Adventure is a water park and amusement park in Bessemer, Alabama. It is owned by Koch Family Parks, which consists of members of the family who formerly had minority ownership in Holiday World & Splashin' Safari.
The Emerald Coast is an unofficial name for the coastal area in the US state of Florida on the Gulf of Mexico that stretches about 100 miles (160 km) through five counties, Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, and Bay, which include Pensacola Beach, Navarre Beach, Fort Walton Beach, Destin, and Panama City Beach. Some south Alabama communities on the coast of Baldwin County, such as Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan embrace the term as well.
Michigan's Adventure is a 250-acre (1.0 km2) amusement park in Muskegon County, Michigan, about halfway between Muskegon and Whitehall. It is the largest amusement park in the state and has been owned and operated by Six Flags since 2024. The park was previously owned by Cedar Fair from 2001-2024. As of 2024, Michigan's Adventure has over 60 rides, slides and attractions, more than any other park in the state.
Boomers Parks is a chain of family entertainment centers which feature indoor activities such as carousels, kiddie swings, restaurants, and video game arcades, and outdoor activities such as miniature golf, kiddie rides, bumper boats, batting cages, go-karts, kiddie roller coasters, and laser tag. The Modesto and Irvine locations each have a ride called the Flamethrower.
Navarre is a census-designated place and unincorporated community in Santa Rosa County in the northwest Florida Panhandle. It is a major bedroom community for mostly U.S. military personnel, federal civil servants, local population, retirees and defense contractors. Due to Navarre Beach and the 4 miles (6.4 km) of beach front on the Gulf of Mexico thereof, as well as several miles of beaches within the Navarre Beach Marine Park and the Gulf Islands National Seashore, it has a small, but rapidly growing community of nature enthusiasts and tourists. Navarre has grown from being a small town of around 1,500 in 1970 to a town with a population estimated at 43,540 as of 2022, if including both the Navarre and Navarre Beach Census Designated Places. The Navarre CDP recorded a population of 40,817 at the 2020 census.
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is a United States–based hospitality company that manages and franchises a casual dining American restaurant chain, retail stores selling Jimmy Buffett-themed merchandise, and hotels.
Wet'n'Wild Hawaii is a Hawaiian water park, located in Kapolei in the City and County of Honolulu on Oahu. The park occupies 29 acres (120,000 m2) of land and has more than 25 rides and attractions. It is currently the only water park in the state of Hawaii. It is one of six water parks operating under the Wet'n'Wild brand globally.
Splish Splash is a 96-acre (390,000 m2) water park located in Calverton, New York. It has 30 rides and is open for visitors from May to September. Travel Channel ranked Splish Splash as the third-best water park in the United States in the year 2009.
This is a summary of notable incidents that have taken place at various Universal-owned theme parks, amusement parks, or water parks. This list is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every such event, but only those that have a significant impact on the parks or park operations, or are otherwise significantly newsworthy.
Ernest Shahid, a pioneering Florida commercial real estate developer, helped transform Destin and coastal Okaloosa County into a major tourist vacation destination. Shahid built the first major highrise condominium complex on the Emerald Coast in 1971. Its success sparked a flurry of resort complexes and economic development.
The Beach at Adventure Landing was a 35-acre (140,000 m2) water park located 24 miles (39 km) northeast of Cincinnati in Mason, Ohio. Previously known as The Beach Waterpark, it featured ten water attractions, several children's areas, sand volleyball and basketball courts, pool-side beverage service and other special events. The Beach was named the best privately owned water park by Aquatics International Magazine in 2010.
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Phoenix is a water park located in Glendale, Arizona. The park is situated on approximately 35 acres (14 ha) of land, making it the largest theme park in the state. It is located in North Phoenix at Adobe Dam Regional Park.
North Florida is a region of the U.S. state of Florida comprising the northernmost part of the state. Along with South Florida and Central Florida, it is one of Florida's three most common "directional" regions. It includes Jacksonville and nearby localities in Northeast Florida, an interior region known as North Central Florida, and the Florida Panhandle. North Florida is considered to be part of the Southern United States, namely the Deep South, and contains the state capital of Tallahassee.
Nashville Shores is a water park, adventure course, and campground located in Hermitage, Tennessee, along the shore of Percy Priest Lake. Nashville Shores is located adjacent to Interstate 40. The site was previously the location of Hermitage Landing, a marina, campground, and recreational complex that opened in 1971. Hermitage Landing closed in 1997, and the Nashville Shores water park opened on the property one year later. In 2009, Nashville Shores was sold to investors Kieran Burke and Gary Story, two former Six Flags executives. The resort is owned and operated by Premier Parks, LLC.
Robert Alexander Andrade is a Republican member of the Florida Legislature representing the state's 2nd House district, which includes parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties.
