Best Budget-Friendly Things to Do in Panama City

THE 10 BEST Cheap Things to Do in Panama City

Best Budget-Friendly Things to Do in Panama City

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  • Things to do ranked using Tripadvisor data including reviews, ratings, photos, and popularity.
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Showing results 1-30 of 105

What travellers are saying

  • Geo89_12
    Romeoville, IL509 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Pictures don’t do justice, this is an amazing sight to see as ships traverse the lock. Can’t visit Panama without seeing the canal.
    Written 13 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Geo89_12
    Romeoville, IL509 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to spend an afternoon souvenir shopping while walking around the historic district of Panama City lined with cobblestone street and historic sites. Lots of restaurants and coffee shops as well
    Written 13 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • kmlbar
    Arlington, MA11 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to overlook the Miraflores locks and if your timing is right you can watch ships transit the locks. The imax movie is interesting and describes some of history and construction.

    The tickets are confusing: you need separate tickets for both the movie ($7 ) and the viewing gallery ($10). (Note, these are foreigner prices, locals pay less.) To enter you must buy the viewing gallery ticket... the imax movie is optional, but worth it. You can't see the imax and then return to enter the viewing gallery

    Important to make sure ships are transiting the locks when you visit... otherwise it's not really worth it. Check the schedules. When we went in the morning the person at the desk was helpful in letting us know to returns around 1:30 pm.

    There is ample free parking in front of the building. It's not worth taking a tourist tour if you are staying downtown.... just take a cab or Uber.

    All of the exhibits are closed... there is only the locks to look at.

    If you are doing an afternoon stop over and want to experience the canal would recommend cabbing/ubering from the airport.
    Written 12 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Ferney
    Scottsdale, AZ159 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Very cool, quiet stretch of roadway located outside of the hustle and bustle of Panama City. We rented bikes from Burke's Bikes for an hour and a half for $10. This was the perfect amount of time to ride up and down the causeway enjoying the views.
    Written 13 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Geo89_12
    Romeoville, IL509 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We took an evening stroll along the waterfront every evening, great place to take in the beauty of Panama. They also have dedicated bike paths for those who ride bikes.
    Written 13 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Shanelle
    Santa Monica, CA2,806 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Came here for about three hours to spend time in an air conditioned space during a hot Saturday afternoon. It’s $20 for non-residents and a student discount is offered if you have ID. Credit cards and cash accepted. They do allow backpacks and drinks inside. Bathrooms are located on the first level and were very clean. The exhibits went very in-depth into the history of the canal and there was another exhibit about the biodiversity on one of Panama’s islands and another on Panamanian history. There were some English descriptions but it was mainly in Spanish. It was an interesting space to be in and you learn a lot about history while you’re there. No need to buy tickets ahead of time; there was no line and the process of going through a brief security check and buying the tickets was smooth.
    Written 4 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jhon B
    Chicago, IL4 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This waterfront is absolutely amazing! It's got a dedicated area for people to walk, ride bicycles, play basketball, and so much more. And guess what? We were actually lucky enough to be there during a national festival (carnavales) where we got to enjoy live music and mingle with the locals. Talk about a unique experience!
    Written 14 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • lucycan
    San Diego, CA3,515 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a must see if you have the time. Board a boat and cruise around the lake / jungle where you will see ships, crocs, birds, monkeys and so much more.
    Written 4 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Ferney
    Scottsdale, AZ159 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    This park is a hidden gem within the city. My husband randomly came across it on google and I am so glad he did. There is a $4 entrance fee and worth every penny. There are multiple paths to choose from and are suitable for all levels. I would say overall, the hike is not difficult, but the heat and humidity can make it a little harder. The paths are well maintained and easy to maneuver. We were able to see sloths, monkeys, turtles, a deer, and several different kinds of birds. This was one of my favorite things I did while visiting Panama City. I highly recommend checking it out.
    Written 13 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Adriana M
    Mexico City, Mexico79 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Excellent biodiversity museum, very interactive for kids, they loved it. Loved the fish tanks and the explanation of how Panama came to be
    Written 22 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Walter P
    Brantford, Canada97 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    I’m not going to lie, the walk up was moderate for sure. But boy was it worth it. The views are breathtaking and we got to see sloths and Tucans in their natural habitat. For something that is free to do it should be on your list.
    Written 1 March 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • lucycan
    San Diego, CA3,515 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    We took a boat cruise on the Lake Gatun as part of a half day tour. It goes to this Monkey Island which seems to be more of an area than one specific place. We did see Monkeys. Some boats were feeding them and they would jump in the boat and on to people! We stayed a bit back and did not feed. Still good views.
    Written 4 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • kathyh6642017
    Bellingham, WA103 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    We visited this mall a couple of times as we used public transportation and the station is right across the street.
    Had a couple lunches in the food court. Service wasn't great but food okay.
    Went into numerous shops and the grocery store as well.
    It's cool/air conditioned, clean and modern. Toilets cost to use.
    It was very busy the times we were there.
    Written 28 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Atravelfan
    Atlanta257 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Love visiting ruins and this did not disappoint. The grounds are well maintained and lovely. The museum really well documents Panama's history and learned a lot.
    It is $10 pp for foreign visitors and that includes the tram to drive you from the entrance to the main building with museum and cathedral ruins.
    Written 18 July 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • TravelingCowgirl
    United Kingdom21 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    If you have a hire car or taxi you sure to go over this bridge and you can see the canal too although the road has many pot holes in it which is a shock despite how much money the canal makes every single day ! Sort the bridge out
    Written 26 February 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.