1. Panhandlers Know How To Walk On Water
From paddleboarding, kayaking, swimming, snorkeling, and scuba diving, to spearfishing, freshwater fishing and saltwater fishing (and sometimes both in one day!), Panhandlers know what it’s like to make the best of one’s surroundings.
2. Entry Fees Are For Tourists
Panhandlers don’t pay the entry fee at theme parks. There’s always a way.
3. Florida Panhandle Beaches Are Literally Dr. Recommended
We have some of the most beautiful beaches in the U.S. Seriously, Dr. Beach says so!
4. There’s A Little Bit Of Pirate In Argh The Folks Of The Panhandle
Held annually in June, the Fort Walton Beach Billy Bowlegs Pirate Festival is the largest gathering of landlubbers and swabbies in the state.
5. Panhandlers Are Localvores
The rich soil and sub tropic climate are ideal for growing fruits and veggies and Panhandlers know their locally grown produce is going to taste better than anywhere else. So they like to shop at local farmers markets like the one at Palafox on Saturday mornings.
6. There Are Two Kinds Of People In The Florida Panhandle: Gators Fans and Seminoles Fans
When it comes to football, that is. They’re either Gators fans or Seminoles fans, but never both.
7. Winter Is Coming...
At least that’s what it feels like to Panhandlers when the temperature dips down into a bone-chilling 70 degrees.
8. Folks On The Panhandle Have Never Met A Stranger
Panhandlers are uber friendly. We don’t mind striking up a conversation with strangers and we like to help out folks they’re in need.
9. There’s No Need To Drive To New Orleans For Good Cajun Food
Save yourself the three-hour drive. We have everything we need right here in the Panhandle to make a good seafood gumbo, and we grew up perfecting the roux.
10. Even Our Beer Has Its Own Inner Tube
Tubing along the Chipola River is a popular pastime in the Panhandle. The rule of thumb is to always have an extra tube for the brew, it’s just good common sense.
11. There Is No Sub-stitute For Firehouse Subs
With savory hot meatballs, gooey melted cheese, and zesty Italian seasoning, the meatball subs at Firehouse are the stuff of legend.
12. Folks On The Panhandle Move At Their Own Pace...
Nothing is on fire here, ever. Chalk it up to the heat if you must, but we like to move at a slower pace than most folks (except when driving). We still get the job done, just at our own speed.
13. But They Also Live Life In The Fast Lane
Literally. As in they like to drive in the passing lane. Also acceptable: speeding through yellow lights, tailgating, and suggestive hand gestures.
14. We Have Many Flavors Of Coke On The Panhandle
For Panhandlers, every carbonated beverage is a coke, so don’t be surprised when you order one and the waitress asks you which kind.
15. On The Panhandle, The Early Grunter Gets The Worm
At least the topsoil, that it, during the Sopchoppy Worm Gruntin’ Festival. It’s a technique of getting the earthworms to come to the surface to be collected for bait and the folks in Sopchoppy do it best.
16. Nothing Washes The Dirty Deeds Of Love Bugs Off Cars
Nothing.
17. Gators In The Pool = Meh
If you live in the Panhandle long enough, chances are you will spot a gator taking a dip in your backyard pool. Or you might have to contend with wild hogs, bears, emus and or snakes staking it out in your yard.
18. Key Lime Pie Comes In All Shapes And Sizes Here
There’s no need for pie at the Donut Hole in Santa Rosa Beach, where key lime pie filling is served in Bavarian cream doughnuts.
19. Raw Food Never Tasted So Good
Up the Creek Raw Bar dishes up some of the most heavenly raw oysters with the best view in all of Apalachicola.
20. The Panhandle Does Sandwiches A Little Different—And More Deliciously
The Panhandle is a bounty of seafood and as such, Panhandlers get a little creative with their fare. You can find fried oysters, grouper, and shrimp between your buns just as often as beef.
21. Panhandlers Age Better
There’s a silver lining to the sweltering heat and jungle-high humidity: all that moisture in the air is good for the skin!
22. Sundays Are Spent At The Sandshaker
For Panhandlers living in the Pensacola area, Sundays are spent at the Sandshaker Lounge, which offers friendly conversation with the locals and sports on the TV. And a Bushwacker with an extra shot of 151 as floater is the cherry on top of it all.
23. Oysters Flow Like Wine From This River
The annual seafood festival in Apalachicola makes it rain in savory seafood. There is an oyster shucking contest, blue crab races, and even an oyster-eating contest.
24. Umbrellas Are A Required Accessory Here
It rains pretty much every day during the summer in the Panhandle. Sometimes it’s only for a few minutes, but other times it can be for a few hours in the afternoon. So Panhandlers know keep at least one umbrella in their car at all times.
25. The Best Sunsets Are In The Panhandle
There’s something about the sun glinting off the emerald waters and sugary white sands as it sets that truly makes the Panhandle heaven on earth.
What have you had to explain to out-of-towners about the Florida Panhandle? Tell us in the comments below! 
