Cruising the Panhandle

Seaside, the set of the Truman show

This is where The Truman Show was filmed. It's picture perfect Seaside, on the Gulf coast of Florida, just down the road from Panama City in all its Americana kitsch glory. You just couldn't get two more different towns.

Seaside is all white picket fences, thick lush lawns and smiling Gap-wearing families. Panama City, five minutes away, is trying desperately to shake of its Redneck Riviera reputation. Developers are moving in, but tackiness prevails: garish adult stores, fun parks, go-kart tracks and seedy motels still outnumber the super resorts, and you get the feeling that's the way it will always be.

High-end eating in Panama City

But there is one thing Seaside and Panama city have in common: the coast. The beaches along this coast are considered among the best in America, if not the world. We're talking powder-white sand and crystal clear turquoise water. Okay, so there are no waves ... but there are sea turtles.

The Florida coast