A reputation, once established, can be a tough thing to shake and takes hard work and-most importantly-time to change. The Panama City Beach I first visited three years ago and have gotten to know through repeat visits has never felt like the raucous Spring Break destination it used to be, though the memories of that time are kept alive by those that knew it back then and (for the most part) haven't returned since their college days.
But visit the destination now and there are tourists to be found year-round, and while the spring and summer are still peak season the vibe is much more family-friendly.