Last weekend we met our friend James in Panama City, Panama. Seeing the Panama Canal was a top priority during our brief visit.
The best place to view the Panama Canal from Panama City is at the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center.
We considered taking a Panama Canal tour, but found the tours to be expensive at $85 to $150 per person, and a long at six to eight hours.
We also considered taking the Hop On Hop Off sightseeing bus to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, but that cost $29 per person for a 24 hour pass and was a two-hour loop, with buses only stopping once every hour.
This option would have given us a better overview of the city, however, our group did not want to commit to the timetable.
We decided to try Uber, and scheduled a car from our downtown hotel to the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center. Normally, cab fare is about $15 each way. With Uber, we had a terrific driver and a nice car for about a fare under $11 dollars, and a drive time of just over 15 minutes during a light late Sunday morning traffic.
If you take Uber in Panama City, there are two things to be aware of:
- the driver may have very limited English
- you need Wi-Fi and/or a data plan to order the ride and communicate.
Neither of these issues posed a real challenge for us, as we had free Wi-Fi at our hotel lobby, and there is also free Wi-Fi at the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center.
Admission to Miraflores Locks Visitor Center costs $15 per person. Children 12 and under can visit for $10 each. If you are a resident of Panama, the rates are significantly lower.
Admission includes entrance to the museum and a viewing of 3-D movie about the Panama Canal. The movie is shown in English about one time per hour. 3-D glasses are handed out as you enter the theater.
After the movie, we headed to the fourth floor viewing area to watch ships transiting the canal.
The viewing deck can be very crowded, and the location needs to ban selfie sticks. Regardless, watching ships move through the canal is fascinating.
One tip if the viewing deck is crowded: grab a rail spot on the side where the ship will pass after it goes through the lock.
We loved this “side” view.
Another place to cool off is at the outdoor tables for the bar and restaurant on level two. We headed to the side area and enjoyed local Balboa beers for about $5 each.
Our last stop (determined purely by the timing of the 3-D movie and ships transiting the canal) was the museum. It covers four floors and has lots of interactive and information exhibits about the canal — from its beginnings more than 100 years ago to today.
The Miraflores Locks Visitor Center is open Monday – Sunday (holidays included) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
We spent about 2 and a half hours at the museum before ordering a ride through Uber back to our hotel downtown. The traffic was a little heavier on Sunday afternoon, but the return trip cost $11.51 through Uber and took about 18 minutes.
Our bottom line on visiting the Panama Canal from Panama City, Panama:
- You don’t need a tour. Just get transportation to and from the Miraflores Locks Visitor Center, and enjoy your visit.
Have you visited the Panama Canal? Or transited it via a cruise ship? What is your recommendation? Please share in comments below.
To learn more about Panama City, Panama, check out 20 Fun Facts About Panama City, Panama.
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