PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (May 4, 2006) - This Mother's Day, take mom to the zoo for an endearing look at animals caring for their loved ones.

Tondalayo, the orangutan at ZooWorld Zoological & Botanical Park in Panama City Beach, Fla., recently adopted a young tabby cat named T.K., short for "Tondalayo's Kitty." The adoring adoptive mother/child duo is drawing visitors to catch a glimpse of Tonda and T.K. in action - playing and cuddling. During down time, visitors are likely to see T.K. sitting on Tonda's lap. Other times, the protective orangutan keeps a watchful eye as her active little one bounds about the play area.

Elsewhere at ZooWorld, the Tilghman Infant Care Facility offers close-up views of baby animals born at the park. Children get up-close and personal to the animals as well in ZooWorld's Gentle Jungle Petting Zoo.

For Mother's Day or any day, families find plenty of affordable fun in Panama City Beach, from award-winning beaches and water sports to shows, attractions, exhibits and more.

St. Andrews State Recreation Area is home to one of America's most beautiful beaches. Mom can relax on the shore, soak up the sun and swim in the crystal-clear, emerald-green waters. She'll see why this park was rated the #1 Beach in America by Dr. Beach (Stephen Leatherman). Underwater wonders unfold, when snorkelers explore jetties and chase brightly colored tropical fish. Sailing, boating, fishing, parasailing and jet skiing are all popular ways for families to explore the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay.

Gulf World Marine Park offers new exhibits, extended hours and more than 25 shows. Dolphins perform daily in the state-of-the-art Dolphin Stadium, while mysteries of the deep unfold in the Coral Reef Theater. Take mom behind the scenes on a guided Meet the Dolphins tour. Or, try Dolphin Encounter and learn about conservation before getting into the water for a dolphin swim.

Adventurous moms enjoy thrills and spills at Shipwreck Island Waterpark, one of Florida's largest theme water parks. For more excitement, take mom for a step back in time to the days when pirates roamed the Florida coastline aboard the Sea Dragon, an authentic 85-foot pirate ship. She'll cruise the Gulf waters and Shell Island with cannons blasting, swords swinging and pirates hanging from the rigging.

Offering a twist on a family classic, Coconut Creek Family Fun Park's newly refurbished, 18-hole miniature golf courses take families on an African safari through a jungle of exotic, Coconut Creek-style plants and animals, including life-size statues.

Panama City Beach offers 27 miles of silky, white-sand beaches bordering the clear, emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrews Bay. The Northwest Florida destination ranked as a 2005 USA Today Top 10 beach for family vacations. Panama City Beach also enjoys recognition as a top U.S. beach from Conde Nast Traveler, The Travel Channel, Southern Living, Dr. Beach and the Clean Beaches Council. Family attractions, championship golf courses, sporting events, delectable dining, predictably sunny weather and a vast number of recreational activities draw visitors to this seaside destination annually. For more information, call 1-800-PCBEACH (850-233-5070) or visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com.