YES...October is one of the best times of year to visit Panama City Beach for the following reasons:

• The crowds are gone
• The temperature averages in the low 80's
• The water is still warm enough for swimming
• The sun sets more over the water than in the summer months
• While still in hurricane season, October hurricanes are less common than in August and September
• There is less seaweed than in the summer months
• There are a lot of fun annual events that happen in PCB in October like the Pirates of the High Seas Fest and Oktoberfest

No, it's not too cold to swim in PCB in October. The Panama City Beach average water temperature in October is in the 70's with average highs in the low 80's. It's actually very pleasant to swim here in October.

If you're looking for great weather and relatively crowd-free beaches and sightseeing, October is one of the best times to visit Florida.