Rock Grotto and Pool at Club La Vela’s Beachside Building

Club La Vela sat directly on the Gulf of Mexico in Panama City Beach, Florida, and for years billed itself as the largest nightclub in the United States, with a capacity of roughly 6,000 patrons across multiple dance floors and stages. The complex grew over decades from a smaller beach bar into a sprawling multi-level venue connected by wooden walkways and outdoor decks, with a swimming pool and artificial rock grotto serving as a daytime gathering spot for spring break crowds. It became a fixture of MTV's spring break broadcasts through the 1990s and 2000s. Hurricane Michael struck the Panama City Beach area in October 2018, and the damage the club sustained led to its permanent closure.