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Florida
Florida should be a nude beach paradise, but it simply is not. Florida is one of the most diverse states in the country, with large ethnic populations, retirees and other transplants from the Northeast and Midwest, and thriving gay and lesbian communities, not to mention plenty of international tourists. Despite these influences, some of the state's social policies seem mired down in an intransigent Bible Belt mentality. Florida has a state anti-nudity law, and there are hardly any places where authorities leave nude sunbathers alone. The history of nude beaches in Florida is mostly a history of nudists being driven away from place after place, and the number of healthy and thriving nude beaches can be counted on one hand.
What is lacking in public nude recreation opportunities is partially made up for by an exceptional number of naturists retreats and other private places of interest to nudists. Florida has over a dozen full-fledged, large-scale nudist resorts, several of which are clustered in Pasco County north of Tampa, which is often hyped in the (mostly sensational) press as the Nudist Capital of the World. Florida also has an exceptional number of gay clothing-optional establishments throughout the state. Ft. Lauderdale alone has around 25 gay guesthouses where poolside nudity is allowed.
The island-city of Key West has a number of small-scale places of interest to both straight and gay nudists, although not so much for families with children. Key West may be the only place in the country where you can sunbathe nude by the pool at your guesthouse, take a nude sailing excursion, explore a hidden and little-known nude beach and then go out drinking and dancing in the nude at a clothing-optional bar.
NUDE BEACHES—Statewide
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Florida has but one "legal" nude beach: Haulover Beach [1] 25.9181N, 80.1214W   in the Miami area, the clothing-optional status of which was sanctioned by Dade County in 1991. It is a tremendously popular, easily accessible, first-rate beach—just the type of beach that Florida could and should have more of but doesn't.
Farther north on the Atlantic coast, North Playalinda Beach [2] 28.7047N, 80.6687W near Titusville and South Apollo Beach [1] 28.8560N, 80.7745W near the town of New Smyrna Beach have been safe havens for nudists due to the constant and tireless advocacy of naturists groups, even though some local officials have been chomping at the bit to banish nudists from these beaches for years. Both these beaches are part of Canaveral National Seashore. Playalinda is the more popular of the two.
Another nude beach in Florida where nudity can be openly practiced is at a very hidden corner of Geiger Beach [2] 24.5589N, 81.6859W near Key West. This beach is not well known despite its proximity to Key West, perhaps because most visitors who arrive in Key West by air do not rent cars and the beach is too far removed to be reached any other way. Whatever the case, this largely undiscovered beach seems to be free from the morals police.
A final nude beach is Passage Key [2] 27.5555N, 82.7430W in the Tampa Bay area. Passage Key is a tiny island located in the area where Tampa Bay meets the Gulf of Mexico, and the catch is that the only way to get there is by boat, and there is no public mode of transit to the island. Thus, Passage Key is pretty much the exclusive domain of private boaters, and most boaters anchor around the island for bare bathing.
Other than the five beaches named above, the rule in Florida is: Be ready to cover your ass—literally. None of the beaches named below are places where you can completely let your guard down. You should be wary of encounters with unsuspecting textiles and keep a watchful eye for patrols by land and water.
MacArthur Beach [4] 26.8320N, 80.0400W in the Palm Beach vicinity
Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge [3] 27.1033N, 80.1347W in the Palm Beach vicinity
Guana-Tolomato-Matanzas Reserve [4] 30.1000N, 81.3405W south of Jacksonville
Johnson Beach [3] 30.3089N, 87.3714W southwest of Pensacola
Caspersen Beach [4] 27.0445N, 82.4348W in Venice
Silver Key [4] 26.4687N, 82.1720W near Ft. Myers |
CENTRAL FLORIDA
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NATURIST RETREATS
Caliente Resort Tampa
28.2565N, 82.4640W
E
Land O'Lakes (north of Tampa)
Cypress Cove Resort
28.1564N, 81.4365W
E
Kissimmee (south of Orlando)
Fawlty Towers Resort
28.3577N, 80.6072W
E, F, G, I, S
Cocoa Beach (east of Orlando)
Gulf Coast Resort
28.4032N, 82.5972W
E
Hudson (north of Tampa)
The Island
28.2408N, 82.4500W
E
Land O'Lakes (north of Tampa)
Lake Como Resort
28.1825N, 82.4773W
E
Lutz (north of Tampa)
Paradise Lakes Resort
28.1847N, 82.4710W
E
Lutz (north of Tampa)
Paradise Pines RV Park
28.1856N, 82.4804W
E
Lutz (north of Tampa)
The Woods RV Resort
28.2582N, 82.4616W
E
Land O'Lakes (north of Tampa)
PLACES TO STAY—GAY
Berwin Oak Guesthouse
27.7424N, 82.7024W
E
Gulfport (Tampa Bay metro)
Camp David
28.8320N, 82.2172W
E
Inverness (north of Tampa and Orlando)
GayStPete House
27.7776N, 82.6941W
E
St. Petersburg (Tampa Bay metro)
Rick's Bed & Breakfast
28.3611N, 81.5286W
E
Orlando
Sawmill Camping Resort
28.4754N, 82.1938W
E
Dade City (north of Tampa and Orlando)
Ybor Resort & Spa
27.9611N, 82.4425W
E
Tampa
PLACES TO STAY—ADULTS ONLY (not suitable for minors)
Riverboat Club
28.2583N, 82.4600W
E
Land O'Lakes (north of Tampa)
OTHER BUSINESSES
Grin and Bare It Charters
27.5776N, 82.6908W
Tampa |
SOUTHEAST FLORIDA
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NATURIST RETREATS
Sunnier Palms Park
27.4122N, 80.4147W
E
Ft. Pierce (north of Port St. Lucie)
Sunsport Gardens
26.7368N, 80.2672W
E
Loxahatchee (west of West Palm Beach)
PLACES TO STAY—GAY—Ft. Lauderdale
15 FTL
26.1359N, 80.1284W
E
Alcazar Resort
26.1310N, 80.10619W
E
Aragon Inn Guesthouse
26.1588N, 80.1379W
E
The Cabanas Guesthouse
26.1599N, 80.1184W
E
Cheston House
26.1299N, 80.1055W
E
Coconut Cove Guesthouse
26.1263N, 80.1050W
E
Coral Reef Guesthouse
26.1445N, 80.1129W
E
Elysium Resort
26.1308N, 80.1056W
E, G
The Flamingo—Inn Amongst the Flowers
26.1313N, 80.1081W
E
The Grand Resort and Spa
26.1304N, 80.1062W
E
Inn Leather
26.0973N, 80.1362W
E
Liberty Apartments & Garden Suites
26.0343N, 80.1451W
E
Manor Inn
26.1579N, 80.1379W
E
Mary's Resort
26.1179N, 80.1566W
E
Palm Plaza Resort
26.1292N, 80.1075W
E
Pineapple Point
26.1258N, 80.1263W
E
Royal Palms Resort
26.1314N, 80.1065W
E
The Schubert Resort
26.1359N, 80.1198W
E
Villa Venice
26.1310N, 80.1065W
E
Windamar Beach Resort
26.1307N, 80.1051W
E
Worthington Guesthouse
26.1306N, 80.1062W
E
PLACES TO STAY—GAY—Miami Beach
European Guesthouse
25.7774N, 80.1383W
E
PLACES TO STAY—ADULTS ONLY (not suitable for minors)
Rooftop Resort
26.0200N, 80.1168W
E
Hollywood (south of Ft. Lauderdale)
Seminole Resort
26.0727N, 80.3353W
E, F
Davie (west of Ft. Lauderdale) |
KEY WEST
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PLACES TO STAY—GENERAL
Marrero's Guest Mansion
24.5553N, 81.8036W
E
Pilot House
24.5572N, 81.8021W
E
PLACES TO STAY—GAY
Big Ruby's Guesthouse
24.5545N, 81.8030W
E
Equator Resort
24.5585N, 81.7985W
E
Island House
24.5611N, 81.7951W
E
New Orleans House
24.5529N, 81.8010W
E
Oasis - Coconut Grove
24.5588N, 81.7987W
E
OTHER BUSINESSES
Blu Q Sailing Charters
24.5614N, 81.8016W
Garden of Eden Bar
24.5581N, 81.8047W
Skinny Dipper Cruises
24.5612N, 81.7862W
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