While disrobing in public isn’t for everyone, lots of people are still interested in it. Whether you just want to try it once, or you’re a die-hard naturist, here are the best clothing optional beaches in Florida for your enjoyment.
Most Florida beaches do not allow people to go nude, or even topless. In the United States, we’re more critical of nude beaches than other locations, such as Europe. But it’s still popular enough that there are beaches in Florida that have been designated where nudity is legally allowed.
Is a nude beach right up your alley? Then pack a rolling beach cooler, (extra!) sunscreen or an umbrella, and hit the sand. Hey, the best part may be that you don’t even have to pack a swimsuit!
Note: Please check local rules and regulations regarding the legality of throwing caution and clothing to the wind. Some of these locations have specific rules, or are more “nude-friendly” than “nude-legal”. Because laws can change, don’t base your decisions on this blog post alone, but do your research into what is allowed before you go.
1. Playalinda Beach
I thought I’d start this list with the nude beach that is closest to my home. Playalinda Beach is located at the Canaveral National Seashore. Most of the seashore is not clothing-optional, but all the way at the north end is Lot 13. That’s where you’ll find this nude Florida beach.
The entirety of Playalinda Beach is a national protected area, so you won’t find condos, restaurants, and t-shirt shops. Instead, you get a pristine beach with blue waters and white sand, and plenty of vegetation in the form of sea grapes and scrubby palms. If you want to get away from it all, Playalinda Beach is perfect!
To get there, you will cross the Max Brewer bridge from Titusville. From the bridge, if you look to your right (aka south) you can see NASA’s enormous vehicle assembly building, or VAB. To get an idea of the size, look at the flag painted on the side. Each stripe on the flag is wide enough for a tour bus!
On your way to Playalinda beach, you’ll pass through the Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, one of the most amazing locations for birding in the entire country. If you like wildlife, consider driving Black Point Wildlife Drive. Or stop at the visitor’s center to check out the feeders and find out more about the refuge. (You should definitely wear clothes anywhere else in the refuge, though!)
Bonus – you’re also very close to the popular tourist destination of Cocoa Beach, Florida! Just make sure to re-robe because Cocoa Beach is not clothing optional. However, there are lots of fun things to do in Cocoa Beach.
2. Apollo Beach
The north end of the Canaveral National Seashore you’ll find Apollo Beach. Both are within the national seashore, so you won’t be staring at the back of condos and hotels from the beach. The view is much more natural and pristine.
Like its Playalinda counterpart, most of Apollo Beach has regular, clothing-not-optional beaches. However, stop #5 is a nude beach. There is less parking at Apollo Beach, so you can expect the crowds to be thinner. That’s a great thing, unless you’re one of the ones to arrive once the lot is full! It has about 30 parking spots, and the next-closest beaches are too far to easily walk to if the stop #5 lot is full, so plan accordingly.
While at Playalinda you may not see people in their non-clothed state until you get to the beach, purportedly this is not true at Apollo Beach. So this area is probably not best for a drive-through with little ones whom you may not want to see naked people!
There are a total of 5 stops at Apollo Beach, and each one has boardwalk access to the beach and ocean. Just make sure to choose stop #5 if you’re looking for nude beaches in Florida,
3. Haulover Beach
Haulover Beach Park is located between Miami and Ft. Lauderdale. If you visit either Apollo or Playalinda Beaches, don’t confuse Haulover Canal with Haulover Beach; they’re quite different places!
Haulover Beach is considered the nicest of Florida’s nude beaches. It stretches for just under half a mile, and signs clearly mark it as being clothing-optional. And this one is an official nude beach!
Haulover Beach has beautiful white sand, and because it’s further south than the ones above, the ocean looks a lot more tropically blue. It also has picnic facilities and concession stands.
You will find many more people at Haulover than at either Playalinda or Apollo. By some counts it can be as high as 7000 visitors per day. It’s even family-friendly, if your family is into that sort of thing!
4. Blind Creek Beach
About halfway down the east coast of Florida, you’ll find Fort Pierce. For many of us, it’s nothing more than “the place to get on the turnpike”. But it’s actually a vibrant community, and it also features a nude beach known as Blind Creek Beach.
Blind Creek Beach is located on Hutchinson Island. You won’t find many man-made amenities here; this is a very primitive and natural beach. It does have a picnic table and an observation tower, but no restrooms at the time of this writing. (It used to have portable restrooms, but they’ve been removed because of COVID.)
St. Lucie County, the home of Blind Creek Beach, has designated it as a legal area for nudists. There is signage to warn those who are not aware!
5. Bunche Beach Preserve
Bunche Beach near Fort Myers is located on the west coast of Florida. If you’re more interested in seeing the Gulf of Mexico, rather than the Atlantic Ocean, then this is the naturist beach for you.
I’ve been to Bunche Beach once and didn’t see many people at all, and all of them were wearing clothes. I don’t think this is legally a nude beach, so exercise discretion. There’s plenty of parking but you do have to pay to park. This is also a great area for kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding through the mangroves.
Nearby you’ll find Sanibel Island, famous for its seashells and where people enjoy Ding Darling nature preserve and the beautiful Sanibel lighthouse.
6. Boca Chica Beach, Key West
If you’ve made it all the way to Key West, the southernmost city in the United States, you may be looking for a nude beach. Find your way to Boca Chica beach, a beautiful and natural beach with plenty of seclusion for those who wish to enjoy being without clothes.
This is a wonderful location for snorkeling too; the crystal clear waters around the Florida Keys allow you to see really well when you snorkel or SCUBA dive.
You’ll probably want to use sunblock here too, but please use reef-friendly sunscreen. It’s the law when you’re in the Keys, and it’s to protect the fragile and declining coral reef that runs alongside the Florida Keys.
7. South Beach, Miami
South Beach in Miami is kind of a free-for-all when it comes to just about everything. Have you ever The Birdcage or There’s Something About Mary? Then you can probably picture what I mean. South Beach has amazing restaurants and incredible night clubs.
South Beach also draws a lot of international visitors, so topless and nude sunbathers is even more common here than other places.
Known as the American Riviera, South Beach does tend to get crowded. If you don’t want to fight the crowds, a weekday visit might be in order.
8. St. Lucie Inlet State Park
St. Lucie Inlet State Park is only accessible by boat. It’s not officially declared a nudist beach, but because it’s less accessible than some areas, people say that nudity laws aren’t really enforced. Use your best judgement though.
Being less-accessible has its perks; this beach is pristine and protected. It’s a favorite nesting place for sea turtles during the summer months. If you come across adult or hatchling sea turtles, be sure not to disturb them as they are protected by law.
There is a pavilion for picnics, and salt-water shore fishing is also a popular activity here.
Bonus: Cypress Cove Nudist Resort
Located in Kissimmee, the Cypress Cove Resort offers a nude beach. It’s on a lake, however, not the ocean. So in my mind it doesn’t count, but I’m including it here for those who might be interested.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed this perusal of your choices in nude beaches in Florida. Whether you’re a native or vacationing from out-of-state, there are lots of clothing-optional beaches to choose from.
If you’re visiting a nude beach for the first time, just use some common sense. Don’t forget your sunscreen, especially on areas of your body where you don’t usually tan. Some of these beaches lack facilities, so bring water and something to protect yourself from the sun if you plan to stay awhile.
Also, this probably goes without saying, but nudity and sex are not the same thing. Even at a legal nude beach, there are activities that aren’t allowed, such as public sex. It’s also generally considered rude to take photos of other beachgoers, but that’s true for people wearing clothes too. Consider what would be acceptable to you, and try to give others just as much (if not more) consideration.
This article is part of our Florida travel guide series. Be sure to check out the other posts when planning your vacation to our beautiful state!
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