Nude Beach Etiquette at Florida's Naturist Beaches

The first things one thinks of when someone says Florida is sunshine. Florida has a mild climate for most of the year and this makes it the ideal place to get out and have some fun in the sun. The best place to soak up some rays is at the beach and with over 1,000 miles of coastline Florida is the perfect place to grab a beach towel, some sunscreen and hit the sand. So you go to the beach and get your tan, but what about all those pesky tan lines? Well, good news, should you choose to go 'au naturel' at the beach here are a few things you should know.

Nude tanning is really 'taking off', pardon the pun, in Florida according to James Thorner of the St. Petersburg Times, one Florida county is gaining "status as the North American Capital of Nudism." That county - Pasco - just north of Tampa does have more than its share of residents and visitors willing expose themselves. Another popular place on the east coast is Playalinda Beach it is in the Cape Canaveral National Seashore and is a federally owned beach. Whether by word of mouth or force of habit, this remote stretch of beach is commonly to be a nude beach. Feel free to visit but be warned, according to FloridaNaturist.org, "inappropriate" dress is a crime in Brevard County due to a swimwear ordinance. As a matter of fact, at the out-of-the-way, but traditionally nude Federal Beach, a South American tourist was arrested for wearing a French-cut bikini. Yet, along the same coastline two hundred miles to the south, Miami-Dade County operates a legal clothing-optional beach, where any given weekend, a thousand or more totally nude men and women frolic in the surf and sun.

So what's a body to do? While there is no Federal law against nudity it is not a guaranteed right. This means that state, county and local laws can take precedence.

That still begs the question: Is it legal to sunbathe in the nude at a Florida beach? Like many legal questions, the answer is "it depends", in this case it depends on where you are, so your best bet is to check the local laws and be sure you know what they are, both county and local.

Ok, you've decided to go, you've decided to get a tan without tan lines here are a few tips, especially if you've never been to a nudist beach before, here are some common guidelines:

First of all remember what your Momma always said "It's impolite to stare" this is probably more true at a nude than anywhere. There are some people won't mind if you take their picture but you always need to ask.

Bring what you think you'll need for the day with you like food, water, a towel, sunscreen and maybe a radio.

Be friendly, but not too friendly. Be respectful of others' rights to privacy, unwelcome advances are rude anywhere but especially at a nudist beach.

While sunbathing nude in a secluded area, it's customary to leave a bathing suit on a rock so others know there is a nude person nearby, if you don't want to leave the one you were wearing, bring a spare.

If you're on a wide open beach, position yourself where you can see people coming and grab something to put on before they get to you if you need to.

Avoid sexual activity on the beach. "Sex on the Beach" is a great drink but it's illegal and offensive on the real beach.

Of course you need to get dressed before you leave the nudist beach and when you do leave take whatever brought with you but that's just common courtesy on any beach.

So if you're still in the mood for goin' nude here are some places around Florida you might ant to check out:

Air Force Beach, Palm Beach County
Apollo Beach, Volusia County
Haulover Beach
Sunny Isles, Miami-Dade County
Hobe Sound
Jupiter Island, Martin County
Blind Creek Beach
Hutchinson Island, Martin County
Playalinda Beach, Brevard County
St. Lucie Inlet
St. Lucie State Reserve, Martin County