You loved our annual photo guides to the world’s best gay beaches and gay nude beaches, and we loved bringing them to you.
But we know that getting to the seaside isn’t always feasible for you busy city dwellers. So with summer fast approaching, we’ve now scoured the globe to bring you this list of what we think of as the best “urban beaches” – in-town parks (or sections thereof) that we’ve proudly claimed as gay space, the kind of place where you can worship the sun in a swimsuit on a beach towel and share a picnic with a friend–and still walk home in a few minutes.
Of course ever since there were parks, gays have been rendezvousing in them for secret outdoor fun. But we’re focusing here on the parks that have become popular (and totally legal) meeting grounds.
This is really the first list of its kind anywhere, so we’re eager to hear from you in the comments section about any urban parks or plazas from around the world that we might have missed. We’ll bring you the best of those in a list to come.
Meanwhile, as always, click through and enjoy the view.
Click through for the world’s best gay parks and urban beaches.
First up: New York’s Central Park
Central Park, New York City
America’s best-known park has a long LGBT history, with parts of it (especially The Ramble) having been havens for impromptu gay trysts for more than a century. On the first anniversary of the Stonewall Riots in 1970, the city’s gay march ended with a “be-in” in Sheep Meadow, which today is still one of the park’s more popular gay areas.
Photos by New York Public Library, CarbonNYC, Popnography
Next up: Madrid‘s Retiro Park
Retiro Park, Madrid
Once the playground of Spain’s royal court, this large city center park is today filled with gardens, monuments, statues, and gays. The guys tend to congregate around the Fallen Angel statue, reputedly the world’s only public monument dedicated to Lucifer.
Photos by sftrajan, steffengo, victoriapeckham
Next up: San Francisco‘s Dolores Park
Dolores Park, San Francisco
It’s no big surprise that the park located closest to San Francisco’s Castro District would have a strong gay contingent, especially in the southwestern grassy ledge that’s often called Homo Hill or the Fruit Shelf. Every Easter in Dolores, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence host the deliciously blasphemous Hunky Jesus contest.
Photos by Jon Rivera, Christopher on Instagram, JP Puerta
Next up: Berlin‘s Tiergarten
Tiergarten, Berlin
Berlin’s massive city center park has a long gay history, having been a favorite cruising haunt since at least the end of the 19th century. Today it’s still easy to find similar action, but there’s also a tamer gay sunbathing section southwest of the Siegessäule (Victory Column) at the park’s center. At the far southeastern corner is the Memorial to Homosexuals Persecuted Under Nazism .
Photos by marsavic, ЯAFIK ♋ BERLIN
Next up: Austin‘s Hippie Hollow Park
Hippie Hollow Park, Austin
More of an actual beach than a park, the clothing-optional Hippie Hollow is located on Lake Travis about half an hour northwest of downtown Austin, and is a favorite summer hangout of local gays. Labor Day weekend is the season’s liveliest, with the annual Splash Days slate of wild parties and outdoor fun.
Photos by Rhys Carter Studios, Tim on Foursquare, Dave&MAC
Next up: Montreal‘s Parc Lafontaine
Parc Lafontaine, Montreal
Perched just northwest of Montreal’s Gay Village, Parc Lafontaine is naturally popular with the LGBTs – especially in the area around the lake, which is sometimes referred to as “the gay beach.”
Photos by Claude Robillard, jeanpierrelavoie, Rémi.
Next up: Washington’s P Street Beach
P Street Beach, Washington, DC
Just west of DC’s gay ‘hood of Dupont Circle lies the so-called P Street Beach, part of Washington’s huge and iconic Rock Creek Park. Notoriously cruisy by night (but beware, police/park ranger raids are not uncommon), P Street is also a popular and more above-board sunny gay hangout by day.
Photos by Elvert Barnes, thedccenter
Next up: London‘s Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath, London
Beloved by Londoners of all ilks, Hampstead Heath has also been one of London’s most popular gay cruising spots for eons. Adding to the gaiety is the Hampstead Heath Men’s Pond, originally designed to promote bathing area gender discretion, but now indulged gleefully by gay men. The grassy knoll nearby is a favorite gay hangout.
Photos by Photokkaran, j-sin, Hampstead Images
