(Provincetown’s Herring Cove Beach)
We can almost smell the ocean salt and bronzer here at the GayCities.com offices as we compile a list of the 10 best gay beaches in the world. But we carefully tiptoed around clothing-optional destinations.
Then we realized stripping down to your birthday suit in public isn’t something to be ashamed about — and, hey, some of the best gay beaches are bare-it-all types. So we decided to bare it all ourselves this time with the world’s ten best nude gay beaches.
The photos are fairly SFW, but proceed with caution if your cubiclemate might swoon at the site of some side-butt. And don’t be prudes: Drop a line in the comments section of the story about any secret sandy spots they might have missed!
10. Black’s Beach, San Diego
Probably the most famous nude beach in America, Black’s Beach is also San Diego’s popular gay destination. (Imagine that!) A secluded area beneath the bluffs of La Jolla’s Torrey Pines, the nude section begins about 100 yards from the Gliderport trail head and ends a mile up the way, at the steel buoy south of Flatrock.
Only the portion of the beach governed by the state park is clothing optional—nudity is not allowed on the section run by the city of San Diego.
9. Haulover Beach, Miami 
One of the few nude beaches in Florida, Haulover Beach is about 11 miles north of South Beach. The north end is the clothing-optional section that’s frequented by gay men with a smattering of women.
Image via Osseous
8. Gunnison Beach, New Jersey
A short ride from New York City, Gunnison is a great spot to let it all hang out with pride. Once part of an Army base, where soldiers used to skinny dip, it’s has been a popular naturalist destination since the 1970s—and New Jersey’s only legal nude beach for over a decade. Since it’s technically federal land, alcoholic beverages are allowed as well.
There is an vehicular admission fee of $10 per car.
Image via JackBlair
7. Little Beach, Hawaii
Little Beach (also known as Puʻu Olai) is a small, 660-foot stretch of shoreline in Makena State Park, separated from Big Beach by a steep lava outcropping. One of the few places in the Aloha State where public nudity is kosher, on Sundays it’s also home to fire dancing and drum circles.
6. Baker Beach, San Francisco
The north end of Baker Beach that attracts a gay crowd with either a bathing suit on or just a birthday suit, was the original home of the Burning Man festival, from 1986 to 1990. It atones for the city’s ubiquitous fog with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge, which rises above the cool gray mist. And even the fog can’t hide the monuments closer at hand.
5. Herring Cove Beach, Provincetown
While it is technically illegal to disrobe here, the National Park Service generally looks the other way (unfortunate for them) and you should be able to cover up quickly in a pinch. Women go topless in the lesbian section, just left of the parking lot, while boys bare all in the gay area, about 3/4 of a mile down the way. The dunes are infamous for cruising, so don’t wander off the beaten path unless you are looking to be found.
Image via letsgosf
4. Hanlan’s Point, Toronto
To get to this oasis (legally clothing-optional since 2002), take the Hanlan’s Point ferry at the foot of Bay Street and Queen’s Quay. After you reach the shore, walk about 15 minutes up a paved path and then stroll through the brush to the coast, where pristine white sand is not the only natural beauty to behold.
3. Sandy Bay, Cape Town
One of the last remaining untouched areas on South Africa’s Cape coast, Sandy Bay is an unofficial nudist beach, though its relative inaccessibillity means it’s unlikely you’ll be molested (unless you want to be). Its a 20-minute walk from the car lot, or you can traverse the Hout Bay dunes, which—along with the mountains—provide privacy and shelter from strong winds. Expect a more tranquil experience than party atmosphere.
Image via tipsfortravellers
2. Saint Martin, Orient Bay
This two-mile long stretch of white sand in the Caribbean welcomes all—slim, fleshy, gay, straight—though beachgoers tend to be from the U.S. and Europe with a sprinkling of locals. Those wanting a full-on, full-frontal experience book a stay at the luxurious Club Orient resort. Public nudity is allowed in front of the resort, though you’ll find sun-worshippers in various forms of undress almost everywhere.
1. Beach 19, Lisbon
The 19th stop on the little train that runs along Lisbon’s Costa de Caparica is where the nude beach starts (and gets its name). To get to Beach 19, also known as Praia de Bela Vista, walk down the hill, past the straight area and the railroad tracks and you’ll run right into gay bodies basking in the seemingly endless sun.
Image via GayLisbon4u.com
Anonymous
This is actually NOT a picture of Hanlan’s Point Beach. The beach is on the other side of the Island ( Lake Ontario side ) facing away from downtown. You can see the west end of Toronto and Mississauga (and sometimes all the way to Hamilton from the beach, butThe Skyline of Downtown Toronto can be viewed from the North ( Harbour Side of Toronto Islands )
Anonymous
In San Francisco, a nude beach that’s even gayer and a bit friskier than Baker Beach is Marshall Beach (once, and sometimes still, known as Bad Boy Beach), which is one beach closer to the Golden Gate Bridge than Baker, but separated from it by rocks that are difficult to cross. Access to Marshall is via paths from the top of the bluff.
Anonymous
Becareful baring it all in P-town…it is not a gay beach and is constantly patrolled. If caught, you will be fined and can be arrested for at least on night in jail.
Anonymous
Hey you missed a very nude beach in New York, Robert Moses is a state park ,, however if you go to the beach and walk to the right, Robert Moses ends and Fire Island starts,, that is a very nude beach straights and gays all welcomed. So come on,, why travel the word ,, when right here in NY we have our own,, John
Anonymous
I wish that a real GAY beach existed in Goa (in India) !!
Anonymous
Obviously the writer has travelled very little and has researched this article even less. 70% of the beaches mentioned are in the usa (how patriotic and typically insular) Has the writer never been to or heard of Super Paradise in Mykonos Greece? How about the nude beaches of Sitges, Spain. Byrons Bay, Australia?
C’mon, try to write outside of your American Box.
Anonymous
In Chicago, it use 2B Belmont Rocks was the gay section.
Now its Hollywood Beach way on the north end.
Most all beaches in Chicago are heavily patrolled..
So you don’t have the option or freedom to go nude which
is ashame…if you do probably get arrested….jerzy
Anonymous
Haulover Beach in Florida is awesome. I used to go there all the time about 5 years ago. Great memories of that place. Gays to the left, straights stay on the right side of the beach.
Anonymous
That is not Costa de Capairca, it’s just a stock photo of some beach. There are no buildings running along Praia 19. Nice try, though.
Anonymous
What about Maspalomas Gran Canaria, and the Barcelona gay beach (whatever it’s called)?
Anonymous
The best nude beach I have found is on Otok Lukrum, a small island off of Dubrovnik Croatia. The beach is not exclusively gay, but the trails behind the beach have some very hot action.
The best part is this beach is officially a nude beach with postings and a surrounding fence to keep out anyone that may be offended.
Anonymous
You forgot european beaches that are bigger.. trust me, very bigger an the mediterranean sea is much more beautiful than ocean.. for example see Cap d’Agde in France, a nudist town of 50.000 people(in part gay and bisexual)! Inside you go to do shopping or in the bank nude! Spain is plain of fantastic beach… and gran canaria? and Mykonos? Europe is better for beaches respect to USA.
Anonymous
Hey to the guy who posted about the gay beach in Chicago…..If u go often and hang around a bit…u will see plenty !! Its not at all heavily patrolled…guys have fun and there is sucking and other fun in a hidden way….and I dont go every day. and only stay for 2 hours !
Anonymous
If u go top the gay nude beach in Toronto make sure you walk further down past the beach to the wooded area off the lake, lots of hot hot action !!
Anonymous
You missed Las Salinas on Ibiza – a most paradisaical gay nudist beach with bar, restaurant and dunes behind. Heaven.
Anonymous
San Onofre, CA, on the border between Orange County and San Diego County. The nude beach is actually part of Camp Pendleton but for years the Marines have looked the other way. But recently state rangers and the marines have been ticketing nude bathers that cross into the Camp’s beach.
Anonymous
I am surprised that Wreck Beach in Vancouver Didn’t make it
frans
10 best nude gay beaches and only one in Europe??? You must be kidding.
Prude America shoud have the best six or seven??? You really made my day, didn’t laugh so loud lately
swissgay69
i agree totally – not even the beach and dunes of the canary islands, mykonos, ibizza, mallorca, south of france, tel aviv…
Brendan Brogan
Kalapana, Hawaii: The nude and straight-friendly Kehena Beach near the nude and gay guesthouse. Big Island, Hilo-side.
Mark
“top ten in the world” would put one, maybe two in the U.S. – and 4 or 5 in Europe (Ibiza, Mykonos, Playa del Ingles, Zandvoort, L’Espiguette.. all rank well above many mentioned here) … either very biased or not well researched…
Maalstrom
Whoever wrote this suffers from the poorly travelled North America centric dumbo view the world obviously – numpty!
traveler
New Jersey? Hanlan’s Point in Toronto? Where’s Brazil, Mexico, Spain, etc? Talk about bad (biased) taste!
Anonymous
Wreck Beach in beautiful Vancouver British Columbia – Gay man’s paradise!
Anonymous
Sitges outside of Barcelona has a gay nude beach that you walk to from the end of the main beach (1/2 mile). Also has a cruising section over the railroad tracks