Just go to Playalinda Beach, walk past the nude section, and you’ll get to the gay section,” advises Todd Michael Hayes.
It’s been that way for decades. Because the LGBT community was socially marginalized—and often trapped in straight marriages—they would seek out semi-public places to meet others, socialize and, of course, have sex. In these days of online chat and LGBT visibility, the need for the public hookup has basically disappeared (unless you’re a closeted Republican politician or a fundamentalist minister). However, the location of gay beaches near nude beaches still remains.
“It’s that way all over the world,” says Hayes, a flight attendant who’s traveled to Moscow and Africa within the last couple months. “At any nude beach, you walk a little farther and you find the gay section.”
So it’s easy to state that in Central Florida, the gay beaches are the nude beaches—Playalinda on the east coast and Tarpon Springs and Dunedin on the west coast. However, a broader perspective opens you up to all sorts of possibilities for all the great beaches Florida is world-renowned for.
east coast
Daytona Beach is considered the world’s most famous beach. For years, MTV sponsored live broadcasts showing the Spring Break debauchery. Two seasons of the reality show The Real World featured both straight and LGBT housemates vacationing on the sand. Daytona Beach is where several Guys Gone Wild videos have been shot, where drunk straight boys test the borders of their sexuality on a dare, for extra cash.
There’s more to Daytona Beach than just that. It has a famous boardwalk full of games, and it’s within a short distance of the famous NASCAR track. There are fresh seafood restaurants. Gay bars The Streamline Hotel, Hollywood Cantina, and the new Savoy Daytona are all near the beach.
However, these aren’t the only things to consider when planning your beach visit.
“I just go to the beaches with my friends. They’re predominantly straight; only a handful of my friends are gay,” says Carl Kwiatek.
Kwiatek and his friends have visited quiet New Smyrna Beach (mostly frequented by retirees) and the pet-friendly Ponce Inlet Beach. More often, Kwiatek’s gang find themselves at the I Dream of Jeanie location, Cocoa Beach. They claim a spot of sand within a short distance of Ron Jon’s Surf Shop and LGBT favorite Rainbow Room. Often, Kwiatek’s party drop their gear near Coconuts, a straight establishment whose strong drinks draw hotties both male and female.
The east coast also boasts Melbourne Beach, very popular with the natives. Surfers and parasailers know Ponce Inlet is a great lesser-known spot. Paradise Beach is great for families—including LGBT with kids—but it’s not the only good choice.
“We’re not looking for hot bodies and huge crowds,” says Sherilyn Renziger, a Missouri lesbian who brings her daughters to visit Florida family every summer.
Quiet Ormond Beach is her most frequent choice.
“We want to be able to keep an eye on our kids,” Renziger says.
west coast
Those who have lived in St. Petersburg for more than a decade recall Bedrox, the popular LGBT bar that stood proudly on Sunset Beach. The iconic hotspot has since been torn down and replaced with a pavilion, but the beach itself is still where men and women go to play with like minded LGBTs every Sunday afternoon.
“I think this is a gay beach because of the tradition behind it,” says Russell Grand, a Tampa resident who frequents the beach at least two Sundays a month. “There are a few straight people who come down this far, but overall it’s a gay reunion spot for us.”
The popular beach—all the way on the south 
tip of W. Gulf Boulevard on Treasure Island—has metered parking and several neighborhood side streets where parking is free if you can find it. The two mile drive along the beach also affords a chance to see the hot “straight” bodies of the young men and women frequenting Caddy’s, the county’s only bar zoned for serving alcohol on the beach.
Other beaches readily available for the rainbow crowd on the west coast include Fort DeSoto and Pass-A-Grille, which is on the southern tip of St. Pete Beach. The narrow island is only one block wide but caters to a large group of LGBT sun-worshipers.
“Fort DeSoto is the perfect place for us to bring the kids,” says Tammy Draper, who lives in Madiera Beach with her partner, Amy, and their two sons. “It’s a clean park, family friendly and it’s just beautiful. We meet several other lesbian couples here who have kids. In fact, we’ve made some great friends by just showing up here on the weekends.”
Other “family”-friendly beaches along Florida’s west coast include the northern tip of Honeymoon Island near Dunedin (which is only accessible by a ferry) where braver souls—both male and female—sometimes swim sans the suits.
Of course, one of the more popular beaches for lesbians is Gulfport Beach, which is directly across from LGBT and LGBT-friendly bars and equipped with volleyball courts and ample parking.
“I think a younger lesbian crowd is more likely to be here,” says Rene Palo, a 24-year-old lesbian who lives in Gulfport. “We play volleyball, cook out and just relax. It’s true paradise here.”
SEE BONUS PHOTOS FROM WATERMARK’S SWIMWEAR PHOTOSHOOT!
While we celebrate the beauty of Florida’s beaches, we can’t ignore the threat of the recent BP oil spill in the Gulf. Yeah, we didn’t make the mess. But as inhabitants of planet Earth, we all should pitch in and try to help clean it up.
Watermark has researched the most effective, reliable ways to help. Some of them are even fun!
most adorable: Olivia Bouler, 11 years old, had the idea to create original watercolor paintings of birds for anyone willing to donate money to an organization that provides oil spill relief. She’s no longer doing the original paintings because she was flooded with requests but donors can email their receipts to Oliviasbirds@aol.com and they will receive one of five prints selected from the original paintings she has created. She’s raised more than $110,000 so far.
most pro-active: Ducks Unlimited has already spent two decades working to restore Gulf Coast wetlands. Now, they’re focusing their efforts with a DU Gulf Coast Response Team focused on education and prevention. Donors can give funds regularly or one time, or even better, DU provides tools to create a fundraiser.
most political: The first thing visitors to Oceana’s web site see is a message urging people to sign a petition asking President Obama to ban offshore drilling. Their response since the oil spill includes testifying before Congress, speaking on the Capitol lawn and contacting the Senate regarding offshore drilling. Their activists are called “Wavemakers” and it’s simple to join online.
star-studded: Robert Redford delivers a message on the Natural Resources Defense Council’s web site urging President Obama to help American break its addiction to oil and head toward a clean energy future. Their Action Center provides a number of tools and tips to help people get involved.
straight-to-the-source: Friends of the Earth (FOE) is choosing an interesting target in their oil spill relief efforts: politicians who received huge campaign donations from BP. FOE wants these pols to donate their “dirty money” to relief efforts.
