Peaceful Playalinda

by John Benge
(Florida)

Playalinda is a spacious, uncrowded, quiet beach, and nudist friendly. It was my first time at a nude beach and I plan to go there again. I'm a young man, mid-twenties, but even with so few people there, I felt out of place because everyone else was either old or with someone else. As a young man, it was also difficult to keep from getting an erection at first, since being seen naked is a turn-on for me, but after a while it wasn't a problem.

The beach is remote, as one would expect. From Titusville, go East on Garden Street. A long, winding road surrounded by Florida coastal wilderness takes you past a visitors center to a gate with a tollbooth. There are no sinks, water fountains, showers, or any sources of water past the visitors center, so please plan ahead. The beach is open from dawn til dusk, and there are small fees per person or you can get an annual pass. You may return on the same day with proof of purchase. There are no fees for parking or multiple vehicles. You will note two signs that say nudity on the beach is illegal, but I assure you it is tolerated so long as you are not doing anything sexual.

Drive moderately when past the gate, as you would in a residential area, as people and wild animals may cross your path. The road is two-lane but there are many side-loops for you to turn around. Also note that there is a hidden driveway at a sharp turn and a pedestrian crosswalk when you near the parking lots.

There are thirteen parking lots, each with ample parking, although I wouldn't recommend bringing any long or wide vehicles, as there is no special parking for them.

Each parking lot has a single male and single female latrine. The latrines are single rooms with lockable doors, with a single toilet over a pit where the waste is collected. You can rinse the inside of the bowl with blue toilet water, but there is no plumbing. As said before, there are no sinks, showers, or water fountains. There are also no hooks, benches, or tables for you to put things while in the latrine - just the floor.

Parking lot thirteen is the unofficial clothing optional area, and you will want to park here if you plan to visit it, as the parking lots are far away from each other. There is no nudity allowed in the parking lot or its latrines, so if you want to go from the beach to the parking lot, you will have to get dressed first.

Go up the wooden ramp over the dunes and you're free to get naked. The immediate area South of the first ramp and North of it to a greater extent are the unofficial nude areas. There are no signs, but try to stay in the Lot Thirteen area or North of it; basically where-ever you see nude people.

The beach is flat but not great in depth from the dunes to the ocean. Keep off the dunes and away from the sea turtle nests, and also note that there is no metal-detecting allowed. In some parts, the beach is covered with broken shells, but most of it is fine to walk on barefoot. With so few people, you're sure to find enough space to put your umbrella and beach towel.

Since Playalinda is a bit remote, you'll want to make the most of the trip by spending at least a good part of the day there, so here are some things you may want to bring:

- Towels to lay on and dry off on
- Umbrella, tent, or shade (or at least a hat)
- Chair
- Sunscreen
- Plenty of drinks (in a cooler)
- Something to eat (not just snacks)
- Reading material

You can always set up an area near the ramp if you don't want to carry everything too far. If you're going to take a nude walk down the beach you might want to leave your valuables in your car. You may want to do this anyway, since people lose their jewelry, wallets, watches, sunglasses, and cell phones at the beach all the time without realizing it.