News 6 partner Florida Today reported that if you spend enough time living in Brevard County and you’ll start to hear rumors about Playalinda Beach.
Part of this pristine, beautiful coastline might be a spot you’ll want to avoid when innocent Aunt Mindy or sweet, little cousin Lucy comes to town. Word on the street is area 13 of the beach is clothing optional. That’s right — a nude beach.
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So, is it? Maybe don’t use your work computer right now to search social media for Playalinda and nude. Instead just keep reading.
“It’s not rumors because if you go out there you will see nude people. It’s been that way for decades,” said Laura Henning, spokeswoman for Canaveral National Seashore, which Playalinda is a part of. “We don’t say number one is for fishermen or number two is for surfers or anything like that, but historically that group (nudists) has used the very north end of Playalinda.”
But isn’t that illegal? Well, depends which way you look at it.
Canaveral National Seashore is a national park, which means it’s federally regulated. The federal government does not have a singular law against nudity on their land.
Before you drop your drawers and think you’re in the clear, it’s best to know Brevard County does have an ordinance against public nudity. However, Brevard County Sheriff’s Office rarely patrols the area because it is federal land and Canaveral National Seashore has its own rangers.
If visitors are participating in lewd or lascivious behavior or any other unlawful activity, they will be reprimanded. But simply getting an even suntan all over your body, that seems to be a harmless activity at area 13.
In fact, this past summer, swimwear brand Pour Moi (“for me” in French) named Playalinda Beach the 20th best nude beach in the world. Not too many places can you get a full view of a rocket launch while giving a full view.
One more thing before grabbing an extra bottle of sunscreen in place of the swim trunks: unfortunately, for those wanting that all-over-tan, areas eight through 13 at Playalinda Beach are currently closed.
Hurricanes Ian and Nicole leveled the dunes and the beach in 2022, leaving about a third of the park’s parking lots closed. Park officials examine the area daily and are hoping closed parts can reopen at some point in 2024.
Visit the National Park Service’s Facebook or Instagram sites to see what parts of the beach are open.