Playalinda Beach - Titusville, Florida, USA
Playalinda is the third of four official nude beaches in Florida that we visited. It is definitely more "out of the way" than Haulover or Blind Creek and is located on the Canaveral National Seashore, accessible through Titusville. We would suggest mapping the drive (you are looking for Parking Lot #13) from wherever you might be to get an idea of travel time, as it could be deceiving if you are looking at a map or mileage as the crow flies. Another worthwhile consideration is the national seashore access fee: $20 for a week can be wonderful if you are planning to return multiple times (or visit Apollo Beach during the same week, which also is accessible with this parking pass), but it can be steep if you are looking to only visit for a day (as we were)... especially if it's cloudy!
Nevertheless, the beach is wonderful. Perhaps it is because of the inclement weather during our visit, but it reminded us of beaches much closer to home on Long Island, NY (more specifically Fire Island). Maybe this is because Fire Island is also a national seashore, but the sand and ocean vibes on a thin strip of land felt very similar. That is about where the similarities end, however, as the parking lot is much smaller than a typical NY beach (if you don't get a spot at Parking Lot #13, you can park at the next closest lot that is available and walk upward). We have also been told that during certain times of the year (based on water and erosion conditions) some of the parking lots will be closed. If that is the case during your visit, you should go as far as it will let you go and park in the furthest lot. Often times the nude beach simply becomes the furthest lot, or you can at least walk toward the official nude beach from that area.
In terms of additional amenities, there are bathrooms and shower facilities near the parking lot (clothing technically is required here... despite my having to take a photo with the sign!), though there are not many of them and they are very simple in nature. Better than the port-a-potties at Blind Creek (during our visits), but pale in comparison to the facilities available at Haulover. At any rate, if you find yourself in the greater Orlando area (especially toward the Atlantic coast), Playalinda is a wonderful beach that is worth the visit (given the lack of parking and the distance to get there, it is less likely to be as packed as some of the other nude beaches with closer-to-urban-settings). It is also worth mentioning that on your way to Playalinda you pass by a great view of the nearby Kennedy Space Center, which alone may be worth stopping the car and getting out to take some photos. If you're able to line up a visit during a rocket launch, even better (though we hear you may want to plan accordingly due to the traffic and number of people also coming to view the launch from the Canaveral National Seashore). An alternative that worked for us was to view a rocket launch on a clear night from Cypress Cove Nudist Resort in Kissimmee, so you always have that option as well!
