You’ve all heard of Cape Canaveral, (Cape Kennedy from 1963 to 1973), home to Kennedy Space Center. It’s where rockets and other spacecraft have been launched since the space program itself was launched. It’s located in Central Coastal Florida in what is aptly known as the “Space Coast” and runs through both Brevard and Volusia Counties.
The area also is home to Port Canaveral, one of the world’s busiest cruise ports, the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, Mosquito Lagoon Aquatic Preserve, and the Canaveral National Seashore. It’s where oyster reefs, manatees and bottlenosed dolphins thrive and sun seekers enjoy the natural playground.
The region boasts a very long and storied history as indigenous people occupied the area for at least 12,000 years and were among the earliest to produce pottery. In the early 16th century, it was dubbed by Spanish explorers as Cabo Canaveral (meaning sugarcane plantation). And throughout the area sugar mill ruins can be found from centuries past.
One fascinating and fun fact you may not know is that along a secluded stretch of the Canaveral National Seashore, known as Apollo Beach along the southern tip of New Smyrna Beach, sunbathers can enjoy clothing-optional/nude beach access.
If you’re planning a visit, head to Canaveral National Seashore’s parking lot #5. There are only 35 spots there, otherwise visitors have about a six mile walk from the park entrance to the nude beach area.
To get there take State Road A1A in Volusia County to the park entrance. Along the way you’ll pass dunes, other parking lots and signage warning “you may encounter nude sunbathing within Boardwalk 5.” It’s not officially designated as a nude beach by the National Park Service, but a live and let live vibe exists, as long as there’s no lewd behavior or laws being broken. There are entrance fees: pedestrians and bicycles: $15; vehicles: $25; Annual pass: $45; Senior pass (62+): $20/year or $80/lifetime.
Further south in Brevard County you’ll find Playalinda, another clothing-optional beach in the National Seashore in the town of Titusville. Its proximity to the Kennedy Space Center offers the added distinction of offering up close views of rocket launches. Visitor hours are 6:00am to 8:00pm and entrance fees are same as noted above.
If you’ve never visited a nude beach, you may want to check out the American Association for Nude Recreation’s website and their guide to Nude Beach Etiquette at: https://www.aanr.com/aanr_articles/nude-beach-etiquette/
If lot 5 at Apollo or lot 13 at Playalinda are full you can park at other lots and the walk is a lot shorter. Or, is a bicycle allowed?
I wish you hadn’t published this. It is always over crowded and with only 35 parking spots it leads to lines of idling cars waiting for someone to leave. Also, with the cuts to National Parks, it further strains the abilities of the understaffed Park Rangers. This is not a good time to bring attention marginalized lifestyles. I could easily see this administration stopping the practice of nude sunbathing at these beaches.