Some properties cater exclusively to males, others to females some are primarily gay-oriented while others draw a mixed crowd there are places that offer clothing-optional policies throughout the property, while others permit nudity around the pool area, or have a designated sundeck for clothes-free tanning. If you are planning to visit one, it is mandatory to look into the details of the accommodation before booking. Many of the most popular clothing-optional hotels in Key West are near Duval Street. The best bet for the naturist visiting Key West is to take advantage of the many private venues that support clothing-optional playing and partying. There are, for example, no nude beaches on the island, and even topless sunbathing in the public realm is confined to a small section of Higgs Beach. However, in general, things are not quite as “free” in Key West as one might think. On many days in town, especially around the big festival dates like Fantasy Fest, it will be hard to move through the crowds without being “exposed” to various degrees and types of nudity. In the modern era, Key West has been a magnet for artists, iconoclasts, hippies, gays, and lesbians since at least the late 1960’s.Īs an accessory to or upshot of all of this, in Key West, naturist and clothing-optional facilities and activities are a big part of the urban scene. The island has always hosted multiple racial and cultural groups, a mix of seafarers and landlubbers, travelers and permanent residents, fishermen and factory owners, businesspeople, pirates, smugglers, and rumrunners. Perhaps due to its history as a free-wheeling port city on a remote island, Key West has long been a place where tolerant, liberal attitudes set the tone for eccentric, creative lifestyle choices.