Dropping your briefs along with your bags upon arrival at a gay clothing-optional resort is a wonderful feeling. ‘Liberating’ is the word most often used!

There’s a plethora of these little gay oases around the world where you can strut your stuff, unfettered by fabric around like minded men. From the intimate to the luxurious, here’s a guide to our top seven gay clothing-optional resorts, where you are free to be as bare as you dare.

Island House – Key West

Key West is a gaytopia all in of itself – a perfect little Caribbean paradise built upon the motto of ‘one human family’. And there’s definitely more than a few gay relatives in the Key West family! So, it should come as no surprise Key West has some of the best gay clothing-optional resorts in the world.

Island House Key West is award-winning and one of the first gay guesthouses in the world, groundbreakingly having opened all the way back in 1976. Since then it has been refurbished and modernized by local gay legend, Jon Allen, into a gaytopia within a gaytopia. 

Inside the resort – besides a lot of naked men guests – you’ll find a gym with a sauna, multiple Jacuzzis, a sundeck and a large pool with a poolside cafe/bar with smoking hot barman.The rooms have large comfy beds, queer art decorating the walls, mood light settings on the mirrors, ceiling fans, light up headboards and snazzy shade control blinds.

Known for its laid-back vibe and open-arms – and open-everything-else for that matter – approach to hospitality, this resort has become a staple in the gay community and hosts events over the year attended by guests and locals alike. In truth, there always seems to be something happening at Island House.

Casa Cupula – Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Vallarta is where the gays like to go to play. The Mexican city has solidified its reputation as a favored gaycation spot of not just the States, but the whole world. 

Casa Cupula is one of the best gay clothing-optional resorts in town to use as a basecamp that’s right in the center of the action. The resort has the perfect blend of luxury and no-holds barred fun. Its location couldn’t be more perfect – sat perfectly on the hills to take advantage of killer views of both the Pacific Ocean and tropical forest while handily being a short walk from Playa de Los Muertos Beach, Vallarta’s gay beach. 

It’s not the cheapest option in the world but they have not one but two swimming pools (one clothing-optional), a sizable hot tub, a spa, a gym and an on-site restaurant, serving Mexican-style dishes and American cuisine to a terrace made to capitalize on the view. Each guest room and suite at Casa Cupula has a unique interior design and original artwork, ranging from the lavish to the only slightly less lavish! With its eclectic décor and festive spirit, it’s also a place where you can party your pants off—literally—and its parties are legendary. 

Coqui del Mar – Puerto Rico

Let’s be real, few travelers go to gay clothing-optional resorts with the sole intention of working on their tan lines: most also go to make connections with their fellow guests.

Coqui del Mar in Puerto Rico is as much about nurturing a sense of community, inclusion and all-round fun as a place to stay. The welcoming, community-based atmosphere of Coqui del Mar simply can’t be matched anywhere else in the Caribbean, or even the rest of the world. Whether you come alone, with your partner or a big group of friends, it’s easy to meet and socialize with other guests while hanging out at the pool, sipping drinks in the jacuzzi or attending their cheeky clothing-optional Saturday barbecues. 

You are free to wander the entirety of the ground floor – which of course include a pool and Jacuzzi – without clothes alongside the other hotties that tend to frequent it. The beach is literally in front of the door and it's an easy walk to the other gay-friendly beaches and the gays bars of the San Juan gay scene. 

Coqui del Mar offers different room types to suit all budgets – from large apartments with full kitchens to shared, hostel-style rooms for solo travelers on a budget. In Coqui del Mar Guest House, clothing may be optional, but fun is mandatory because the nurtured social atmosphere makes sure you’ll make friends and even “friends” on your visit.

InnDulge – Palm Springs

Palm Springs is where the celebrities and closeted gay actors of old used to retreat when they needed a bit of TLC. InnDulge – see what they did there – epitomizes that chilled Palm Springs’ energy and is – as they put it – ‘an oasis in the desert’. The resort staff are beyond friendly and the guests so laid back that they are, in fact, horizontal.

As its facilities are open 24/7, you’re free to be naked and relax around their heated/chilled (depending on the season) saltwater pool or slip into the resort’s 12-man jacuzzi – yes, that’s a lot of men – at your leisure. And at the weekends, things perk up a notch for those infamous Palm Springs pool parties you’ve no doubt heard about. 

The rooms have a cozy homely feel to them and are affordable on most budgets, at least by Palm Springs’ standards. For all these reasons, InnDulge is not only one of the most popular gay clothing-optional resorts in Palm Springs, but one of the top-rated in all of California.

The Grand Resort – Fort Lauderdale

The resort’s name tells you exactly what to expect: unadulterated, naked, grandeur! Fort Lauderdale is as gay as it comes, having the largest number of gay resorts next to Palm Springs, but The Grand Resort has size and experience on its side – certainly a winning combo in life – as the biggest and longest running gay resort in South Florida. The Grand Resort is for those who want to be pampered and luxuriate in their more natural state. The towels are plush, the men are as sophisticated as they’re naked, and the amenities award-winning. 

The resort is actually made up of four interconnected properties: The Worthington, The Grand Resort, Alcazar, and Villa Venice – joined via beautiful garden walkways. The property has four swimming pools, three hot tubs, multiple sun decks, and a full-service day spa. There’s a whopping 96 guest rooms, suites, and penthouses to choose between, which are as luxurious as you would expect. It’s only a short walk to Sebastian Beach and the thriving gay scene on Wilton Drive is a measly 15-minute drive away!

Villa 3 Caparica – Lisbon

Portugal is not well-known as the usual port of call for gay clothing-optional resorts, but Lisbon has a glorious little secret in Villa 3 Caparica. Located just across the river from Lisbon, this intimate resort has the feel of a European villa where you can laze around the pool basking both in the Portuguese sunshine and in the presence of some of Europe’s finest looking men. Despite being small, Villa 3 Caprica has all the facilities one could need including a magnificent swimming pool, Jacuzzi, steam room, dry sauna and even cabins – should you fancy some time with any friends you might make and the LED mood lighting certainly lends itself to a romantic encounter or two. The rooms are simplistic yet comfortable and the hosts are incredibly welcoming, going out of their way to make the place feel like a home from home. 

During high season they run themed nights and weekly parties popular with guests and locals alike and – like most resorts – the gay beach is just a short car/taxi journey away.

Club Torso – Maspalomas

Nudity and Maspalomas go hand in hand – or hand in anywhere for that matter. The Gran Canaria resort town is most (in)famous for its parties, cruisy sand dunes and gay nudist beach.

Club Torso follows suit and doesn’t pretend to be anything it isn’t – it is indeed full of toned torsos taking in the Spanish sun. There’s the usual large pool and Jacuzzi, but also a bar and bistro that keeps the cocktails coming. It has areas to unwind in like a tropical garden primed and pruned to perfection and – if you’re the type that doesn’t like to beat around the proverbial bush – downstairs in the basement you’ll find a large play area. Room options include cute bungalows that add to the holiday resort experience – be sure to get to know your neighbors! 

Another non-resort option for the budding nudist visting Maspalomas is Everything to Sea's Naked Canary Island Villa – ideal for those who want to go all in for a week of self-indulgence. Inside naked men go about their business to the backdrop of a mansion which looks like you’ve been transported back to the sexy 1970’s –with just a touch of the characteristic Spanish flair. Below the mansion they even have a “disco dungeon”, which is exactly what it says on the tin.

General Advice – How to Not be Rude, When You’re In the Nude

Gay clothing-optional resorts appeal to a wide spectrum of people. What tends to join them all together, however, is that they’re all seeking freedom to express themselves while undressing themselves. As such, there aren’t really many “rules” to staying at a clothing-optional resort, besides the obvious of being respectful to others.

First and foremost though, nudity isn’t inherently sexual. Although many people do go to gay clothing-optional resorts with the intention of hooking up, it is by no means the only reason. Some go to relax, some go to make friends and some simply go because they want to dip their toes into the proverbial waters of nudism. In other words, don’t make assumptions – not everyone is free game simply because they’re in the buff.

When and even IF you strip off at all is entirely up to you. It’s “clothing-optional” not “nudism mandatory” so at a clothing-optional resort, you're free to choose whether to wear clothes or not. Most guests alternate between dressing and undressing based on their comfort levels and the activity they are engaging in. Also be sure you know which parts of the resort are actually clothing-optional. Some places limit nudity to the pool or sundeck and so it’s a good idea to bring along a casual outfit or two for dining areas – which may or may not be clothing-optional. 

Most gay clothing-optional resorts offer a range of activities similar to those traditional gay resorts do – if any gay resort can be called “traditional”. Taking part in everything from naked barbecues to pool parties to naked twister is a great way to break the ice, make friends and find connections. And how intimate those connections get is entirely up to your naked selves!