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| Haulover Beach, Bal Harbor, Miami |
In just less than a week I will point my Jeep southward and head out toward sun, surf, and warm weather. I am very much looking forward to both the drive, even though its quite a long one, and to just getting out of Pittsburgh for a while. The winter here seems to have gone on forever.
I depart for paradise on Saturday morning and will be staying with a friend in Brunswick, Georgia for the overnight on the way down. By Sunday afternoon I should have my toes dug firmly into the white powder sand beach of Haulover.
Haulover Beach is a state park that is located in North Miami Beach in a neighborhood called Bal Harbor. When you hear state park don't think of secluded area in middle of nowhere. Haulover sits adjacent to Trump Tower and a ton of very high priced high rise communities overlooking the azure blue waters of the Atlantic. Not only is it NOT secluded, but it is a NUDE beach. Yes, you heard me....NUDE. Half of the beach is gay, the other half is straight and it is at most times very busy. Its a great place to people watch and the beach is stunningly beautiful.
I am staying at, well, lets face it, a 1950's dump of a motel but the good thing is that it is cheap, clean, and beachfront to Haulover. Any hotel in that area will cost you a good $250.00 a night to stay so this place is a little gem tucked between Trump Tower and a newly constructed high rise condo community. Sunday, Monday, Tues, and Weds, will be spent lounging on the beach during the day, and driving to Lauderdale to go out with friends that live in Oakland Park. I also plan on visiting my friend Sean who lives in Miami not far from Haulover and taking in the sites at South Beach for a night or two. I might even hit up my favorite Cuban restaurant in Coral Gables, called Sergios.
The great thing about Haulover beach is that you can be free and lay out in the nude. If you know me at all, you know that I have absolutely no problem with being nude in public. Nude sunbathing is NOT a sex thing for all you perverted minds out there! Honestly I can say that all the times that I have been on Haulover (and also the nude beaches in Toronto, which in the past was six or seven times a year) I have never seen anything inappropriate going on in the gay section. I did however, once see a straight couple doing things that were just gross but they were quickly ejected from the beach by the lifeguard! Its wonderful to be able to lay there and not be bothered and there is something very liberating about the whole experience. As most of you know, I also own a spot at Roseland which is a gay resort near Pittsburgh. Roseland's pool is clothing optional as well. I have grown so accustomed to laying out naked that it really bothers me to have to put clothes on at the beach.....it almost seems unnatural to me. Why would you want to lay there with wet board shorts down to your knees and have sweat running off from you? Ewww..no thanks.
Haulover is a GREAT place to people watch too, and also to meet people. I met my friend Sean on Haulover a few years ago. Sean is from Jamaica so he is quite tan to begin with but he was slathering on sunblock the day I met him. His towel was a few yards from mine and he looked friendly so we struck up a conversation and have been friends since. Gay people are social creatures and we all love to talk. I have met soooo many great people on the beach there.
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| The Blue Q --- the boat ill be sailing on! |
BLUE Q GAY ADVENTURES KEY WEST -- CLICK HERE FOR THEIR WEBSITE
Thursday morning I will be trekking down to Key West, which I think is my most favorite part of South Florida. If you have not been there, make a point to go! You will feel like you are sitting in the Bahamas. The water is crystal clear and the houses are 1930's Bahamian architecture. Its a very charming place. I am going to be going on an all day sail trip on the Blue Q, which starts out leaving from Mallory Square and sails out into the emerald green waters surrounding the Keys where we will have lunch, do some kayaking into the mangrove forests , and snorkel out over the Great Barrier Reef. Its an all gay cruise, which is again clothing optional! For those of you who have never been to Key West, its a real bitch to find a place to stay that doesnt cost a small fortune or have a four night minimum stay! Most rooms start out at $250 and up. When I used to stay for a week I would rent a private house from Key West Realty. Since I am only going for two nights I am staying at New Orleans House which is a gay Bed and Breakfast attached to a very popular club on Duval Street.
http://www.neworleanshousekw.com/
Friday will be spent hanging out in Key West enjoying the sights and the beach. Key West has some fabulous gay night life and there is always plenty to do, from walking around and enjoying the great architecture and tropical gardens, to taking in all the craziness on Duval Street, or maybe even going to the nightly sunset festival at Mallory Square.
Saturday I will pack it all up and start the trek home from the Keys, which is a 22 hour drive in total. Ill be back in Shitsburgh by Sunday night. :(
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