It’s that time of the year again to slather on sunscreen and put on the sarong for some serious fun in the sand. Pack your tote bag with essentials – don’t forget beach towels, umbrellas, bottle coozies, “Wanna see my” boxers, and rainbow thongs! – and make plans around the following gayest and gay-friendliest summer destinations in the United States.

Miami, Florida

South Beach, or SoBe, is popular for its biggest gay beach party in North America. Aside from the endless stream of bikini clad men and women in SoBe, there is also the Lords South Beach, the United States' first official gay hotel. Lincoln Road is famous for its high-end shops, Ocean Drive for fine dining, and Haulover Beach for nude swimming. The Sunshine State also has plenty of other popular gay-friendly destinations such as Fort Lauderdale, Orlando and Key West. 

San Diego, California

Laidback and blessed with more than 300 days of sunshine in a year, San Diego attracts visitors of all colors and creed. Black's Beach, in particular, is popular within the rainbow community as a nude beach with the requisite surfers and the occasional seals and dolphins thrown into the mix. Bustling Hillcrest and the artsy North Park are the go-to places of LGBT visitors when they have had enough of sun and sand.

Puna District, Hawaii

Puna, one of the 9 districts on the Big Island, has long attracted off-the-grid types so it's no surprise that it has evolved to become one of the friendliest gay-borhoods in the Aloha State. Apart from gay-owned eco-resorts and clothing optional venue at the black sand Kahena Beach, Puna entices visitors with its rural tropical charm and geologic attraction provided by the highly active Kilauea Volcano (whose rising lava lake, volcanologists say, does not pose immediate threat to communities).

Provincetown, Massachusetts

Filled with as many rainbow flags as it is with wood-shingled cottages, "P-town," located at the tip of Cape Cod, is a gay and lesbian resort community that is ranked among the best seaside vacation destinations in the world. Understandably, it is a favorite place for same-sex weddings not only because of its scenery and bubbly rainbow community, but also because of Massachusetts' same-sex marriage laws that made such unions legal back in 2004. Small it may be, Provincetown has it all - from NYC-caliber drag shows to fine art galleries to upscale inns - for even the most discerning traveler.

Rehoboth Beach, Delaware

If Cape Cod has Provincetown, Chesapeake Bay has Rehoboth Beach. A quintessential beach town, Rehoboth Beach is filled with tiny shops, arcades and boardwalk, and serves up the freshest seafood this side of Delaware. Gays love the Poodle Beach while lesbians prefer the North Shores Beach. During summer, the beach can get crowded with tourists not only from the rainbow community but also from the baby boomers. With its small town charm, seaside delights and tax exemptions for even out-of-state government pensions, AARP voted it as one of the Best Places to Retire.