What are the best places to have sex? It's an under-explored question. We're all preoccupied with finding a partner and a position, but don't underestimate the importance of location, location, location.
Seriously, we are not all doomed to slip into a sexless oblivion. Variety—when practiced safely—is the spice that keeps a good sex life hot, even without a hot tub. It doesn’t have to be intimidating either. Sex in public is a fantasy for many people; and if that sounds hot to you, there are several ways to make that happen while maintaining privacy. If you want to live your best sex life, get out of a rut, or explore a new kinky sex idea, start here.
And if the idea of getting it on in a dressing room or on top of a pool table sparks fear in your heart, that doesn’t mean you can’t still be adventurous. Some of the best places to hook up don’t even require leaving your home. Girls star Jemima Kirke prefers keeping it local. “I’m not very adventurous with locations,” she told Glamour in an interview. “I just find a bed to be the best place to do anything. It’s comfortable, you have lots of space. When I say a bed, I mean a king-size strictly, or a California king. A locked door. Good daylight. I love the daylight for that kind of thing, for sex. If the connection is there, I don’t really need any bells and whistles.”
Even so, it can be fun to find new ways to explore that connection. So we rounded up the best places to have sex that will help inspire your bucket list.
1. Your backyard
Sex in the great outdoors can be surprisingly sensual, thanks in part to romantic elements like a starry night or the scent of flowers carried by a light breeze. Taking it out of the house and onto a porch swing, picnic blanket, or poolside lounger lets you experience outdoor action without fear of prying eyes—just make sure your neighbors don’t have a view into your yard. Maybe see what fun you can have on a swing set if you dare.
2. On the beach
Sure, sand will get in all the wrong places, but can you live life without experiencing sex on the beach at least once? If you find yourselves alone on a beach, grab a blanket and get busy. There’s nothing like a quickie under a wide-open sky as the waves crash behind you.
3. Your car (inside)
Although fumbling around in your car might feel like a throwback to your high school days, there’s something about pulling over in a secluded parking lot and getting it on that’s exhilarating and pretty hot. The best places for car sex are spots where you can get it on without being seen while still enjoying the thrill of being somewhere outside the house. Opt for the front seat, or hop in the back if you want to spread out a little more. If the back seat is good enough for Jack and Rose in Titanic…
4. Your car (up against)
Only attempt this if you are guaranteed privacy—seriously, you don't want to be caught having sex in public—but it's many people's fantasy to do it on the hood of their car, music video-style. Blame it on that one Whitesnake video. (Something delightfully seedy about it, no?) Bend over the hood or have your partner hold you up against the passenger-side window.
5. In front of a window
It’s one of the most popular sexual places on this list for a reason. But in order to avoid shocking your neighbors, do this at night with the lights off. You’ll be able to see out, but no one will be able to see in. It’s a fun place for a late-night show. Pro tip: Try it against a hotel room window for the added thrill of a new location.
6. In the kitchen
Hoist yourself up on the kitchen counter or dining table, grab a sex toy and, well, get cooking. You could also lean against an island—or even park yourselves right in front of the fridge. Just make sure you sanitize before making dinner.
7. In your laundry room
If you have one of those gorgeous Pinterest-worthy laundry rooms, by all means, use it. It might sound odd at first, but the laundry room is the perfect place to get down and dirty. There’s something about the height of the washing machine, and the vibrations of a dryer mid-cycle that make for a super-sexy combination. Pro tip: Try getting it on during a warm or hot wash for a little extra heat—and use the cotton cycle for the longest and fastest spin and most vibration.
8. In the shower
Sex in the shower: It’s warm, it’s wet, and it lets you go wild since the sound of running water (mostly) drowns out any sounds. Try it with you bending over, and your partner entering from behind—this works well in the shower because you can anchor your hands on the wall for support. Helpful hint: Use a silicone-based lube any time you’re getting frisky in the water. Silicone lubes are waterproof: You’ll need to rinse it off afterward with soap and water, but it will last until you’re done with it.
9. On your living room floor
Yes, the ol' Netflix and chill. You don't have to reinvent the wheel to find crazy places to have sex around the house. On your next date night, make your own sexy movie theater by picking a kinky show (may we suggest Bridgerton?) and camping out under a blanket on the floor. When things start heating up, make your move—you’ll get an erotic thrill every time you enter the room after that.
10. In the wilderness
Having sex in the great outdoors is actually surprisingly liberating. Imagine it: You’re hiking through the woods, and it’s just chilly enough that you clearly need to find a way to warm up. One thing leads to another, and before you know it, you’re headed off the main trail, using what nature intended (a tree, a boulder—go crazy). Try to find an Airbnb with an outdoor shower or a hammock for a bonus romp area, or get cozy inside a sleeping bag.
11. On a balcony
If you’re more of an indoor person but still want to experience the thrill of sex outdoors or feeling like you’re having sex in public without, you know, being in public places, look no further than your balcony! If you have an enclosed balcony with a bit of room, you can lay out a few blankets and enjoy the fresh air together. Or try leaning against a hotel balcony while your partner gets into position behind you. Enjoy the view, you two exhibitionists.
12. On the couch
As you’re scouting for sexual adventure, don’t overlook couches and overstuffed chairs. Comfy and casual, they provide additional back support, and the low height (compared with beds) makes a range of positions possible. Try straddling your partner’s lap, using the soft cushions as comfortable support for your needs. If the cushions aren’t cooperating, your partner can bounce their knees a bit, sending you up and down with little effort. Try holding hands while you bounce so you can lean back farther—this creates an anchoring line that allows for heavier rocking and rolling.
13. In the good old-fashioned bedroom
Fun places to have sex can still be found inside your home. It may not be the mile-high club, a sauna, or a Ferris wheel, but there’s something about the comfort of your own room (and bed) that allows you to relax and enjoy the moment in a way you might not fully be able to in an unfamiliar setting. If you’re in a setting that’s comfortable, you may even be more open to exploring creative sex positions that are new to you. Plus, you’ll have full access to your favorite sex toys. We’re all for changing things up, but no list of the best places to have sex would be complete without your good ol’ bedroom.
14. In a hot tub
Private tubs only, no hotels, thanks. The risk of a UTI is high, so be sure to pee after (and drink water before so you don't over-heat), but who hasn't wanted to try this? Of all the places to have intercourse, it just makes sense to try one that's already hot and wet. We've all seen That Jacuzzi Scene from Showgirls. Try positioning yourself straddling your partner near a jet for maximum sensation. Since you're lighter in the water, you can even do it standing up and holding each other.
15. In a dressing room
This one is risky—all public sex is—but for some people, that's the whole point. You wouldn't be the first person to spice up shopping by getting frisky behind the curtain. Kneeling on the carpet to give your seated partner oral is easy enough; but if the department store changing room has one of those three-way mirrors, you can also try touching one another in front of it—you'll be able to see the other person's pleasure from every angle. Just remember: You stain it, you buy it. Glamour writer Lizzie Logan confesses, “My boyfriend came shopping with me on my birthday, and he was kind enough to pretend to not to be bored while I tried on clothes. I figured he deserved something for that.”
16. On vacation
Simply being in a new place is often enough to make sex doubly exciting. A bedroom, a couch, a beach…it's a new view, a new smell, and you're not stressed or thinking about work. You can try a new time of day because you're off your usual schedule and actually have time to do plenty of foreplay before and cuddling after. Wear each other out before bed to get ahead of jet lag or unwind after a long day of sightseeing.
17. On your childhood twin bed
Don't let being under your parents' roof during the holidays stop you from enjoying some pleasure. It's a necessity! There's even a song about it from Saturday Night Live. As they sing in “(Do It On My) Twin Bed,” “Come on, sexy boy, gotta do this quick, While my folks are at the pharmacy, my mom is sick.” It might be awkward and hard to keep quiet, but consider how much happier you'll both be listening to those awkward Thanksgiving table debates if you got laid the night before.
18. On the bathroom sink
There are so many possibilities here, from sitting up on the bathroom counter to pressing yourselves up against the wall. What’s especially hot about bathroom action? The large mirrors that let you take in the view. As a rapper once said, “I wanna [sex] you hard in the sink, after that, get you something to drink.” It's also the place to do it at a house party, since using someone else's bed is a bit of a grey area, but the bathroom door always locks. Sit on the lip of the basin and wrap your legs around your partner.
19. In the office
Shut the door, clear off the desk, and dim those fluorescent lights. The possibilities! Cubicles, stairwells, conference room tables…just make sure it's before or after work hours, as that would technically be—okay, it's not really that different. Using your home office and role playing that you're elsewhere certainly takes any risk out and is just as hot. It certainly will make Mondays more tolerable.
