Cruises have become big business over the last few decades, with ever-larger ships and cruise lines introducing novel ways to fill them. Offering the very best in entertainment, dining, and onboard activities, along with cool shore excursions, cruise lines now also offer “themed” charters catering to special interest groups… or in other words, like-minded people.

Beyond the traditional “families with kids and seniors” or “adults only” groups, themed cruises vary on almost any topic you can think of. From music-centered voyages (think hard rock or disco to country music and jazz) and wine lovers’ getaways to Star Trek enthusiasts, Disney die-hards, cat lovers, and Broadway fans — the list is endless. Therefore, not surprisingly, given the increasing recognition of the benefits and popularity of nude vacations, you can hit the high seas au naturel on a charter nude cruise.

My wife and I were recently invited to join the Bare Necessities 14-day “Big Nude Boat” cruise around the Caribbean. Whilst we had sailed naked before, this was our first experience of joining 1,600 like-minded naturists aboard a large passenger ship — in this case the Carnival Pride. We sailed from Tampa — stopping off at various Caribbean islands and private cruise line islands — and enjoyed a wide variety of activities on board. We met wonderful people, visited a couple of UNESCO World Heritage sites, relaxed on the most idyllic beaches in the world, and returned home totally relaxed and without tan lines.

Here are a few things to know before you take the plunge and book your nude cruise.

1. Confirm What Type Of Cruise You Are Booking

This is essential. Do not confuse a “nude” or “naturist” cruise with a “lifestyle” cruise. Naturist/nudist cruises allow you to be on the ship without clothes (except in restaurants where clothing is appropriate) and are for people who appreciate the freedom of not having to wear clothes. “Lifestyle” cruises are more likely to be for swingers and “clothing optional” cruises are usually not naturist/nudist-oriented but cater more to adults seeking a more erotic experience. Words matter, so read the cruise description carefully to not be surprised or offended.

2. Bring Clothes

Although you are likely to be naked most of the time, there are times when you need to cover up. Generally, nudity is not allowed in sit-down restaurants. When docked in port, you must be dressed as others may be able to see you. The same applies when a pilot is on board to help guide the ship in or out of the port. The intention is not to offend, so pay attention to announcements made over the ship’s PA system. A wrap or sarong are ideal for this. Appropriate deck shoes are also required.

3. Bring More Clothes

Yes, really! Many of these cruises involve theme nights where naturists like to dress up in costumes. My limit was to use a bedsheet and pretend to wear a toga, but others brought a suitcase full of gear for every occasion. Who knew naturists liked to dress up? Remember that shore excursions also require appropriate clothing.

4. Protect Yourself

Nude cruises don’t typically sail to Alaska — for obvious reasons. It’s going to be hot and there are likely parts of your body that will not have seen so much sun. Protect them. The first two items on your packing list should be a wide-brimmed hat and sunscreen — lots of it. Sunscreen can be very expensive to buy on board, so pack more than you think you will need.

5. No Need To Pack Towels

Although naturist etiquette demands you always sit on a towel when nude, there is no need to bring your own. Cruise lines have plenty and frequently will have them located all over the ship for you to pick up.

6. It’s Ok To Take Photographs (Sort Of)

You’re on vacation and it’s natural you would want to take some snaps to capture the moment. Taking photos of your fellow nude passengers is only ever ok if you have their explicit permission and even then, be careful not to capture fellow travelers in your picture. It is never ok just to snap away, and you will likely lose your camera if you do. If others happen to be in your line of sight, a simple word to them usually puts their mind at rest. There are “No Photo” zones on the ship (the pool and nightclub are examples) where photography is verboten.

7. Leave The Lingerie At Home

Being nude on board is fine — that’s why you are there. Wearing lingerie around the ship (at any time) is not appropriate for a naturist cruise.

8. Nudity Is Not Mandatory

Naturists love being naked but they’re not stupid. If it’s cold, they put on clothes. Some areas of the ship (theaters for example) are often over-cooled with the air conditioning running full blast, so it makes sense to throw on some clothes. Since you lose most of your body heat through your top half, you’ll find people donning a shirt whilst maintaining the freedom down low.

Not everyone on board will be an experienced nudist. It may take a while for some people to become comfortable being completely nude around others; no one will tell you to get naked.

9. Respect The Crew

The crew respects our choice to be nude even if some of them may feel a little uncomfortable. Chatting naked to staff is fine but do not behave like an exhibitionist and make others uncomfortable.

10. Bring Cash

There is no need for cash while on board — all purchases are done quickly by swiping your room key card. Charges appear on your final bill and are posted directly to your credit card on file. However, when visiting local businesses on shore excursions (including local taxi drivers) cash is a must as many businesses do not accept credit cards. Tipping the cabin and restaurant staff is also most easily done with cash and U.S. dollars are much appreciated.

11. Be Prepared To Get Involved

In addition to the usual cruise line entertainment activities (endless bingo, trivia quizzes, comedy shows, etc.) Bare Necessities added many other activities — often hosted by fellow naturist guests. We made jewelry, tried ballroom dancing, learned about the night sky overhead, and worked on our pickleball skills. I photographed a number of models during a photography workshop, and I conveniently went missing when called to aquarobics.

12. Don’t Be Anonymous

I have a good memory — it’s just that the older I get the shorter it becomes and the fewer names I can recall. Some people wear a neat necklace with their name made of Scrabble-like blocks on it. A perfect accessory to help people remember you saves a lot of embarrassing head scratching later.

13. Check If You Can Bring Drinks On Board

This applies to any cruise and if ever there was a time to create an excel spreadsheet, this is it. Figure out if a drinks package is worth it. You may balk at paying $12 for a glass of wine at dinner, but do the math and you may find it is way cheaper to pay per drink than to establish a second mortgage to quench your thirst. Some cruise lines allow you to bring some drinks on board: Carnival allowed us to bring some bottled water, wine, and sodas on board but amounts vary so do check beforehand.

If you enjoy cruising and want to experience the ultimate in freedom and relaxation with like-minded, non-judgmental people who accept others how they are, then it’s time to book that nude cruise and free your mind and body.

In case you haven’t heard, the week after Independence Day is Nude Recreation Week — also known as National Nude Week. From July 10 to July 16, 2023, thousands across the US will use this excuse to strip off, head to a nude beach, check in at a nude resort, jump into a hot tub, or simply hang out in the garden — naked. But why wait until July?

Naturism, also known as nudism, is all about enjoying life without the encumbrance of clothes — when it makes sense to do so. Have you ever seen a 2-year-old running around when freed from their diaper? They always have a grin from ear to ear as they enjoy their newly found freedom. Well, that’s pretty much what it feels like when you first step outside into the warmth wearing absolutely nothing at all. And no matter how many times you have enjoyed nude recreation, the exhilaration and sense of freedom that comes with stepping out of your clothes never seem to diminish.

Millions of people globally have discovered the joy of spending time naked, from Australia to northern Europe and, yes, even here in the U.S.A. Naturism is traditionally a family pursuit — head to Europe and you will see three generations of family enjoying life on the beach with not a stitch of clothing between them. Grandma, daughter, and grandchild will all be equally unclothed. You may think naturism is the preserve of aged hippy boomers (and to some extent, it has been) but they’re far from alone.

Enjoying life au naturel, whether it’s an extended 3-week vacation or a quick day trip to the beach, is not restricted to any one age group, demographic, or gender, and in naturist circles, you will come across older couples (“We’re at that age where we don’t care what we look like”), younger couples, groups of friends, families with children, single men and women, gays, lesbians, white, black, large and small, tattooed and pierced, people with disabilities, others sporting foot-long scars and any other combination you can think of.

So what is a nude vacation, and why should you consider experiencing one? Simply put, a nude vacation (or “nakation” as it is cutely called) is one where you can experience doing all the things you normally enjoy on vacation, but without clothes. Nudity is the norm. It may be as simple as taking a beach vacation where the beach is clothing optional or a rental property where you can sunbathe or splash in a jacuzzi without the need for a swimsuit.

On a recent nude cruise, we found that over 75 percent of passengers were returning guests — an incredible return rate when you consider the average cruise return rate is nearer to 30 percent. So why do people return to take nude vacations year after year and why should you consider joining them? Here are 11 good reasons.

1. It’s Liberating

Vacations are a time to relax. Being naked is the most liberating feeling in the world. Stepping out of your clothes gives you a sense of freedom — not only from tight, constricted clothes but also freedom of the baggage that comes with it. No more worrying about how you look — “Does this match?” “Do I look big in this?” and no more continuous adjustment of bra straps or swimming shorts. It’s just so much easier, allowing you to relax on a whole new level.

2. You Will Lose Your Inhibitions 

When you lose your clothes, you also lose your inhibitions — it makes you freer. It doesn’t mean to say you act inappropriately or do things you wouldn’t do dressed; it’s just easier to kick back and destress. Many find that their worries tend to get left behind with their clothes.

3. Experience Less Judgment

Being naked among others is a great social leveler. It’s hard to judge or pigeonhole someone when they are naked. Suddenly you find your prejudices have also been left behind with your clothes.

Some will have known the naturist lifestyle from birth; others will have stumbled across a clothing-optional beach and been tempted to try it. The one age range which is sometimes less common are the early teens — our two sons were happy running around naked until they reached puberty. At that point, they would happily sit talking with their (male and female) friends around the pool, all with a towel wrapped around their waists but as soon as they went for a swim, they would all drop their towels and splash around in the water. Once out of the pool, the towels went back around their waists. Go figure.

So, if naturists are not just retired boomers or old hippies with addled brains, who are they? They’re you. Naturists come from all walks of life — but here’s the thing: When everyone is naked, you cannot tell if someone is a millionaire CEO or earning minimum wage and has just finished the night shift. You cannot tell if they have a Ph.D., just completed a long brain surgery, given their last sermon for the day, or are chilling out before going to restack an Amazon warehouse. The one thing they have in common is that they have discovered the freedom of nude recreation and enjoy vacations where they can literally let it all hang out.

4. Gain Body Confidence

Surrounded by others of all colors, shapes, sizes, scars, and disfigurements, you realize no one has the perfect body (whatever that is), and, you know what? You stop worrying about your own body or caring about others’. I recall one very large woman in Greece making her way into the swimming pool. Instead of gently climbing into the pool, she jumped in. To this day, I can vividly recall her in mid-air, large boobs like Dumbo’s ears flying behind her. It was an amusing sight and one that has stayed with me because she was so comfortable in her own body. Naturism will do that to you.

5. Accept Others For Who They Are

It’s so much easier to accept others for who they really are when they are stripped of external paraphernalia and you have left your preconceived ideas and prejudices on the floor with your clothes.

6. No Tan Lines

What looks or feels better than sporting a healthy tan? After your vacation, that sense of well-being stays with you as it’s reflected in your all-over tan. And, with no tan lines, you look good no matter what you wear.

7. Make Real Friends For Life

On a nude vacation, you spend time with like-minded people. We have found our best friends through naturism, and I suspect it’s because everyone is so open. There are no airs and graces; you see people for who they really are, and so it’s much easier to make friends and lasting relationships.

8. Travel Light

Let’s face it, you won’t be packing as much stuff when you travel. For starters, leave the swimming costumes at home (chances are you won’t be needing them ever again anyway). You might not be nude for a full 2 weeks, but you sure won’t need three outfits a day. And for small kids, this has to be a blessing. So, packing is easier and you have less luggage to haul around.

9. It’s Cheaper

There really is no need to buy a new swimsuit every year. Grown out of those summer pants? Who cares, you won’t be wearing them anyway. Yes, you will need clothes, but not as many! Pack light and don’t pay for that additional bag.

10. There Are So Many Places To Try It

Miami’s Haulover clothing-optional beach is a great place to experience your first nude beach experience. Florida, California, Mexico, and the Caribbean have numerous places to enjoy a nakation – from family-friendly nudist resorts (Cypress Cove in Florida) to all-inclusive, adults-only nudist resorts (check out Hidden Beach Resort on the Riviera Maya).

If you like to enjoy the great outdoors under canvas, pitch your tent in a remote spot in the countryside or check into a more rustic nudist resort — (check out the American Association For Nude Recreation site for a comprehensive list of clothing-optional resorts). Either way, sleep naked and don’t bother to dress until you have packed away your tent. If you enjoy sightseeing, how about staying in a nudist-friendly bed and breakfast (Nuance in Michigan is a fine example) or a condo with a secluded pool you can use in the raw; check out bed and breakfasts in Key West, for example. 

If sailing is your thing, charter a crewed clothing-optional tour or join other like-minded folks on a nude cruise (check out Bare Necessities). If you are ready to go “all in,” stay at a naturist resort — there are hundreds to choose from in North America alone — where you can be nude all day (and night) long. Resorts vary in style — from basic “rustic” to five-star luxury, but they all offer the opportunity to relax, walk, swim, and often play sports — all without a stitch of clothing.

Venture farther afield to Europe and there are resorts where you can spend your whole vacation without the need to ever get dressed. Many years ago, my wife and I spent a getaway in a French resort with our two young sons; one suitcase, four towels — that was it. We stripped when we arrived and dressed only when we left 2 weeks later.

In between, we enjoyed the beach and sea, rode our bikes, swam in the pool, went to the bakery for our fresh bread every morning, shopped for groceries, and even went to the bank. We never got dressed. It was one of the most relaxing vacations we have ever taken. And that’s a sentiment millions of others have found, too.

11. It Just Feels So Darn Good

The most important reason you should consider a nude vacation — it just feels so darn good to lose your clothes and feel the warm, gentle breeze caress your body. Imagine walking out of the sea, up the beach, and lying down on your towel. No tight, soggy swimsuit that clings to every crevice and no sand in those most intimate places. Let the sun dry you off as you say aaaaghhhh.

National Nude Week is an opportunity for naturists to raise the profile of this wonderfully liberating lifestyle. Nude vacations are on the increase, and this summer is definitely the time to plan yours. For more information, check out The Naturist Society (TNS) and AANR for naturism in North America, the International Naturist Federation for overseas, and the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) referenced in the first paragraph of this article.

Taking the plunge? Don’t forget these seven things you must pack for your naturism vacation.

You could say I take my get-away-from-it-all vacations seriously. For these precious 10 days or so, I work hard to leave stress, worries, and anxieties behind and forget about everything that normally keeps me awake or glued to a screen. I do as much, or as little, as I want and live on my own schedule. Oh, and I want to be comfortably warm, well-fed and watered, and have a pulse rate nearer to 50 than 80. Here are the reasons Hidden Beach Au Naturel (as in, clothing optional) Resort is my favorite in Riviera Maya, Mexico, for achieving just that. 

It’s An Easy Travel Destination

A single, non-stop flight to a warmer climate is a must to avoid the nagging worry and additional stress of missing connections. Mexico fits the bill nicely, specifically the Riviera Maya, with many airlines offering direct routes to popular destination hot spots from just about anywhere in North America — many in under 5 hours.

Need A Ride? Hassle-Free Transportation

If you have ever flown into Cancun, you will have experienced the gauntlet when leaving the airport. Hordes of humanity are waiting to “help” you — many are indeed genuinely trying to help you find where you are going; others will try to sell you everything from accommodation to tours, and it can be hard to differentiate between the two. So, how wonderful it is to see a driver holding aloft a sign with your name on it among the teeming crowds, allowing you to slice through the throng of tourists to your waiting, air-conditioned vehicle. Stressful? Not really. Within minutes my wife and I are hurtling south, air conditioning humming gently as we sip champagne. We proceed directly to the resort — no fiddling with maps or second-guessing the GPS. No arguing about which exit to take. An hour or so after leaving the airport we are standing in the reception of the all-inclusive Hidden Beach Au Naturel Resort — our everyday worries strewn along the highway behind us.

Don’t Speak Spanish? ‘No Problema’

Hidden Beach is one of a number of high-end resorts hugging Mexico’s Riviera Maya coastline, each one trying to outdo the next with impressive gated walls, dancing fountains, and luscious, manicured gardens beckoning passing travelers to leave the dusty highway and step into a piece of Eden. Owned by the Karisma group, Hidden Beach is one of three all-inclusive resorts located side by side at the end of a long, palm tree-lined drive. An understated, polished, wooden door with keypad is the entrance to the resort. Our driver jumped out and keyed in the code. The door opened and a colorful vista unfolded in front of us. Large palm trees, fronds weighed down with basketball-sized coconuts, plants with leaves larger than umbrellas, and brightly colored, delicate flowers traced a path deeper into the resort. The serenity hits you and an involuntary aaagggghhhh escapes. We meandered up the path to Reception — a welcoming, tropical glass octagon with comfy sofas and a couple of desks. If your Spanish is not up to scratch, “no problema” — English is widely spoken.

Like A Room With A View? No High Rise Blocks Here

Hidden Beach is not overlooked by its two adjacent sister properties due to the large swaths of palm trees that surround it. No building here is more than two stories high and the relatively small size of the resort (there are only 42 rooms at the resort, a number of which are swim up) makes for a very comfortable and intimate escape.

The pool is often the centerpiece of any resort, and Hidden Beach is no exception. The pool is shaped like a small lake with channels running into it and with areas of shelves where sun loungers stand in a foot of water. Large and deep enough for regular aquarobic sessions and spirited but friendly water volleyball games, the pool is also home to a thatched-roofed, moon-shaped bar — complete with underwater bar stools. The channels are no more than 3 feet deep and lead to each of the swim-up rooms — perfect for those whose workout involves wading through warm water.

Three steps down from the pool deck lead to the remains of the beach — a tiny sandy strip 20 yards wide with more sun loungers, many under the shade of palm trees or palm umbrellas. The pièce de resistance are the four-poster, king-sized beds arranged on the sand – what better place to watch the sun rise over the water each morning?

Feeling Hungry? Eat And Drink Any Time

Breakfast and dinner are taken in the outdoor restaurant — a thatch-roofed open space with white cloth dining, a gentle breeze wafting as you lazily savor the next delicious meal. Don’t fancy anything on the menu? Simply tell the staff what you’d like and chances are the chef will prepare it for you. Stressed because you have food allergies? There is no need to be — the staff cannot do enough and will take care of you. Dinner menus are rotated and shared with the other sister resorts so there is always something new.

Lunch was al fresco from an impressively laid-out buffet. The biggest chore was to get off the sun lounger and meander over to the picnic tables all of 40 yards away.

There is a danger of developing gills here from spending hours on end in the water ± chatting or floating with eyes closed or sitting at the bar making new friends. The bar is always open and serving brightly colored drinks with appealing names that make your feet disappear. If nothing else, try the “Mini Beer” — Liquor 43 with frothy milk on top. It’s a shot but looks like a beer. You will not be able to have just one. 

Exercise — If You Must

There is a fully equipped gym at the resort and we did see it in use — once. Daily aquarobics sessions in the pool and sociable, anyone-can-play, co-ed, all-ages-and-skill-level water volleyball are the main sources of daily exercise. Early morning long strolls along the palm-fringed, golden beach are also popular though the beach has to be accessed via one of the adjacent properties. (It is called Hidden Beach, after all, and the lack of its own beach is the only negative with this otherwise beautiful resort.)

Another way to burn off those calories is through nightly dancing to local entertainment. Acts varied from local bands, cultural dancers, and acrobats — and no matter how late you stayed jiving away to the latest hits, the bar staff would stay longer!

Not Completely Relaxed Yet? Pamper Yourself

There is a wonderful independent spa shared by the three resorts. Try hydrotherapy: dipping into different temperature pools, slowly coming to the boil in a steam room followed by a quick freeze in a cold room. I’m sure the latter was supposed to do me good, but I confess to having spent a more comfortable 15 minutes. The luxuriating massage that followed, however, more than made up for that.

It’s Okay To Leave

While there really is no need to leave the resort, if you feel like a change from endless, horizontal relaxation, Hidden Beach is well located to provide a diversion or two. The ancient Maya ruins are only about 25 miles away in Tulum, and there are many cenotes locally where you can take a lazy dip. Private tours can be organized through Hidden Beach and once again, we were chauffeured with a glass of mimosa in our hands. If there is a better way to explore, I’d like to hear it. 

Ultimate Freedom And Relaxation

There is no doubt that days consisting of lying in the sun, reading a trashy novel, dipping in and out of the pool, eating gourmet food, napping to the sound of the waves, strolling among tropical plants, and making the major decision of the day: what to choose for dinner, makes for a relaxing vacation. But to achieve a feeling of total freedom and abandon from all of life’s cares, to leave your emotional baggage behind, leave your clothes, too. At Hidden Beach (Au Naturel) resort, you do not need to bring the latest swimsuit. Here, like-minded folk — from their 20s to their 80s – enjoy life sans clothes. From rolling out of bed in the morning to rolling in off the dance floor in the evening, the last thing you need to worry about is what to wear.

It’s truly amazing how just losing your clothes and your inhibitions leads to a more peaceful, liberated, and open state of mind. Yes, it may take you a few minutes to get used to being nude on your first visit, but the sense of release and calm is something you will want to experience time and again. In today’s high-paced world, all-inclusive resorts certainly make vacationing less stressful, but for the ultimate in relaxation, leave your swimsuit behind, too.

For more clothing-optional inspiration, check out all our naturism content here.

Going au naturel is a way of life for France’s naturist community of over 1.5 million people, one of the largest in Europe. Topless beaches have been the norm in France since the 1950s, and the French have a healthier relationship with body images than many other societies. There are naturist camps and resorts across France, mainly in the south and southwest because of the warmer temperatures. We have gathered a list of top nude resorts in France for you to ponder. 

1. Cap d’Agde

Cap d’Agde is one of the oldest and largest nuturist resorts in France and the largest in the world. The freewheeling naturist lifestyle at the seaside resort of Cap d’Agde started in the 1960s and continues today to be a top naturist destination. 

Located in southwest France in the Occitanie region near the city of Montpellier, Cap d’Agde is spread over 68 acres near the sea and the forest. There’s a wide, sand beach about a mile long on the Mediterranean Sea. The beach has two facilities, Paralia Beach Club and La Meridienne, which have a café and restaurant, bar, sunbeds and mats, parasols, and pedal boat rentals. 

In the height of the summer months, Cap d’Agde has between 30,000 and 50,000 visitors. There’s an extensive array of accommodations for all budgets including a camping site, villas with pools, cottages, hotels, apartments, and mobile homes. 

Cap d’Agde also has a shopping center, supermarket, boutiques, a bakery, and a camping store. 

Montpellier is the closest large city to Cap d’Agde, about 60 minutes by car. There’s the Béziers Cap d’Agde Airport, which has a shuttle service to the village and beaches. The train stations Agde, Béziers, and Sète are the closest. 

Pro Tips

• Even though Cap d’Agde is family and child friendly, be aware that there are parts of the resort that have sexual activities plus adult and swinger activities at night. 
• Most of the staff speak English at Cap d’Agde. 

2. Euronat

For first-time naturists, Euronat may be the best place to test out the waters, which is more like a friendly village. Set in a pristine, pine forest covering 825 acres, it leads to a beautiful, three-quarter-mile, fine sand beach with dunes on the Atlantic Ocean. Euronat is situated in the Medoc region of the Gironde department of southwest France and can be reached by train and bus from Bordeaux, or by car from Bordeaux, approximately a one-hour drive.

The Euronat resort offers lots of fun activities such as pottery-making classes, bike riding, picnicking, painting, and a swimming pool to make you feel all the more comfortable while being naked. 

Euronat is also child and family-friendly, and there are fun activities for children of all ages from 3 all the way up to teenagers over 14. Activities include craft workshops, games, music classes, surfing, sports tournaments, tennis, and swimming. 

Accommodations include pitches for tents, mobile homes, semi-detached houses, small lodges and cottages, and chalets, all at reasonable prices. 

There’s a shopping center plus restaurants, cafes, and bars in the village. The Thalasso Spa offers a sauna, Turkish-style steam bath, Jacuzzi, swimming pool filled with warm seawater, massages, facial and body treatments, scrubs, seaweed and mud wraps, and a beauty salon for haircuts and makeup treatments. 

3. Tahiti Beach, Saint Tropez

Saint Tropez, the legendary beach resort on the French Riviera, has been known for its hedonistic lifestyle since the swinging 60s, so a nude beach is only natural. Tahiti Beach is a “clothing optional” sand beach about 3 miles from the village of Saint Tropez. Letting it all hang out on Tahiti Beach can get expensive, with hotel rooms going for at least $350-$475 per night in the height of the summer. Best to come in June or September when it’s still warm enough to be naked and the hotel rates substantially lower. 

There are several luxury beach clubs on Tahiti Beach, including Byblos Beach Club, Club 55, Tahiti Beach Club, and Lou Lou Beach club, which has chairs, towels, and umbrella rentals, restaurants, cafes, and bars. 

Pro Tips

• You must wear clothing at the beach clubs, restaurants, cafes, and bars. 
• Brigitte Bardot plunged Saint Tropez into the limelight when she starred in the film And God Created Woman in 1956, and she continues to live there up to this day. 

4. Paris

We weren’t going to include Paris on the list, but we did find a small naturist enclave close to the middle of the city. The Bois de Vincennes, a park and forest just on the outskirts of Paris and reachable by metro, has a naked sunbathing area. 

5. La Sablière 

Located in the Gard region in eastern France, La Sablière is a naturist camp and resort on the Ceze River surrounded by forest and mountains. La Sablière caters more to families seeking out fun activities such as canoeing and kayaking, swimming in the river and outdoor and indoor pools, hiking and climbing, tennis, miniature golf, pottery classes, archery, volleyball, table tennis, and a kids club. There’s also a gym facility with workout machines and a spa with skin, body, and beauty treatments, massages, and steambath. 

There’s also great sightseeing in the area outside La Sablière, including the ancient Pont du Gard bridge from when the Romans occupied this region of France, the cities of Nimes and Avignon, the market in the village of Barjac, museums, and la Cocalière caves. 

You can choose from a wide variety of accommodations at La Sablière, including furnished tents, bungalows, mobile homes, and chalets. 

6. CHM-Montalivet

CHM-Montalivet is the oldest nuturist resort in France, opened in 1950 in the Vendays-Montalivet region of the Gironde department. The sprawling 430-acre site with 7.5 miles of roads, has a 1.2-mile stretch of beach on the Atlantic ocean. CHM-Montalivet is more like a self-contained naturist city where almost everything you need and want is there without having to leave the premises. 

The resort boasts a shopping area with 20 shops, a supermarket, 11 restaurants, two bakeries, a newsstand, an organic food shop, butcher, fishmonger, cultural center, library, cybercafe, two swimming pools, and a cinema. There’s also a huge focus on sports and activities including petanque courts, archery, tennis, soccer, handball, volleyball, and a gym. 

Kids are included in the fun, and there’s an aquatic park with a paddle pool and water slide, a playground, and clubs they can join according to their age, which has activities such as singing, dancing, drawing, live shows, parties, and sports competitions. 

CHM-Montalivet is divided into 20 villages, each with its own identity. There’s a mix of over 1,000 privately owned chalets, bungalows, and 260 sites for camping. 

7. Verdon Provence 

On a smaller scale than some of the larger resorts in this article is Verdon Provence, located in the popular Provence area of France. Located on a high hill, it has a pretty view of Lake Esparron-de-Verdon, where you can swim naked in the cool, refreshing water or swim in a nearby creek. 

The campsite includes a heated swimming pool, a full-service restaurant, bar, a sauna, and massages. Boule tournaments, naturist hikes, and aqua aerobics are the activities available, and there’s also a kids club twice a week where they can participate in games, arts and crafts, and sports. 

The Provence region surrounding the camp has a wealth of culture and heritage sites including the famous lavender fields, olive farms, Musée de la Préhistoire (the largest prehistoric museum in Europe), stunning gorges, rosé wineries, the factory where L’Occitaine cosmetics and skincare products are produced, and Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, a charming village named one of the most beautiful in France. 

8. Les Lauzons 

Located on a beautiful hill on the edge of the Luberon in the Provence region, Les Lauzons, is a site that glows in sunshine for most of the summer months, ideal for outdoor activities and living. The four-star, upscale resort has an excellent restaurant using local ingredients in its dishes, a small grocery store and bakery with daily fresh-baked breads and pastries, washing machines, a sauna, a massage facility, and a bar. Some of the activities include petanque games, craft workshops, and musical evenings with live entertainment. The main structure of the Les Lauzons is an ancient 17th-century stone building. 

There are three pools to enjoy with many water activities including a heated lap pool which also has a toboggan water slide, a round pool for general swimming, a kiddie pool, and aquatic games. 

Les Lauzons offers many types of accommodations including tents, chalets, lodges with mini-kitchens, mobile homes, and eco-trailers.

Pro Tips: There’s a rental fee of $18 for a set of sheets and $12 for a set of towels. There are charming Provence villages nearby to visit such as Forcalquier, Manosque, Sisteron, and Les Mées. 

Etiquette

There are some general common-sense tips and etiquette to follow when visiting naturist resorts and camps in France. 

• Be respectful of others around you and don’t gawk or stare, as this makes other people self-conscious and uncomfortable. 
• Don’t take photos. If you do want to take a photo, ask permission, and do not post on the internet or on social media, without asking permission. 
• Children are welcome at all of these resorts and most of them have special activities geared for families and children.
• Wear highly protective sunscreen, at least 30 SPF, all over your body, even on cloudy days, plus wearing a hat and sunglasses will also protect you from the sun. 
• This tip is for men. If for some reason you feel sexually aroused, which can sometimes happen, take the necessary steps to control the situation by either going into the water or covering up with a towel or a pair of shorts.

It’s nakation time! Time to step out of your clothes, let the warm breeze waft across your body, and go aaaahhhh as you feel life’s daily stresses begin to ebb. The world is reopening to travelers and nude vacations offer many varied opportunities for those seeking the ultimate in freedom, relaxation, and fun. Whether you’re looking for a get-away-from-it-all peaceful retreat to recharge your batteries or an all-inclusive resort stay where clothing is left in the closet — or something in between — the naturist world has you (un)covered.

Here are some of the best options for your next nakation.

1. The Best Naturist Resorts For Families And Couples

The list of great naturist resorts for singles, couples, and families is endless, but here are just a few of the very best. Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park located less than an hour north of Toronto is a favorite for naturist families and people of all ages. The atmosphere here is one of welcome, acceptance, openness, and freedom — the pillars of naturism if you like — so it’s no surprise to see families with children, teens, and young adults enjoying life here, bringing a joyous, vivacious vibrancy to the place.

In Europe, La Jenny and Euronat on France’s west coast near Bordeaux are two of the largest and most established naturist resorts in the world. Located in large pine forests adjacent to miles of Atlantic beach, you will undress on arrival and not dress until you leave at the end of your nakation. Cycle to the bakery in the morning then stroll to the beach to work on that all-over tan. In the afternoon, hit a few golf balls (La Jenny) and laze in one of the many pools before heading to the on-site supermarket for your fresh grocery shopping. 

In the height of the summer, you will be rubbing shoulders with newborns to fourth-generation grandmas, all seemingly who have forgotten to get dressed. But even though there may be as many as 10,000 people nakationing in these two pockets of paradise, the resorts are so large you never feel you are living on top of each other. Cabins in the pine forests are well spaced out and fully equipped so once you arrive, there is no need to leave. Fly to Bordeaux and take a taxi for the 50-mile trip.

A little further south on Spain’s Andalusian coast lies Vera Playa and its “naturist urbanization.” Think of a small community with two-story buildings, grassy areas and pools, shops, restaurants, and a four-star hotel that fronts a wide sandy clothing-optional beach, and where there is no need to dress. There are no gates or obvious markings that show where this naturist urbanization stops and starts — it just blends into the rest of the local area so you have to take care not to wander too far to avoid drivers politely honking their horns at you. If your idea of a nakation is staying in a Holiday Inn-style hotel where you can (generally) be nude and wander to the beach all without dressing, this is the place for you.

In the United States, Mountain Air Ranch (MAR), just south of Denver, is another exceptional club for families. Located in 150 acres of beautiful, raw Colorado landscape, MAR offers a great escape from today’s hectic pace. A sense of freedom just blows through the wide open spaces of this mountain retreat that has been a draw for families for more than 80 years. There is a clubhouse for teens and a play area for the younger kids as well as all the usual amenities (clubhouse, pool, volleyball, etc.) you would expect from a well-established and popular resort.

2. Got an RV? Pull In Here

On long road trips, why not break the trip with overnight stops at naturist resorts? There are so many naturist resorts waiting to welcome you that with some good planning, you can be clothes free every night. Degrees of comfort vary — some offer full hookups and dump stations, others not much more than a space to pull into and share a communal bathhouse. A couple of favorites are Turtle Lake Resort and Sunshower Country Club in the U.S. Midwest, Whitetail resort in Virginia, and Whispering Pines Nudist Resort in North Carolina. These are great places to relax, skinny-dip in the pool, make new friends and unwind for a couple of days before heading off on the next leg of your road trip.

3. Sleeping Without A Stitch Under Canvas

There’s only one way to spend the night in a tent when it’s hot outside — naked. There are numerous naturist resorts in North America and Europe where you can pitch your tent and enjoy the amenities without the hassle of having to get dressed every time you step out of your tent. Apart from some higher-end resorts, almost all naturist sites have places to pitch tents — it’s simple, it’s quick and it’s cheap. The best part, you won’t get sweaty erecting your tent because you will have already stripped. Many resorts have a lake or river so just be careful where you pitch — mosquitos don’t care where they feast — even if you do.

4. Clothed Sightseeing, Naked Relaxation

For those seeking to combine textile sightseeing as well as naked freedom, choose to stay at a naturist resort close to the sights or make use of clothing-optional activities in an otherwise textile world. Visiting Mickey at Disneyworld in Florida? Check into Cypress Cove Nudist Resort in Kissimmee, one of Florida’s premier naturist resorts and just a 30-minute drive from the Magic Kingdom. The Cove is a well-established high-end resort with modern pools, hotel rooms, restaurant, bar, spa, exercise room, and recreational facilities as well as its own lake. Beware the alligator if you decide to swim.

California’s Glen Eden Sun Club is less than 40 miles from the other Disney — Disneyland Park in California, 60 miles to Los Angeles, and 85 miles to San Diego, making this a perfect base for California dreamin’.

5. The Ultimate In Relaxation

For the ultimate in relaxation, head to Hidden Beach Au Naturel Resort in Mexico’s Riviera Maya. This five star all-inclusive resort is adults only. With swim up bars, rooms you can swim to, moonlight dinners on the beach, and massages on the sand, it’s a couples’ retreat par excellence. This is high-end nakationing and if you’re concerned the “Adults Only” tag may suggest a different lifestyle, it may elsewhere … at Hidden Beach, it does not.

6. Wear Nothing But Hiking Boots

If hiking is your thing, then why not join like-minded folks and step out on a clothes-free hike? The Naked European Walking Tour (NEWT) has organized naked hiking tours for more than 15 years, and these dedicated hikers march across the Alps wearing nothing but hiking boots and a smile. They do carry a backpack for their clothes of course, in case of changing weather conditions and for those places where it isn’t appropriate to be nude. 

In North America, you can sometimes find resort members organizing their own informal hikes in local remote areas. Folks at Mira Vista Resort in Arizona have been known to go for group hikes in Redington Pass. Some resorts are large enough and in great locations that allow you to hike naked up steep hills affording great views within their own boundaries — Mountain Air Ranch in Colorado has 10 miles of hiking trails. Valley View Hot Springs in Colorado is a must for anyone who enjoys hiking to hot springs — especially in the raw.

7. Sail Away In Your Altogether

For those who prefer to spend most of their vacation on water, hop on a nude cruise. Bare Necessities offer Big Nude Boat cruises where you can join thousands of fellow nudists aboard a modern oceangoing cruise liner. While it’s appropriate to dress in the restaurants, the rest of the time you can enjoy life onboard in the altogether, though you will need to dress when in port. For a more intimate and slower sailing adventure, snag a cabin aboard the largest clipper sailing ship in the world, the 220 passenger Royal Clipper, which Bare Necessities regularly charters for nude sailings around the Mediterranean. If you prefer to go even smaller, there are some nude sailing charter companies that offer crewed sailings for up to eight or so guests who can enjoy the trip sans clothes.

8. Snag A Nude Weekend Getaway

If getting away for a three-week nakation in the sun is not possible this year, how about a long weekend in a nude Bed & Breakfast? There are a number available through www.NaturistBnB from Michigan to Key West. Nuance B&B near Battle Creek is a wonderful, cozy out-of-the-way place to try your first nakation. With acres of grounds to explore, you can wander outdoors or simply enjoy the small movie theater, play pool, or simply relax with a drink at the bar … all in the comfort of your skin.

Wherever your nakation takes you, one thing is for sure — you’ll be back for more.

It was stinkingly hot in Crete that year. The sun was beating down relentlessly as my girlfriend and I plodded over parched earth, every step draining what seemed like the last reserves of our energy in search of a small beach our guesthouse host had recommended. Finally, below a rocky outcrop, there it was…a small crescent-shaped beach of pure white sand and gin-clear turquoise water gently lapping onto the shore. We looked down and saw — people. A few families but mostly couples and groups the same age as us — early 20s — and in various states of undress. We scrambled down the rocky path and claimed our spot on the sand. Sweat was running in rivulets down our faces, we kicked off our shoes, and struggled mightily to pull our clingy, soggy tee shirts over our heads. My girlfriend whipped off her top and clad only in bikini bottoms ran into the warm sea. I followed in my swimming shorts. We languished in the water, our bodies cooling gently and the weariness of the trek quickly ebbing away. We could feel our energy levels returning. This was heaven — almost.

After a while, we plodded back to our towels and flopped down — the Cretan sun drying us off as though we were in an oven. It wasn’t long before we were up and back in the water. This time, while it still felt good to be neck-deep in the soothing water, it wasn’t quite heaven. Around us, some of the couples and families were splashing, playing together, or calmly floating around without seemingly a care in the world. They were naked. It was time. Still in the water, we pulled off our bottoms and the feeling of freedom was exhilarating. Wow. It was as though something had been missing, but now we were complete. As the warm water caressed our bodies, I wondered if this is what it must feel like in the womb. Now this was heaven. We walked out of the water invigorated, holding our bikini bottoms and shorts, admittedly feeling a bit exposed but also remarkably relaxed and “cool”. This was our first experience of skinny dipping — the practice of bathing naked outdoors — and, 30 years later, we’re still doing it.

It’s Been Around For Years

“Skinny dipping,” “inmersión flaca,” “dünnes tauchen,” or “baigner à poil” — no matter how you say it, swimming without the encumbrance of clothing is something that people all over the world have known for centuries just feels so good. The term “skinny dipping” is a relatively recent term (established in the 1940s) and means “dipping nothing but skin in the water.” But look back through the centuries and numerous paintings depict people of all ages bathing without clothes.

But Is It Legal?

Attitudes toward public nudity vary across the globe. Strip off and skinny dip at practically any beach in Spain or lake in Germany and no one will bat an eyelid. In the UK, it is not illegal to be nude in public, providing you did not do so with the intent of causing shock or upset to others. In the U.S., public decency laws vary from state to state and even across local jurisdictions. So while swimming naked is, strictly speaking, illegal in most public spaces in the U.S., in Florida it’s perfectly legal to skinny dip so long as there is no lewd or lascivious intent. It’s best to use discretion when deciding where and when to “dip,” which is perhaps why many people either take their first dip in the moonlight, lose their swimsuit in the water and put it back on again before leaving, or find the remotest places to dip. Regardless, it’s always a good idea to check local regulations first.

Having said that, there are many places where you can skinny-dip without fear of offending anyone or potentially breaking the law: your own backyard (as long as you are not overlooked by grumpy neighbors), clothing-optional beaches, or naturist (nudist) resorts. In fact, in naturist resorts worldwide, you are often not allowed to wear clothing in the pools or hot tubs. The best clothing-optional beaches in North America include Miami’s Haulover Beach, Vancouver’s Wreck Beach, and San Diego’s Blacks Beach, though many more “unofficial” beaches also tolerate skinny dipping. Inland, Valley View Hot Springs in Colorado offers some of the best skinny dipping experiences in its multiple natural hot springs overlooking gorgeous vistas.

Everyone Is Doing It — Why Not You?

If you think skinny dipping is the preserve of alcohol-infused spring breakers or something that is a new fad, think again. Millions of baby boomers can be found skinny dipping at naturist resorts and beaches all over the world, and that exhilarating feeling of freedom is the same whether you’re 4 or 94. People have appreciated the many benefits of nude recreation for eons — think of the Greeks in the first Olympics, Ben Franklin espousing the benefits of “air bathing,” and President John Quincy Adams regularly bathing nude in the Potomac. A friend recently recounted her first time: “I was in high school, it was a double-dare experience. We went to a private dock at our local beach in Illinois. We waited until the sun set, allowing the darkness to provide the protection our clothes could no longer offer. I can only describe the experience as freeing. I remember laughing a laugh of joy and delight. There is something extraordinarily connecting when the skin comes in contact with the element of air, water, or earth. Perhaps it is a remembering of our true nature.” She no longer owns a swimsuit.

Attitudes toward nudity are changing in the U.S. — it’s no longer outrageous (although it still makes good tabloid press) to see celebrities skinny dipping. Cameron Diaz, Lady Gaga, Hugh Jackman, Heidi Klum, Christina Aguilera, and Helen Mirren to name just a few, have said they enjoy skinny dipping, and its popularity is growing. People are realizing that skinny dipping is fun, healthy, eliminates stereotyping, and reinforces body positivity. Promoting these attitudes is the American Association of Nude Recreation (AANR), which established Nude Recreation Week, and in 2018, International Skinny Dipping Day was created.

International Skinny Dipping Day

Held annually on the second Saturday of July, international naturist associations challenge each other to capture the world record for the largest skinny dip in the world. At the designated hour, people shed their inhibitions and swimsuits, jump into swimming pools, rivers, and lakes and record the number of participants. The current world record for a single skinny dip event is held by 2,505 brave women who stripped off and skinny-dipped in the sea in Co. Wicklow, Ireland in 2018 and raised over $13,000 for charity in the process.

So, on Saturday, July 10, 2021, free yourself of your clothes and inhibitions and join with naturists who have already discovered the ultimate joy of clothes-free swimming. It’s an experience you will regale with friends for years to come and likely the last time you will ever want to wear a swimsuit.

Planning your first skinny dip? Don’t miss Chris’s Ultimate Naturist Vacation Packing List: Things You Must Bring And What To Leave Behind.

So you’ve decided to take the plunge and try a nude vacation. Whether it’s a visit to a clothing-optional beach, hanging out at the local nudist resort, or living it up on a nude cruise, there are certain dos and don’ts you need to be aware of before stepping out of your clothes. You may be eager, nervous, excited, suddenly shy, or all of the above, but you can’t just drop your clothes in the middle of the parking lot. Well, not unless the parking lot is in the middle of a designated naturist area. France’s famous “nude city” Cap d’Agde has a “quartier naturiste” which is like any small town, but here you can be naked. So, once you’ve parked your car, paid, and displayed your ticket, you are free to strip and wander around the “naked quarter” in your birthday suit.

Nude vacations are the most stress-free and relaxing times you can have. But, like any vacation, it takes planning and knowledge of what to expect and how to behave. Here are some tips to make your first nakation enjoyable and relaxing.

1. Do Pack The One Naturist Essential Item: A Towel

If you pack nothing else, this is a must. You will need it to sit on, to lie on, and anywhere else you might want to park your bum. You will never see a naturist without one. It’s all about hygiene. On nude cruises and many higher-end resorts, you will be able to pick up a beach towel from the front desk, but it’s always a good idea to bring at least one of your own. Take the towel with you when you are walking and may want to sit. Sitting bare assed on anything is a big no-no. Sarongs or pareos may be used instead of a towel, of course — it doesn’t really matter what it is as long as there is a piece of cloth between you and the thing you are sitting or lying on.

2. Do Bring Lots of Sunscreen

You cannot bring too much sunscreen — and make sure it is a high factor. There will be bits of your body that have not been exposed to the sun before, so they need to be well protected. Burned boobs and sunburn in the nether regions will soon make your nakation miserable.

3. Do Wear A Hat

It doesn’t matter whether you are nude or not, if you’re follically challenged and the sun is out, wear a hat.

4. Do Invest In A Pareo Or Sarong

These wraps are not just for the ladies. When you are entering a restaurant, shop, or anywhere else where you need to be clothed — or feel more comfortable clothed — just throw on a wrap. Let’s face it, even though shopping naked is quite fun, once you’ve leaned into a deep freeze to pick out that frozen pizza, you’ll remember to throw on a wrap! There’s nothing easier (or smaller and lighter to pack) to wrap around you than a pareo. It can cover a person from top to bottom or just around the waist — whatever is appropriate.

5. Do Bring A Bag Or Small Rucksack

“Okay … so where do I put my keys, driving license, wallet, et cetera?” Bring a lightweight bag or, better still, a light rucksack. It’s easy to carry, and it’s amazing how much stuff you can stuff into a small expandable rucksack. It often amazes me how, as naturists, we minimize clothing but can still fill rucksacks with other paraphernalia — have you ever tried putting scuba gear into a rucksack?! A rucksack is actually really useful if you’re planning some naked hiking. It’s a great place to put your street clothes and easy to pull out the wrap to briefly cover up for when you come across textile ramblers (who are hot and sweaty and look at you bemused but with a tinge of envy).

6. Do Wear Loose Fitting Clothes

As a first-time visitor to a nudist club, someone from the club will typically escort you and show you around the facilities. Believe it or not, this can be the most awkward part of your visit as you will be clothed and everyone else naked. You will feel like the odd one out, and it’s only natural that first-time nudists feel a sense of apprehension and perhaps self-consciousness as they undress. So, wear loose-fitting, easy-to-get-out-of clothing that makes this first step go smoothly.

7. Do Pack Appropriate Footwear

Naturists love the feeling of sun, air, and water on their bodies — but burning hot sand or razor-sharp shells slicing their feet — not so much. Water shoes are great for messing about in water or walking along a white-hot beach. Sturdy boots (and socks — you can still be a naturist if you wear these) are a must if you are hiking a trail. 

8. Do Bring An Open Mind

Chances are you’re going to see naked people of various ages, colors, shapes, and sizes. Some will have tattoos, others piercings. Some will be young, others old. Some will have a partner of the same sex. Who cares? There will likely be a teacher present (somehow naturism is a draw for educators), a bus driver, an accountant, a plumber, an author, a factory worker, an award-winning poet, a midnight shift security officer, and maybe a preacher. You have no idea just by looking at them. Being nude is a great leveler, so leave your prejudices behind with your clothes.

9. Do Be Sociable And Make New Friends

Naturists are generally friendly people — after all, they have nothing to hide. Talk, and they will talk back. If they invite you to participate in water volleyball — go. Not only is it great fun, but it’s also an easy way to meet new people. Jump in the pool — naturists love to talk in the pool. You’ll soon find that you have more in common than not wearing clothes. You are among like-minded people, so you already have a connection.

10. Do Be Considerate Where And How You Undress

This might sound obvious but you can’t just drop your pants in the middle of the street. Make sure you are on the “designated” (or at least very remote) part of the beach before undressing. Except in European countries where nudity is accepted on almost all beaches, there will be areas where it’s clearly not appropriate to be nude. For most naturists, getting out of clothing can’t happen quickly enough, and it’s amazing how three layers can be peeled off with a single sweep of the hand. For first-timers, it may take a bit longer but don’t make it a titillating striptease. If you’re hiking naked, be prepared to cover up if you pass others on the trail who are dressed. On a boat, don’t undress until you have left port. The idea is to enjoy life in the nude — not to make others uncomfortable.

On the Verboten side, there are really only three things to remember.

1. Do Not Let Your Cheeks Hit A Chair Without A Towel

Although this is mentioned earlier, it is worth reiterating this point — take your towel with you and never sit without something between you and the chair.

 2. Do Not Stare

Yes, you are going to see people of both sexes naked. My mother always told me it’s rude to stare — so don’t. If you are talking to someone, keep eye contact. You are talking to the person, not their boobs or nether regions. Will you find yourself looking at others? Of course, we’re human and check out others, just as you would if you were clothed.

3. Do Not Bring Your Camera

Never, ever, take photographs of naked people unless you have specific permission. Otherwise, you may find your camera (or phone) at the bottom of the pool and you being marched out of the resort. Many clubs and resorts have very strict rules about photography — some ban cameras completely (including phones) from any nude public area, others restrict use to your immediate family only. It is entirely possible to make memories of your first nude vacation — just be open, ask permission, and you will likely capture that moment you first said ahhhh. 

And finally, don’t forget to get dressed at the end of your vacation. Naturists will tell you getting dressed after a day or weeks in the nude is the worst part of nudism. So dress light — don’t squeeze into that tight bra or pants that are one size too small — but do put on some clothes before you leave.

Related Reading:

• 8 Best European Nude Beaches
• 6 Reasons Nude Vacations Are Becoming More Popular
• Everything You Wanted To Know About Being A Naturist But Were Afraid To Ask

July 5 to 11 is National Nude Recreation Week, a time when naturist organizations such as the American Association For Nude Recreation (AANR) and The Naturist Society (TNS) go all out to promote the benefits of enjoying life’s pursuits sans clothes. Naturists (aka nudists) have historically been a secretive lot, congregating on remote beaches or behind high fences in naturist resorts, but over the last few decades, the joys and benefits of nude recreation have become more widely appreciated, and naturism has entered the mainstream. Frolicking in the nude used to be considered the preserve of aging hippies or drunken Spring Break college students, but not anymore. Today, people are far more open to sharing their naked pursuits — check out Twitter or Instagram, and there is no end to celebrities and others boasting of how they skinny-dipped, worked on their all-over tan, or tried naked bungee jumping.

So what activities can you do naked? Frankly, anything you enjoy doing where clothes play no part in keeping you safe.

1. Get That All-Over Tan

Nothing could be easier to start your nude recreation journey. Eliminate those white bits by losing your swimsuit on a beach or in the privacy of your back yard. Not sure where the nearest clothing optional beach is? Check out the AANR and TNS websites for one closest to you. While there are relatively few “official” nude beaches in North America, there are thousands of miles of coastline and deserted inland spots where disrobing is safe. In Florida, head to Haulover Beach in Miami — a super stretch of sand where nudists and so-called textiles lie side by side. In California, seek out Baker Beach in the shadow of the Golden Gate Bridge or San Onofre and Blacks Beach near San Diego. Further north, Gunnison Beach in New Jersey is one of the largest clothing-optional beaches on the Atlantic coast, attracting thousands of visitors on warm weekends.

Check out Everything You Wanted To Know About Being A Naturist But Were Afraid To Ask for more beach-specific and naturist resort recommendations!

2. Ditch The Soggy Swimsuit

The downside of spending a day at the beach and dipping in and out of the sea is having to wear a soggy, clinging swimsuit with sand that finds its way to every orifice and is determined to stay there, chaffing, until you finally jump in the shower. Not to mention having to perform a ridiculous routine of changing out of your swimsuit while holding a towel just in case your neighbor might spot your nipple. With no swimsuit, simply head out of the water and let earth’s most natural hair drier do the rest. Getting dressed without having to worry about a towel slipping is soooo much easier. If you’re lucky enough to have a hot tub at home, why would you wear a swimsuit? Not only is the hot tub experience better as water jets caress your body, getting dry afterward is also quick and easy.

3. Take A Naked Hike

Apart from strolling along the beach —look out for signs which designate the boundaries of the clothing-optional areas — there are many remote areas where one can hike wearing nothing but boots and a smile. The remote areas of Moab in Utah or remote stretches of the Appalachian Trail or the 2,600-mile Pacific Crest Trail are often frequented by those who love being naked in the great outdoors. You can also hike naked in U.S. national parks. Nudity in the parks is not against federal law per se, unless there is an intent to cause harm or offend others. Local legislation may be a bit more restrictive, so be sure to check them out before setting off.

In Arizona, Redington Pass near Tucson is well established as a hiking trail used by naturists. As with any public nude activity, good planning is essential to make sure you do not offend others. Even in the remotest areas, be ready to cover up when approaching other (clothed) hikers. In Europe, join the Naked European Walking Tour for some serious naked hiking in the Alps. A more leisurely option may be to hike within the confines of an established naturist resort; Olive Dell Ranch in California, Mountain Air Ranch in Colorado, and Sunshower Country Club in Indiana all have a number of trails that can be easily hiked naked. Nude Hiking Day is June 20, 2021.

4. Play Volleyball, That Quintessential Nudist Pastime

Beach volleyball seems to have been forever associated with nudists. Many naturist resorts (including Turtle Lake Resort and Bare Oaks Family Naturist Resort) have their own beach volleyball courts, and in the summer, tournaments are aplenty. You will find a number of beaches have nets available for impromptu games, too. Less advertised but very popular is water volleyball. This is a staple pastime at almost every naturist resort where there is a pool. Everybody plays, and it doesn’t matter your level. It’s all about fun and making friends, though be warned, some clubs do take this very seriously.

5. Take A Swing At Nude Golf

Some naturist resorts in the U.S. offer space for pitch and putt (Cypress Cove Resort in Florida has a nine-hole Chip & Putt course). To get the real deal, though, head to La Jenny Naturist Resort on France’s Atlantic coast, where you can play six holes on a full regulation course wearing nothing at all. With no pockets, the question is “where do I put my tee?” (The answer is “Behind your ear.”)

6. Pickleball Is All The Rage

Pickleball — a slightly gentler form of tennis — is exploding in popularity across the nation, and not just in naturist circles. Played with small paddles and a plastic whiffle ball on a badminton-sized court, it offers all the strategy and fun of tennis but requires slightly less energy. It is particularly popular with boomers who have been ardent tennis players and are looking to slow down just a touch. Many naturist resorts are repurposing their tennis courts for pickleball and one thing is for sure — you will never be left looking for someone to play with. Be ready to play early before the heat of the day, especially if you’re checked in at a Southern resort.

For more on pickleball, read up on Everything You Need To Know About Pickleball and The Best Pickleball Equipment Of 2021.

7. Compete In A Nude 5k Race

On many people’s bucket list is to run a 5k race nude, and there are plenty of opportunities to get this one ticked off. What originally started as enthusiastic naturists going for a run around the resort grounds, today has become runners who want to run naked. Many naturist resorts schedule their own clothing-optional races — all open to the public. This is a great way to dip your toe into naturism since, after the race, you can stay and enjoy the rest of the day at the resort. This has been a very popular introduction to the joys of nude recreation for many “textiles,” especially as nudity is not mandatory. The races are open to runners and walkers. Sports bras may be a must-have item for some, and in case you’re wondering, men, it really is not uncomfortable, and yes, you wear running shoes. Check out this year’s races at your favorite nudist resort.

8. Get On Your Bike 

The World Naked Bike Ride is an annual event held across many cities around the globe to challenge our reliance on oil for transportation. These events can attract thousands of cyclists in all states of undress. Portland, Oregon’s naked bike ride has had as many as 10,000 participants, meaning the city hosts the largest event of its kind globally. Seattle has its own annual Fremont Solstice Parade during which many folks enjoy the parade in all shades of colorful body paint. The pandemic may preclude these events in 2021, but for sure they will be back in 2022.

9. Sweat It Out At The Gym

Some resorts (Mira Vista Resort in Arizona and Laguna Del Sol Resort in California) have fully equipped gyms perfect for completing your routine workout. The only thing you need is a towel to sit on and gym shoes. No more scrambling to find workout clothes that make you look good or having to empty a smelly gym bag afterward!

10. Get Into The Garden

If you are looking for something a little more sedate, drop your clothes and celebrate World Naked Gardening day. It has been celebrated on the first Saturday of May for over 15 years as a way of promoting body acceptance. But don’t wait until May 7, 2022. Pick up your trowel and head out into your garden. Leave the hedge trimming for another day and perhaps repotting the cacti, too. If you have poison ivy in the garden, keep your clothes on!

11. Stretch And Breathe

Join millions of others who have discovered nude yoga during the pandemic. Roll out your mat in the privacy of your own home or garden or, if you’re in the UK, you can sign up for virtual group nude yoga sessions through British Naturism. Some naturist resorts will offer yoga sessions, and there are exercise studios that advertise naked yoga sessions, too.

12. Sail Away

If you are lucky enough to have your own boat, chances are you have stripped off when away from others already. If not, what are you waiting for? For the rest of us, Bare Necessities offers nude cruises, which are increasingly popular with naturists. Enjoy the company of hundreds (in some cases thousands) of fellow naked passengers aboard ocean liners steaming round the Caribbean to idyllic nude islands. For a more intimate getaway on the water, look for small boat charters where six guests or so undress and go wind jamming around the beautiful islands.

Let Nude Recreation Week inspire you to make the leap and experience the most freeing liberation and exhilaration of doing something you enjoy — naked. Experience that “aaaaaagggghhhhh” moment, and you will wonder why you hadn’t thought of doing this before. Whatever you do, don’t forget the sunscreen!

The cloud of red dust following our RV announced our imminent arrival at Valley View Hot Springs.

The springs — some of nature’s own soaker tubs — are located on a 2,200-acre parcel of protected land owned and managed by the Orient Land Trust (OLT). We had just turned off the highway in the San Luis Valley in Colorado (about a three-hour drive southwest of Denver) and were glad to leave the traffic behind. As we bounced our way up the seven-mile dirt track, we could already feel the tensions ebb away. We were heading to a unique place where nature, freedom, environment, education, and relaxation coexist in equal measure, where we were about to get away from it all. We arrived tired, stressed, and grubby. Three days later we left relaxed, refreshed, and mentally recharged.

Editor’s Note: As Chris points out below, all Valley View Hot Springs’ experiences, and the property itself, are entirely clothing optional. If you’re new to naturism, you can pursue all our naturism/nudism/clothing-optional content here.

Orient Land Trust is a non-profit trust dedicated to the preservation of wildlife habitat, open space, geological features, and natural resources of the southern San Luis Valley. Along with Valley View Hot Springs (VVHS), OLT manages Everson Ranch, (a self-sufficient working ranch) and Orient Mine (an abandoned iron ore mine). Visitors to Valley View Hot Springs can leave behind today’s crazy world and immerse themselves in the natural serenity of this spectacular environment. The property is surrounded by unspoiled spectacular views, sparkling clear night skies, fresh clean air, and spring-fed pure water to swim in, plus endless hiking trails with opportunities to see local wildlife up close.

The first inhabitants of this area were the Ute Native Americans. In the 1870s it became a homestead for migrants heading west to seek their fortunes. I guess the hot springs were an obvious attraction even then. In the early 1900s, Orient Iron Ore mine was established, and the area was developed as a rustic resort primarily for miners and their families. One existing building (Oak House) was the center of the old Valley View village. The mine had its heyday in the 1920s but shut down in 1932, and the mine and associated resort were abandoned by the end of the Second World War.

The area was rediscovered by travelers in the 1960s; the hot springs were still a great place, just as they had been for centuries before. Neil Seitz was one of the individuals who started frequenting the springs at that time, and he realized the magic of the place. He started working as a gatekeeper for the then owner and has been at Valley View ever since. Neil and his wife Terri purchased the resort in 1979, and in 2001 co-founded OLT. Today the Trust boasts 1,400 members, and Valley View Hot Springs welcomes visitors for both day and overnight access.

1. Soak In The Hot Springs

Our first foray around the lands (it’s not a site, per se — there are no fences) soon reminded us of our altitude! Valley View sits at 8,600 feet on the side of a valley, and the uphill stroll to the top soaking ponds (even though it’s only a very few minutes’ walk) takes your breath away — literally.

We rose with the sun and wandered up to one of the six hot springs carrying only our towels. The entire property is clothing optional. The crunch of our feet on the rocky path was accompanied only by the endless splashing of the tumbling water as it cascaded from the springs down the hillside. We passed the first spring, where already a couple was floating in the water. Had they been here all night, and were they in fact still alive? Assured they still had pulses and were enjoying themselves, we moved on up the path to find our own private pond. Well, it was sort of private, if you don’t mind sharing your water with a drinking deer. We slipped into the water — only two feet deep — and laid back. It’s the closest you will ever get to being back in the womb. The deer wandered off and we floated languidly, said nothing, and watched as the sun slowly lifted itself above the valley.

Distant birdsong and chirruping insects were our surround sound. To one side, we heard a rustling. It took a mighty effort to lift my head to see what it was. Eventually, I could see a garter snake had caught a small bird and was dragging it off for breakfast. It was reassuring to know we were still at the top of the food chain. If you’re lucky you may spot black bear, fox, antelope, and elk as well as a myriad of colorful birds. I closed my eyes and tried to blend in with nature. I didn’t want to ever leave this place.

2. Swim Under The Stars

There is a large, hot spring-fed swimming pool (about 90 F in the summer), a natural hot tub (about 104 F), and a green sauna among Valley View’s amenities. It is fed constantly with fresh spring water that not only keeps it clean and avoids the use of chlorine but also keeps it a comfortable temperature (in the mid-80s) during the night and in the wintertime. Overlooking the valley below and with an unobstructed view of a light free sky, the pool is a great place to while away the hours at any time of the year.

3. Watch The Nightly Bat Show At Orient Mine

The abandoned mine is now home to Colorado’s largest colony of migrating bachelor Mexican free-tailed bats. Around sunset in the summer, about 250,000 of these wonderful creatures leave the cave in a corkscrew stream that continues for about 20 minutes. It’s an amazing spectacle that is well worth the mile hike (including an 800-foot elevation change). Volunteers (often previous visitors who have fallen in love with OLT and want to give something back) lead the tour to the bat cave.

Editor’s Note: Want to see bats but nowhere near Colorado? Consider a visit to the University of Florida’s amazing bat houses in Gainesville, or witness a once-in-a-lifetime animal experience in Africa: the straw-colored fruit bat migration in Zambia’s Kasanka National Park.

4. Gaze At The Stars

The elevation and lack of light pollution make this a great place to view the night sky, which visitors are encouraged to do using one of the donated telescopes. Volunteers are often available to provide guidance and informal education on what planets and stars visitors are observing. It’s free, informal, and friendly — it doesn’t get better than that.

5. Check Out How Nature’s Energy Is Being Harnessed

There is an air of serenity at OLT — but don’t be fooled. There is a lot of hard work and sweat being expended here — and it’s done the natural way. Back in 1975, Neil built a water wheel out of plywood and used parts to generate enough electricity for a couple of houses. Today OLT is completely off the grid, harnessing the energy from cascading spring water as it flows down the hill to the valley below, in the process generating some 40 to 65kW through its own hydro-electric plant.

Geothermal energy is also used to heat some of the buildings as the spring water’s piped under the floors.

6. Explore Everson Ranch

OLT’s historic 150-year-old Everson Ranch is currently being renovated within its historical facades to create an educational and living agricultural facility showcasing sustainable agricultural processes and innovative energy production methods. It has been a working ranch since it was homesteaded in 1872 and has been passed down from generation to generation.

The 760-acre Everson Ranch was added to the Orient Land Trust in 2004.

7. Not Just Any Hole In The Ground: Witness A Geological Fault Line

The Sangre de Cristo Fault (Colorado’s most active fault) passes through OLT and can be clearly seen. It may seem like no more than an earthen trench to most of us, but it’s pretty cool to think this is an active fault line where the earth is still moving, and getting to see it will be especially thrilling for any rock enthusiast. As with most things at OLT, there will be someone who can tell you all about it.

8. Make The Most Of The Communal Amenities

There is a communal kitchen with a microwave and refrigerator for visitors staying in the cabins. Since the closest supermarket store is 37 miles away, sharing is a good thing. The sense of community is also noted in the co-ed shower and toilet building. There are private stalls (thank you!) and a urinal in the middle. The first time a lady wanders past you with a cheery “Good morning” while you are peeing might seem disconcerting, but like everything else around here, it’s only natural.

Valley View Hot Springs Pro Tips

Be Sure To Make A Reservation

There is a range of accommodation available including a number of rustic cabins with communal kitchens and bathrooms, 24 RV sites, and 23 tent camping sites.

We had pre-booked our stay (this is a must no matter what accommodation you choose as the number of visitors at any one time is limited to preserve the serenity of the place) and had a wonderful spot overlooking the valley below. We did not have any hookups or dump stations — and frankly did not want them here. Nor did we use the RV generator. Somehow it would have felt an intrusion on the serene environment in which we were just temporary occupants. Noise was created only by the wildlife around us and every effort was made to screen artificial lights so as not to interfere with night sky viewing. There are many “quiet zones” — especially around the hot springs — where cell phones and other electronics are prohibited. Wonderful.

Accessibility

There are no paved roads at Valley View, and the cabins are just a short walk from the office and pool. The nearest hot spring is less than a five-minute walk from the office but it is gently uphill. It isn’t a difficult or steep walk, but the path can be uneven and something more than flip flops are recommended. The walk to Orient Mine does require sturdy shoes.

Families and young children are an important part of the OLT community. We enjoyed the company of a number of families with young children, couples of all ages, single men and women, mothers and daughters, and a delightful group of teens. Everyone is welcome here as long as they commit to the OLT values of Recognition, Respect, and Responsibility. With 11,000 visitors annually, there is lots of opportunity to chat and enjoy the company of like-minded others. But with daily visitor numbers pegged and with over 2,000 acres to explore, there is even more opportunity to find solace here. We enjoyed chatting in the springs when others wanted to talk, but we also enjoyed the alone quiet times, too. It was fun strolling around the area and meeting others wearing nothing but a smile and sharing a hot spring with others in the raw — well, it was the only natural thing to do.

You don’t have to be a member of Orient Land trust to visit Valley View. Having experienced the passion and enthusiasm of the volunteers in their preservation and education work, it’s hard not to support them so that future generations may come to enjoy this remarkable place.

Prepare For Your Naturist Vacation

• Everything You Wanted To Know About Being A Naturist But Were Afraid To Ask
• The Ultimate Naturist Vacation Packing List: Things You Must Bring And What To Leave Behind
• 6 Reasons Nude Vacations Are Becoming More Popular

You’ve got to hand it to the Europeans. When it comes to vacationing, they know how to do it properly. They don’t think twice about taking off for three weeks in the summer, nor leaving their clothes behind with their laptops.

If you’re not quite ready to live clothes-free for a couple of weeks but still fancy losing those tan lines, spending time on a nude beach is the way to go. There is no end to beaches in Europe where you can strip it all off without embarrassment or fear of arrest. A search on the Internet will leave you drowning in possibilities; however, before grabbing the sunscreen and slipping into your flip flops and out of your bikini, make sure the beach is designated as naturist and that being nude will not get you an interview with a judge.

An easy giveaway is if the beach is actually designated “Nude Beach”, “Plage Naturiste”, “Playa Nudista,” or simply “FKK” (the German Freikorperkultur — literally Free Body Culture — which established the movement of living and exercising as a nude community). Countries like Greece, where the Orthodox church has a strong influence, have very few official nude beaches, whereas in Spain, practically every beach is clothing optional. Having said that, there are thousands of miles of secluded pristine beaches, coves, islands, and bays all around Europe’s coastline where naturists can gather to worship the sun. Not all beaches have to be secluded either — on many public beaches, a naturist area, even if not signposted, is often established away from the main stretch. So, if you walk away from the crowds, you’ll start to find people with fewer and fewer clothes.

What makes a good nude beach? It depends. Ask a hundred people, and you’ll get a hundred different answers. But here are some of my favorites based on personal experience over the years. Without a doubt, France and Spain top the list with their open and relaxed attitude to naturism, miles of wonderful coastline, excellent climate, and, of course, food and wine second to none.

Best Nude Beaches For Families

1. Montalivet Les Bains, France

The Atlantic coast of western France is a beach-goers’ paradise. From Brest in the north to Bayonne in the south, this 500 miles of coastline is almost one continuous sandy beach. While there are many places to find a quieter spot for some sunbathing, here are a couple of favored places that are just perfect for families with children and grandchildren.

Approximately 50 miles west of Bordeaux, Montalivet Les Bains is a small seaside town of 3000 that grows considerably in the summer as visitors flock to its wonderful beach. Known for its cleanliness (it has received the Blue Flag award) and being over seven miles long, this stretch of wide, golden sandy beach is backed by dunes and a large pine forest and is popular with both clothed and nude visitors. Even on the busiest days, there is plenty of room for kids to run around safely on the beach. Part of the beach is supervised by lifeguards, allowing everyone to play with confidence in the shallow water. For more experienced swimmers and surfers, the Atlantic rollers provide some head-spinning fun.

It’s not surprising that three of the world’s largest, and arguably best, naturist resorts are located in this area and that all of them have large swaths of the beach designated Naturiste. The world’s first naturist resort, CHM Montalivet, was established here in 1950 and is still going strong. Just five miles north of Montalivet, is another large naturist center — Euronat. Similar to CHM but a little more up to date, this is another perfect bed-to-beach location where you can roll out of bed and walk directly to the beach without so much as glancing in the mirror. Head 30 miles south on the same coast and you’ll find La Jenny Naturist resort. More modern than CHM or Euronat, it also has direct access to the beach and, since there are no towns close by, the beach here is almost exclusively used by naturists, so you can walk for miles wearing nothing more than a smile.

2. Leucate Plage, France

On the Mediterranean coast, 20 miles from Perpignan, lies Leucate plage with its wide expanse of fine gold sand and calm Mediterranean waters lapping the shore. The beach has a large naturist section that is clearly signposted and is popular with families and those who prefer a more sedate time on the sand. There are a couple of restaurants right on the beach as well as a lifeguard station.

Aphrodite Naturist Village sits on the naturist section of Leucate Plage and guests can go from bed to beach without ever getting dressed.

You Don’t Need To Get Dressed When You Leave This Beach

3. Vera Playa, Spain’s “Naturist Capital,” Costa Almeria

Located between Garrucha and Villaricos on Spain’s southeastern coast, Vera Playa is a long, wide beach that is backed by many naturist apartments. With a climate that is hotter and drier than other parts of Spain and lasts almost year-round, this part of southern Europe is a draw for naturists from all over. The beach has sunbeds for rent, a beach bar, and a volleyball set up for the more active. The area across from the beach is designated a “Zona Naturista,” which means you can walk from the beach down the street to your accommodation without needing to cover up. This setup just makes things so easy — what better way to start each day than to slip out of bed, grab nothing but your yoga mat, and walk to the beach to watch the sun rise while listening to the gentle lapping of the waves? Then back for breakfast without any thought about what to wear.

There is ample beachside parking for those who want to visit just for the day.

4. Pizzo Greco, Italy

Pizzo Greco is perhaps the only place in Italy where you can go bed-to-beach without dressing. Access to the beach is a bit more challenging as this more rustic naturist resort has a steep climb down to the beach below. However, there is a beach restaurant and for 50 Euro cents you can get a ride back up the hill to your accommodation.

5. Riva Bella, Corsica, France

Popular with German and French visitors, this naturist resort sits on a long curved strand of white sand with some accommodation right on the beach. The water is calm and crystal clear, sun loungers and umbrellas are available for rent, and the long beach is ideal for long naked walks. This beach is ideal for those with small children or who have mobility issues. There is also a beach bar which is open for lunch. (Note, you must be covered if eating in.)

Beaches Where Naturists And Textiles Happily Coexist

Sometimes considered “clothing optional” beaches, these can be the best. Why? Because everyone mingles and is comfortable no matter what they are or are not wearing. However, these beaches can often be out of the way requiring scrambling over rocky headlands or enduring a long walk to the end of the beach.

6. Cala Del Bordenares And Cala Del Sombrerico, Mojacar, Spain

The sandy brown beach is a bay backed by steep cliffs and located well away from any buildings. The beach is officially designated a nude beach and can get quite busy during the summer season with people of all age groups. Access is by vehicle only along a winding, dirt track road down to the beach. There is plenty of parking, and it’s a short hop to the beach. There are no facilities on this beach but a short hike over the headland brings you to Cala Del Sombrerico — another nude bay where there is a bar serving meals. Whilst toplessness is common all over Europe, here the majority of people had no tan lines.

7. El Playazo Beach, Cabo De Gata Natural Park, Spain

In the same area is El Playazo Beach. Just a couple of miles from the town of Rodalquilar, it’s a wide, large, clean beach with fine sand framed by mountains on one side and an impressive 18th-century fort on the other. There is ample parking right at the beach but no amenities. What makes this beach so special is that all generations (from toddlers to grandmothers) share the same space — some fully clothed, others topless, and others nude — and no one cares. It doesn’t get better than that.

8. Plakias Beach, Crete

A large sweeping bay with cliffs as a backdrop make this long golden beach, located at the southern end of Plakias town, an ideal place to top up the tan. Easy walking access from the town along with a shore that slopes gently into the sea make this a very convenient beach for families with small children or those who don’t wish, or cannot, trek far. Naturists tend to gather at one end of the beach but there is no clear divide. Umbrellas can be rented. For active sun-worshippers, Micro Amoudi Beach — a small bay found between nearby Amoudi and Damnoni beaches — is a naturist’s haven. It’s a reasonably strenuous climb up and down the cliffs so not for the unsure of foot. But those who venture over the headland are rewarded with sharing a small cove with warm, crystal clear water with many other like-minded folks who don’t have a stitch of clothing between them.

So What’s The Best Beach For You?

For first-time naturists, stripping off on a designated nude beach where you are just one nudist among many is likely the easiest introduction to clothes-free fun. On a clothing-optional beach, you could be in a small minority of nude beach users and feel more self-conscious in disrobing. Whichever option you choose, you’ll wonder what took you so long.

For more naturist inspiration, consider

• Need-To-Know Tips For First-Time Naturists
• 6 Reasons Nude Vacations Are Becoming More Popular
• The Ultimate Naturist Vacation Packing List

Okay, this might sound counterintuitive: You’re going on a nude vacation, but you need to remember to pack things. Hmm. Believe it or not, I have seen naturists arrive for a two-week vacation hoping to return home without tan lines struggling behind a couple of large suitcases. What were they carrying? Not clothes, surely? Well, in some cases — yes. Even on a naturist vacation (cutely termed a “nakation”), there are times when it’s just appropriate to cover up. But there are other key essentials not to forget, too.

Editor’s Note: Interest piqued but need to know more? Read up on everything you wanted to know about being a naturist but were afraid to ask and six reasons nude vacations are becoming more popular.

The Bare Essentials For Any Naturist Vacation

No matter what type of nakation you’re going on, there are some things that should always be the first (and sometimes only) things you need to pack.

First and foremost take a high SPF sunscreen. There are parts of your body that haven’t seen much sun, and it’s not much fun to get burned in places where the sun doesn’t normally shine. You cannot take too much, so don’t scrimp on this one item.

Naturists always carry a towel with them — it’s Naturist Etiquette 101 to sit on a towel and not on your bare bum. It’s also useful to wrap around you in case you accidentally find yourself wandering into non-naturist (or “textile”) territory. It does happen. While upscale resorts may issue you a towel, it’s always best to have your own.

Naturists like to spend time outside in the sun, so a hat is the third must-bring item. For those of us who are follically challenged, a touch of sunscreen on the head doesn’t go amiss either.

It’s always a good idea to have some sort of wrap handy. Whilst a towel will do the job, it’s not always as practical as something lighter like a pareo or sarong, which can be worn around the waist or as a full-body covering for women. It’s worth the investment if you don’t already own one.

Yes, You’ll Need Clothes

Depending on your nakation destination, you may not need to bring any clothes at all. You simply leave wearing the clothes you arrived in and that’s it. However, this assumes your location will remain warm throughout your stay, and you do not plan to eat at an on-site restaurant (note that these typically have dress codes) or leave the naturist property during your vacation. The other things you need to pack depend on the type of nakation you’re going on. Here are the most popular options.

1. Tent Camping

The simplest form of nakation can be very minimalist. Take whatever you would normally pack on a clothed (often referred to by naturists as “textile”) vacation but leave most of the clothes behind. A couple of items you might want to consider packing, though: a tee shirt or top for when you’re cooking over a grill (frying bacon in the nude is just too risky) and hiking boots as campgrounds are not usually level and smooth.

2. Staying At A Nude Resort

Although you do not need to bring anything more than the bare essentials, it’s good to have options especially when it comes to eating. If you are self-catering, you can don as much or as little as you choose. However, if you choose to eat breakfast or the evening meal in a resort restaurant, then you most probably need to be dressed. This doesn’t need to be anything more than a t-shirt and shorts but your bits need to be covered. Some resorts have “beach bar” facilities where you can grab a cold drink and a snack at lunchtime. Here, you don’t normally need to dress — but do keep the towel handy if you’re going to sit.

If you happen to be vacationing during a holiday period (New Year, Halloween, et cetera), you may find the resort will be hosting a party, in which case you might want to pack something festive to wear, though this is not a requirement by any means.

3. Staying At A Nude Hotel

Whilst I don’t know of any large chain hotel where you can go naked without being arrested, the four-star, multi-story Vera Playa Club Hotel in Spain is one where you can be naked and feel like you’re in a Hilton, Marriott, or any other large hotel. There are times when, however, you must be dressed (in the lobby after 7 p.m. and in the restaurants at any time). Attire for the restaurant should be appropriate — wear what you would normally wear in a textile restaurant. A string bikini on a well-endowed woman that leaves nothing to the imagination, for example, is not appropriate.

4. Nude Cruise

I have seen nakationers struggle on board with bulging suitcases and thought this to be crazy. However, restaurant etiquette on board is the same as any hotel: Be dressed. Cruises will have shore visits scheduled which, again, will require you to be dressed (even when heading to a nude beach). Add to that the fact that cruises specialize in constant entertainment with dancing (you can do this nude) and theme nights, and you’ll soon find your wife telling you she needs a different outfit for every night. Go figure!

When You Want To Do More Than Lie By The Pool All Day

There are a number of activities naturists seem to enjoy no matter where in the world they go. Here’s what you need to pack if you want to participate.

• Water volleyball: Pack nothing.
• Petanque: Flip flops are a good idea.
• Pickleball: Take tennis shoes. Some women may prefer to wear a sports bra.
• Running (nude 5k races are becoming popular): Running shoes and a sports bra if needed. A good idea is to rub cream on the inside of your thighs to stop them from chaffing.
• Yoga: Pack nothing, though some women find it more comfortable wearing bikini bottoms.

Hiking in the nude can be really exhilarating. Apart from the obvious hiking boots and socks, bring a small backpack to put your clothes in and carry a wrap so you can cover yourself quickly in case you come across fellow, non-naturist hikers.

Non-Essential But Really Useful Items To Pack

You might consider sunglasses as essential, but even if you don’t, bring them anyway. Water shoes are really useful if the beach is rocky or the sand is scorching hot. After a long day at the beach or laying by the pool, applying after-sun lotion is soooo soothing. Pack a small bottle.

A fanny pack for money doesn’t always look like a glamorous accessory, but consider where you might keep your money. Another option is a lightweight shoulder bag to carry your wallet, towel, and keys especially if you’re heading to the beach for the day.

Choose loose, easy to remove clothing when heading to a nude beach. The last thing you need (especially on that first, nervous-yet-excited visit) is to spend 10 minutes struggling to get out of your tight clothing.

Things To Leave Behind

Some private resorts have rules regarding genital piercings. Check before you go and leave the bling at home. There are very strict privacy rules about photography at naturist venues and events. So unless you have all the necessary permissions (and in some cases, paperwork) leave your mega-zoom lens at home.

Also leave behind your work laptop, your worries, and prejudices but do remember to bring your open mind. Oh, and a good book.

We climbed slowly up the hill. The sun was just lifting itself up above the horizon — a fiery orange ball that portended another scorching day. Gently, we stepped into the spring careful not to disturb the lady, straight back and eyes closed, meditating. A rustle in the nearby bushes broke the silence as a doe with her young broke cover. To our right, a man sat with his first coffee of the day watching the awakening dawn. Strangers all, we didn’t speak — we didn’t need to. We were warm and relaxed, and we were all naked.

What’s A Nakation?

My wife and I were on nakation — a cute name for a nude vacation first coined way back in 2008 by the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR). On nakation, we enjoy the majority of our time nude. As naturists (or nudists — the words are totally interchangeable) we enjoy living life with like-minded people in the raw when it is comfortable and appropriate to do so. Staying at a clothing-optional resort or enjoying a nude cruise, you can be naked pretty much all the time. Elsewhere, good judgment and a lot of common sense need to be used before stripping off. And in every case, the climate has to be conducive to being sans clothes. Naturists may be many things, but lovers of the cold is not one of them.

Nude Vacations Are On The Rise

More and more people are discovering the joy of life in the buff, and the nakation is one of the fastest-growing sectors of the travel industry. According to AANR, global nude travel was a $300 million industry in 2001, and less than two decades later, it is conservatively estimated to rake in over $530 million annually. In 2016, Florida’s tourist department reported nude recreation had generated $7.4 billion of economic benefit in the Sunshine State. Now that’s serious money.

Nakations on the water started in 1991 when the first nude cruise set sail with 36 intrepid naturists. They discovered something special; today there are over 30,000 nude sailors regularly crisscrossing the oceans on chartered nude cruises.

And in the UK, Brits are finding the COVID-19 stay-at-home lockdown is the perfect opportunity for not bothering to get dressed and that life in the nude is actually fun. British Naturism, the UK’s naturist organization, reports that their membership has increased a staggering 100 percent during the lockdown.

Why Nakations Are Growing In Popularity

1. The Perfect De-Stresser

Vacations are times to de-stress, leave our daily worries behind, and have fun. Ask people to describe what this would look like for them, and many would say lying on a palm-fringed, white beach with warm turquoise waves lapping at the shore, lost in the latest best-seller and sipping a colorful drink with an umbrella in it. Sounds perfect. But is it? You’ve purchased the latest swimwear but you’re wondering if it’s revealing too much cleavage and the bottoms annoyingly keep riding up. After a cooling dip in the water, your bathing suit is clinging to you and sand is irritating you in the most inconvenient places. Before heading back to that gorgeous villa, it’s time to perform the ritual beach dance — change out of your swimsuit whilst holding a towel to cover bits of you that everyone on this earth has, too. The first thing you do when arriving back at your villa? You likely jump out of your clothes! On a nakation, there are no wet, clingy swimsuits, no performing St.Vitus’s dance every time you leave the beach, and smooth, not sand irritated, thighs. And you don’t have to stress over what to wear or if it matches. Leave your clothes and stresses behind.

2. The Ultimate Leveler

Naked, you have nothing to hide, you have no pretenses or pandering to others’ expectations — you are free to be yourself. Naturists wax lyrical about experiencing a tremendously liberating feeling, and it’s as much to do with freeing your mind as well as your body. In the company of other like-minded naturists, you find your prejudices discarded along with your clothes. Subconscious judgments regarding wealth, status, body shape, color, and race are stripped away — you see and get to know people for who they really are, where everyone is different and unique and yet we’re all the same. Naturism really is the ultimate leveler.

3. Nakations Are Good For You

Delve deeper, and you realize spending time in the buff offers psychological as well as physical benefits. Studies by psychologists have shown “that participation in actual naturist activities led to an increase in life satisfaction, an effect that was also mediated by improvements in body image and self-esteem.” So there you have it — living life nude and taking nakations is good for you.

Wearing fashionably tight-fitting clothes can pinch nerves and possibly restrict blood circulation — neither of which are particularly good for you. Wriggle out of those tight-fitting jeans and let your skin breathe — it may even improve your complexion. And guys, studies have found that men who wore boxer shorts rather than tight-fitting underpants during the day and slept naked had significantly lower levels of damaged DNA in their sperm. Perhaps it’s time to go commando after all.

The benefits of vitamin D in your body are well documented. The Mayo Clinic notes that vitamin D can improve bone health and may help prevent certain cancers and the onset of osteoporosis. Recent studies of adults age 60 years and older being treated for dementia also suggested that taking vitamin D supplements helped improve cognitive function. And what better way to get your vitamin D than to let the sun reach you all over — even those parts usually fastidiously kept under wraps?

Finally, we know getting the right amount of sleep is key to feeling good. The National Sleep Foundation tells us a drop in temperature in the evening can promote better sleep quality, so sleep naked, too!

4. Nakations Are Available For All Wallet Sizes

Whether it’s a weekend getaway camping at a naturist club or a two-week nude cruise in the Caribbean, nakations can be as affordable as you want to make them. There are naturist clubs all around the world that welcome visitors on daily, weekend, or longer bases who wish to pitch their tent or park their RV at very reasonable rates. A number of clubs and resorts offer accommodation at varying levels of luxury. From a single 200-square-foot room to a fully equipped two-bedroom condo (for example Cypress Cove in Kissimmee, Florida; Mira Vista in Tucson, Arizona; or La Jenny in France), the choice is yours. For the nakation of a lifetime, how about a two-week nude cruise in Bali where you can be nude on board at all times when out of port?

5. Pack Light

Skip the luggage check-in desk and annoying baggage fees. On nakation, where you don’t wear clothes for a couple of weeks, what is there to pack? A number of years ago, my wife and I went on a two-week nakation in France with our two young sons. One suitcase with four towels and lots of sunscreen. That was it. Whilst it’s always good to take some clothes to keep your options open, carry-on luggage is as much as you will need.

6. It Feels So Good

In the end, taking off your clothes, allowing warm air to caress the whole of your body, unencumbered by clingy clothing just feels so good. Isn’t that why we strip down to bikini and shorts on the beach in the first place? Losing those last vestiges of clothing is just the natural progression, and aagghhhh, it just feels so liberating, so free, and oh so comfortable. And why restrict this feeling only to the beach? Why put up with having to constantly adjust your clothing — recovering a fallen bra strap or a skirt that has ridden up and is exposing too much leg — especially when it’s warm and sticky? Going without clothes, in the right climate and situation, just feels darn good. Period.

As countries slowly emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and there is more focus on what divides rather than unites people, now is the best time to try a nakation. Lose your inhibitions and prejudices, jettison life’s stresses, and experience an overwhelming sense of freedom, relaxation, and well-being. Once you’ve tried it, you’ll understand why nakations are on the increase and wonder why you didn’t nakation before.

Still not convinced? Read up on everything you wanted to know about being a naturist but were afraid to ask.

The early morning sun was already streaming through the window when I woke to the chirping of birdsong. Not much else stirred around me as I slipped out of bed, washed the sleep from my eyes, and quickly smoothed my hair. My family members were all still fast asleep as I opened the door, stepped out onto the wooden verandah, inhaled the sweet smell of the pine forest, and stretched. It was warm and I was naked. The quiet was broken momentarily by a cheery Bonjour from my equally unclothed neighbor, who was setting her table for breakfast. I waved. I slipped on my flip flops, grabbed a towel, and closed the door behind me. I placed my folded towel on the saddle of my bike and pedaled sedately down sandy paths through pine trees to the bakery for just-out-of-the-oven croissants. It was the start of another hot day and a ritual I would repeat every morning for the next two weeks. I was warm, free, relaxed, and didn’t have a care in the world. I was on vacation and I was naked.

Naturism, often called nudism in North America, has had a litany of definitions over the decades but is most simply defined as “enjoying life without clothes in a socially acceptable manner whenever it makes sense to do so.” My wife and I discovered the pleasures of naturism over three decades ago, and our nude vacations have been the most liberating, relaxing, rewarding, and rejuvenating experiences imaginable. It’s a cliche, but when you are naked, you feel the ultimate sense of freedom; your stress and worries drop to the floor with your clothes. Vacations are a time to relax, unwind, and de-stress. Some seek solitude in out-of-the-way places to get back to nature and leave the crowds behind. Others just want to chill out on a beach with the latest best sellers. For the more active, messing around in boats or chasing a ball around a golf course all are great escapes. And the thing is, you can still enjoy all these things with a heightened sense of freedom by doing them in the nude.

Clothing-Optional Vacations: It’s A Growing Industry

So why are clothes-free vacations and the pleasures of living life sans clothes on the rise? Well, according to a 2019 report, travel industry experts suggest that nude recreation is fast becoming a billion-dollar-a-year industry with a $7.4 billion economic impact in Florida in 2018 alone. Quite simply, more and more people are realizing it just feels so darn good. There is not a word yet that fully describes that first feeling of peeling off your hot, clingy clothes and having a warm gentle breeze waft over your naked body, but it could be a combination of aaagghhhhh, mmmmm, and freeeeeee. Let’s be clear, naturists are not foolish — if it’s cold, we wear clothes. But generally, we like to hang out in warmer climates where to be naked makes sense. No more wading out of the sea in a wet, clingy swimsuit only to lie down and have sand get into the most irritating and uncomfortable places. No more impossible contortions on the beach trying to change out of said damp clothing whilst holding a towel trying not to expose too much flesh. Why do people skinny dip? Perhaps because it’s just easier than messing around with swimsuits, but maybe it’s also because it just feels so good having water sensuously caressing the whole of your body. Once experienced, you will be reluctant to revert to swimming clothed (we haven’t owned swimsuits since the 1980s). Years ago, we took our two young sons to France for a couple of weeks of lying on the beach, playing in the sea, and exploring the woods. We took one suitcase that contained four towels and sunscreen. That was it.

Another significant benefit of naturism that you won’t find described in holiday brochures is the sense of mental and emotional wellbeing that it brings. Stripping away your clothes not only strips away your inhibitions but also your prejudices — baggage perhaps we don’t recognize but certainly carry around. Naturism is the most natural leveler. Meeting a naked stranger, you have no idea if they are an international company CEO, the local vicar, an airline steward, or a farmer. They have nothing that allows you to instantly peg them in a certain box. And here’s the thing, who cares … really? Naturists wax lyrical about the experience being liberating — liberating the body for sure, but equally important, the mind, too.

Where To Start

This all sounds well and good, but we’re not in Europe where ladies go topless, many beaches are nude, and there is an abundance of naturist resorts and options to go naked. So how do you dip your toe into the proverbial naked pool? The obvious step is right at home if you have a secluded garden or can somehow screen off a section in which to enjoy a spot of naked sunbathing. There are not many official nude beaches in North America, but Haulover Beach near Miami, Florida; Gunnison Beach, New Jersey; Blacks Beach near San Diego; and Vancouver’s Wreck Beach are all well recognized as nude friendly. There are many deserted beaches where you can, with common sense, strip off. Naturism is not for everybody, so be respectful and cover up if someone approaches — it’s never okay to shock or embarrass anyone.

There are also many nudist resorts/clubs that welcome visitors — either for a day visit or longer. A good resource to locate a club is the American Association of Nude Recreation website. The range of facilities varies enormously — from high-end luxury condos including Mira Vista in Tucson or Cypress Cove in Kissimmee, Florida, and all-inclusive resorts including Hidden Beach Resort, Mexico, (which is south of Cancun and Playa del Carmen) to rustic locations where tent or RV camping is the norm. Our personal North American favorites in this category include Bare Oaks Family Naturist Park, Ontario, which has a great family atmosphere; Whitetail Resort, Virginia, which has wonderful indoor and outdoor swimming pools; and Glen Eden Sun Club, California, a great place for nude hiking.

For a more low key introduction to naturism, seek out a clothing-optional bed and breakfast. Nuance Bed and Breakfast in Michigan is a great place to try naturism for the first time. With beautiful surroundings and no more than eight to 10 likely trying naturism for the first time too, this is a no-pressure opportunity to find out what so many have already discovered. Valley View Hot Springs in Colorado is a unique clothing-optional hot springs (and so much more) location that offers naturism in a very natural and wonderfully relaxing environment. What could be better than lazing languidly in a natural hot spring gazing at the stars on a clear night and sharing stories with fellow nudists?

Experiences You May Wish To Avoid

Although bona fide naturist clubs and resorts are first-class places to enjoy the naked lifestyle, some “adult lifestyle” clubs do exist, and it’s important to differentiate between the two. To be sure, check with AANR to see if the club/resort you want to visit is an accredited member.

Follow The Naturist Etiquette

As a first-time visitor, someone from the club will typically escort you and show you around the facilities. Believe it or not, this can be the most awkward part as you will be clothed and everyone else (except your host) naked. You will feel like the odd one out and certainly over-dressed. It’s only natural that first-time nudists feel a sense of apprehension as they undress. Suggestion: Wear loose-fitting, easy-to-get-out-of clothing. That said, after a few minutes lying on a sun lounger, floating in the pool, or strolling around the grounds, you will forget you are even naked. Really — it’s true. Being without clothes in such an environment feels so comfortable and, yes, normal.

There are, as in life, some basic dos and don’ts when in a naturist surrounding. First, always sit on a towel. If there are two things every nudist must have they are 1) a towel and 2) sunscreen. Whilst most clubs will be able to provide you with a towel, it’s best to come prepared. Second, do not stare — it’s just plain rude anyway. Third, don’t behave in an overtly sexual manner — you will quickly be ejected from the club. Sadly, the general public often equates nudity with sex and, therefore, naturism with sexual orgies. This is absolutely not the case, and there is no tolerance for those who behave inappropriately. Finally, taking unsolicited photographs of other naturists is an absolute no-no in most clubs and any photography must be approved by management.

Things You Wanted To Know About Naturism But Were Afraid To Ask

Every newbie to naturism (often playfully called a whitetail) has the same two or three questions or reservations about taking the plunge, so we might as well get them out of the way here.

First: “I don’t have the right figure to go nude.” Who says? Over the years, we have spent time with nudists from a few days old to folks in their 90s, women with mastectomies, people with missing limbs, folks who were 60 pounds to over 400 pounds, and women sporting newly implanted breasts. And I cannot remember the names of any of them!

Secondly, men are concerned they may get aroused. You won’t — there’s nothing sexual about a lot of naked bodies unless your mind makes it so. If you do find yourself becoming aroused, take a dip in the water or lie on your front until it subsides. Women often ask if they can keep their bikini bottoms on during that time of the month. Absolutely!

Finally: “I could never do this in case I meet someone I know.” Guess what? They are there for the same reason as you. This did happen to me many years ago when I met my secretary at the local naturist club. I have a wonderful picture of the two of us standing together naked. What started as a friendly acquaintance encounter has turned into an enduring friendship. Naturism will do that for you.

Whatever You Enjoy Doing, Doing It Nude Makes It So Much Better

However you like to relax on vacation, doing it in the nude will heighten the experience. Enjoy sailing? Book a nude cruise during which you can be nude on board and visit remote nude beaches. Enjoy running? Sign up for a nude 5k run. Yes, we wear running shoes (and sports bras if necessary). Golf? That’s better naked, too. Try it at La Jenny in France’s Bordeaux region. And, if you want to live naked for a while, venture over to Vera Playa in Spain or Cap d’Agde or Euronat in France, where you can shop, get your hair cut, and even go to the bank all without clothes. But, be warned, it just makes getting dressed at the end of the vacation so much more difficult.

There is a myriad of options out there for you to try. One thing is for sure: You will abandon your swimsuit for good and wish you had taken the plunge sooner! That, I guarantee.