12 Best Places to Get Naked in America and Canada

At least a half-mile hike to this famous beach connects the southern end of Torrey Pines State Beach to La Jolla Shores in northern San Diego. Two crowds trek to Black’s Beach shores: surfers grabbing big swells on the city’s south end and the “nakes” enjoying the state park’s north side. Nudism is technically unlawful in San Diego, but this spot has been a haven since 1974 when it briefly became the country’s only legal nude beach. Challenging hikes naturally manage crowds and enforcement. Stick to maintained paths and watch for high tides.

Unlike most on the list, Haulover Beach isn’t a remote hideaway. North of Miami Beach, this soft, sandy stretch of the Atlantic is considered one of the best nude beaches in the world. Haulover has long been a spot for social change; Black beachgoers waded in the waters in 1945 in protest of segregated beaches. In the 1980s, South Florida Free Beaches naturists championed clothing-optional choices and first succeeded with the northern third of the beach in 1991. Today, all are welcome at this relaxed venue with plenty of parking, restrooms, and even safari-hatted visitor ambassadors who answer questions and share etiquette.

With the cheery tagline “Drinking is Mandatory, Clothing is Optional,” the Garden of Eden rooftop bar announces its playful but pressure-free attitude. Day loungers and umbrellas transition to a DJ and body paint at this classic Duval Street open-air bar by night. The island has been a “live and let live” refuge for decades, and nude options abound. You’ll find a variety of lodging for all genders and orientations, feisty festivals, nude boat charters–pretty much nakedness everywhere except the beaches.

Less than 30 minutes from Portland, Sauvie Island is almost the size of Manhattan with almost half devoted to a recreational wildlife area. The mile-long stretch of Collins Beach is one of the state’s two nude beaches on public land. The other is a short jaunt to Portland’s east, the more secluded Rooster Rock State Park. Collins has been a clothing-optional institution since the 1970s. Be aware that on sunny days, crowds start to blend. Take Trail 2 and stay north if you want to go bare.

Just a short ferry ride from the skyline of the largest city in Canada is a popular haven for natural sunbathing, which is as much a given in this city’s life as hockey and poutine. First legalized in 1894, Hanlan’s Point has vacillated in legality but has been sanctioned by the city since 2002. Toronto recently expanded the clothing-optional portion of these fragile dunes, as well as recognizing it as a “historically queer space.” The island also includes biking trails, tennis and volleyball courts, facilities, snack stands, and a lighthouse. Crowds swarm on sunny weekends, but the view of the city remains sublime.

Private property affords safeguards even in seemingly unlikely places. As Idaho’s book censorship creates “adults-only” libraries, a respected resort outside Boise is dedicated to wholesome nudism without membership. Bare Mountain believes that shedding clothes allows us to shed the harmful pressures of modern life. This rustic cabin retreat is clothing-optional in most places, including dining areas, but nudity is required in the pool and hot tubs. But this is no sex-charged-free-for-all; Bare Mountain has firm rules prohibiting leering, commenting on bodies, public sexual displays, and photography.

While Jersey Shore has a long-standing–and televised–party reputation, regulars consider Gunnison Beach the quietest in the state. Gunnison is part of the Gateway National Recreation peninsula, jutting towards New York City. However, the north end, a short walk from parking lot G, leads to the section that has been clothing-optional since 1972. If you stay suited, you’ll be the odd one out here; on a busy day, a thousand sunbathers will be in the buff.

Locals call it “getting nekkid,” but however you spell it, this is the only public park in Texas where you can kick off your knickers. Helping “Keep Austin Weird” for more than 80 years, Hippie Hollow has a mile-long rocky shoreline on Lake Travis to enjoy boating, fishing, swimming, and sunbathing. This 18-and-over park reaches capacity on busy weekends. While Austin is undoubtedly the most free-wheeling city in the Lone Star State, etiquette is vital. Keep the clothes on in the parking lot and be cool; “nudity is acceptable, lewd behavior is not.”

For those who don’t always want sand with their nudity, Orvis Hot Springs resort delivers a relaxing soak without all the unintended exfoliation afterward. Yes, Colorado–and the entire Mountain West–has a plethora of natural, public springs where people disrobe. At Orvis, a tastefully designed spa-like setting, there is no question of legality. The clothing-optional springs resort offers seven classic untreated pools ranging from 65 to 112 degrees, and guests can stay at the lodge or tent campground. Subtle privacy fences wrap around the property.

In a state with pockets of legal sex work, the nude beaches in Tahoe remain curiously provocative, likely partly due to the unlawfulness of public nudity. But the not-so-secret shores of Secret Harbor Creek Beach, Secret Cove, and Hidden Beach have long been friendly for nudists, and as long as beachgoers behave appropriately, there is a peaceful understanding. Secret Cove is a favorite, with most visitors opting out of clothes.

Almost 1500 acres of park, the Presidio, are sandwiched between the city and Golden Gate Bridge. On the park’s west side, the popular, mile-long Baker Beach has an unimpeded view of the famous bridge. There are plenty of spots to play and picnic, but for those wanting to shed the threads, head to the north end via the Batteries to Bluffs Trail to the isolated Marshall’s Beach. Cliffs cut into the beach, giving it the perfect sense of privacy and remote peacefulness. Just don’t swim anywhere along this beachfront; the tides are gnarly.

Inspired by Naked Hiking Day on the summer solstice, this annual event brings the “casual skinny dipper” mindset to the country’s most famed national park. While the legalities get admittedly complex, organizers stand by their research and are advocating for the recognition of the current legality of nude recreation. Their successful event is one step of a larger advocacy movement in the country, moving from cities and beaches. Far from sexual, this event champions skinny dipping as an empowering, natural, and very Canadian activity. Suitable for those on the fence, there are no expectations to get naked as the group encourages everyone to co-exist at their comfort level.