25 Best Nude Beaches in the U.S.
- Miami South Beach
- Santa Rosa Beach
- Baker Beach
- Moshup Beach
- Jacob Riis Park Beach
- Haulover Beach
- St George Island State Park
- Secret Beach
- Kauapea Beach
- Lucy Vincent Beach
- Little Beach
- San Gregorio State Beach
- Black's Beach
- Muir Beach
- Gunnison Beach
- Pfeiffer Beach
- Gray Whale Cove State Beach
- Anne's Beach
- More Mesa Beach
- Secret Cove
- Apollo Beach
- College Cove Beach
- Red Rock Beach
- Lands End Beach
- Pirates Cove
You might expect that in the land of the free, where you have a god-given right to arm bears, you might also have the right to bare all. Generally this is not at all the case, and it seems that compared to their European counterparts Americans are on the whole far more prudish.
Laws vary from state to state, but the good news is more liberal attitudes on the coast mean there are a number of great clothing optional spots if you know where to look. Whilst a number of America's most popular nude beaches operate on the basis of the law turning a blind eye there are a number of wholly legal nude beaches. Often as not these are a hidden away, and can involve a bit of a hike. However, there are a handful of notable exceptions which are very much front and center.
Below we have listed a fairly extensive selection of the U.S.'s best nudist beaches where you can enjoy a skinny dip and get an all-over tan with relative impunity.
The Best U.S. naturist beaches...
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Miami South Beach // Florida
© sborisov / 123RF South Beach is perhaps the ultimate urban beach. It has it all; history, style, quirkiness, class and as much partying as you want, not to mention a vast swathe of white sand beach bordering clear blue ocean. This is where the beautiful and rich come to play in the sunshine before hitting the nightlife of Ocean Drive after dark. South beach is brash, colorful and… read more »
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Santa Rosa Beach // Florida
© Barbara Reddoch Powdery white sand and the clear waters of the Gulf are all par for the course along Florida's Emerald Coast and Santa Rosa beach is no exception. Situated less than ten miles away from the ever popular beaches of Destin, what you get at Santa Rosa is a more laid back, and dare I say, upmarket experience. You can instantly tell there is money here… read more »
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Baker Beach // California
UltraView Admin Situated between San Francisco and the Golden Gate Bridge to the north, Baker Beach is a flat, wide expanse of golden sand approximately 800 metres in length.
In the city's Presidio area, its natural vistas are improved by views of the entirety of the Golden Gate Bridge on all but the foggiest of days. Within Golden Gate National Recreation Area, it also boasts a coastal… read more »
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Moshup Beach // Massachusetts
C. S. Imming Located on the exclusive barrier island of Martha's Vineyard, Moshup Beach aka Aquinnah Public Beach is a gem. It's also known as Gay Head or referred to by locals as "the cliffs beach" as that's what it is.
The cliffs are multicolored providing a stunning and dramatic backdrop to the beach. These cliffs are so special they are a National Landmark and are owned and protected… read more »
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Jacob Riis Park Beach // New York
Steven Pisano Jacob Riis Park Beach makes up the westernmost part of the Rockaway Peninsula in Queens. Named after the social journalist who urged the city authorities to purchase the land to create a public park and beach, its long length of sand is dotted with original art deco structures from the 1920s and 30s, including the bathhouse (bath pavilion).
The beach's northern end is paralleled by a… read more »
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Haulover Beach // Florida
White sand, clear turquoise sea - nothing unusual there for a Florida beach. Oh, and clothes are optional! That's right, the northern third of Haulover is an officially sanctioned nude beach.
But there is more to Haulover beach than getting naked - this beach has a fantastic array of amenities and things to do making it one of the best family beaches in the… read more » -
St George Island State Park // Florida
Todd Van Hoosear St George Island State Park is on a barrier island off the western coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico. The sand is white and soft, and it stretches endlessly along the turquoise waters of the Gulf coast. This is a wonderfully wild place where you watch the most amazing sunsets and then see the stars as they brighten up the nighttime sky.
During… read more »
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Secret Beach // Hawaii
dronepicr The western end of Kauapea Beach is known as Secret Beach or just "Secrets" by locals. At high tide these two neighbouring sandy coves are separated by a rocky outcrop.
Secret Beach is a frequent feature on lists of Hawaii's best beaches, and its golden sands, secluded location and scenic outlook to Moku’ae’ae Island make it a real gem.
Backed by steep cliffs covered… read more »
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Kauapea Beach // Hawaii
dronepicr Hugging the northern shoreline of Kauai between Kalihiwai Beach and Kilauea Point, Kauapea Beach merges as one with Secret Beach at low tide. The golden sands are quite large by Kauai standards, stretching for half a mile or so with black lava rocks dotted here and there sheltered by tree and vegetation covered cliffs.
The beach is accessed down a steep unmarked trail, maintaining… read more »
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Lucy Vincent Beach // Massachusetts
N. Friedler Located near Chilmark on the island of Martha's Vineyard, Lucy Vincent beach is a beautiful stretch of golden sand that runs along the Atlantic coast. Sadly, unless you are a resident or renting a house in town, you cannot access this beach from June 1 through September 15. Beach passes are required during that time.
The beach was originally owned by the town librarian, Lucy… read more »
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Little Beach // Hawaii
dronepicr Little Beach is so called, not only because it is fairly small, but because it is next door to the longest beach on Maui's south coast - Big Beach. Both are beautiful stretches of golden sand backed by the near-pristine tropical greenery of Makena State Park, it's just the scale is different... well mostly that.
Perhaps what Little Beach is most famous for is the… read more »
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San Gregorio State Beach // California
Nathan Siemers Close to Silicon Valley in the South Bay Area, San Gregorio State Beach is a popular beach with a large car park and good amenities. Located on a wild stretch of the California coast this is a great place for picnics, birdwatching, beach activities, walking, hunting for fossils and exploring the trails.
Accessed from La Honda Road and Cabrillo Hwy, you will find restrooms, picnic tables… read more »
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Black's Beach // California
Raquel Baranow Situated on the beautiful California coastline north of San Diego, Black's Beach is north of La Jolla at Torrey Pines, just below the famous golf course of the same name. The name Black's Beach comes from the horse farm in the area that was once owned by the Black family.
A little off-the-beaten-track, the beach is accessed down a steep sandy trail from the Gliderport Parking… read more »
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Muir Beach // California
Jesse Wagstaff Twenty-five kilometres from San Francisco, Muir Beach is the first beach you'll come across heading north into Marin County. One of the cleanest beaches in California according to official data, it is a part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area.
While not the longest of beaches, at around 300 metres in length, it is wide, at 60 metres. The broad sweep of dark sand is… read more »
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Gunnison Beach // New Jersey
Richard Arthur Norton Washed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean, Gunnison Beach is a beach that is difficult to fault. It is situated within Fort Hancock and the Sandy Hook Proving Ground Historic District, part of Gateway National Recreation Area. Its views include those of Verrazano Narrows Bridge, connecting Staten Island and Brooklyn, New York. During the summer months there are even direct ferry services between Manhattan… read more »
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Pfeiffer Beach // California
Robert Brett Pfeiffer Beach is in the Big Sur area of California. Roughly a mile long, it is located down a twisting and unmarked two-mile paved road that is unsuitable for RVs and trailers as it has only five points at which vehicles are able to pass one another in opposite directions.
However, this beach more than makes up for the slight difficulty in getting there in sheer… read more »
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Gray Whale Cove State Beach // California
Christopher Michel When you hear that Gray Whale Cove State Beach is on an area of coastline known as "Devil's Slide" this should help convey that the descent to the beach is steep and tricky.
Just 18 miles south of San Francisco, situated between Pacifica and Montara, this state beach is popular for whale watching during the spring migratory season, hence its name. Great white… read more »
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Anne's Beach // Florida
Ved Ivanov Located at Lower Matecumbe Key, Anne's Beach can be found in the village of Islamorada. Named for a local environmentalist called Anne Eaton after her death in 1992, its stretch of white sand provides a secluded spot to sunbath or enjoy some time in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean.
Surrounded by native planting, the immediate entrance into the water is both shallow and… read more »
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More Mesa Beach // California
Brian More Mesa Beach near Santa Barbara is a secluded sandy beach between Arroyo Burro and Goleta Beach.
It is accessed from Mockingbird Lane in the Vista La Cumbre development, however there is no parking in that area so you need to park on Puente or Vieja Drive. Enter the park and walk about ¼ mile across the open cliff top towards the ocean and… read more »
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Secret Cove // Nevada
Ray Bouknight Loved by locals and visitors alike, Secret Cove lies roughly midway along the east coast of Lake Tahoe in Nevada. Just off Highway 28, it's no more than 300 metres in length. This means that even though it is called "Secret" Cove there can be restricted quantities of space on the sand.
Limited to day trips because of a lack of accommodation, this tiny near-circular cove… read more »
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Apollo Beach // Florida
Peter & Michelle S Located on Florida's eastern Atlantic coastline in New Smyrna, Apollo Beach is on the Canaveral National Seashore (National Park). Great for beach lovers, it has an endless strip of pristine golden sand and, being more secluded, it is one of the top nudist beaches in Florida. (This should not to be confused with the other Apollo Beach on Florida's Gulf Coast near Tampa!)
Located… read more »
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College Cove Beach // California
Beautiful College Cove Beach is one of the finest beaches in North California. This public beach is near Trinidad, about 75 miles south of the California/Oregon border. College Cove Beach is the northern cove of Trinidad State Beach and has a more secluded atmosphere. It is separated from the main state beach by "The Portal", a natural arch through the rocks.
The beach looks… read more »
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Red Rock Beach // California
Andrew Ballantyne Noted as one of the best nudist beaches in California, Red Rock Beach is just south of Stinson Beach in California. It has a steep trail leading down from the highway so wear sensible footwear to reach this remote wave-battered crescent of beach which is favoured by naturists. You can also reach it at low tide by walking along the sand and scrambling over the… read more »
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Lands End Beach // California
Willis Lam Close to San Francisco, Lands End Beach is a clothing-optional beach which is particularly quiet and private during weekdays.
To reach it, drive west along Geary Blvd and take a right at the fork onto Point Lobos Ave. You can park by continuing along to a large car park or by turning right again onto El Camino del Mar and parking at the end.… read more »
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Pirates Cove // California
Sergei Gussev Another California gem for naturists, Pirate's Cove is midway between Avila Beach and Shell Beach / Pismo Beach.
This south-facing cove is sheltered which is probably why it is favoured as a nudist beach. Its secluded position and rocky caves would have made the beach a natural hideaway for smugglers when ships heading to Port San Luis Harbour dropped off smuggled liquor.
Despite its… read more »
