Judging by the popularity of our World’s 10 Best Gay Beach list last week, it’s pretty clear that many of you can’t wait to rip off all of your clothes and soak up as much summer sun as possible.
So to help you legally go that one step further, we now present our 2013 list of the planet’s best nude beaches.
As with the gay beaches, please comment away if your favorite didn’t make the cut. We’ll be back in the coming weeks with our top reader beach picks.
Meanwhile, enjoy the clothing-optional view.
Photo by Christopher Cushman/www.epiphanynoir.com
Click through to see our 2013 picks for the world’s best nude beaches.
First up: San Diego’s Black’s Beach
Black’s Beach, San Diego
Said to be America’s largest nude beach, Black’s is also the most famous in the U.S. About 15 miles north of downtown San Diego below the Torrey Pines bluffs of suburban La Jolla, Black’s Beach is co-run by the state of California and the city of San Diego. Only on the northern portion (the part under state jurisdiction) is nudity allowed.
Photos by MamonovaDesign, maxwelld, surfingsano, Alexsander7
Next up: Miami’s Haulover
Just 10 miles north of South Beach, Haulover is one of few nude beaches in Florida, and definitely the most popular. It boasts a mile and half of gorgeous oceanside sand, but only the northern half mile is clothing optional – frequented by everyone, but with a strong concentration of gay men.
Photos by Elmo H. Love & osseous
Next up: San Francisco’s Baker
Fog and sometimes chilly temps notwithstanding, few nude beaches have as much going for them as Baker, with both extreme close proximity to downtown San Francisco and a dazzling view of the Golden Gate Bridge. It’s also the original home of Burning Man. The north end is where the clothing-less congregate.
Photos by Ernesto Sarezale (1, 2 & 4), Orin Zebest, Peter V. Hernandez
Next up: Toronto’s Hanlan’s Point
Naturists have loved Hanlan’s Point for decades, and since 2002 the beach has been legally clothing optional. The climate keeps beach season short here (usually late May to late September), but Hanlan’s offers lovely sands, clean water, and incredible views of downtown Toronto.
Photos by Mardi Reid, Terry W. Self, & GoldenSkyclad
Next up: Australia’s Obelisk
Obelisk Beach, Mosman, Australia
Only about seven miles from Sydney’s city center, clothing optional Obelisk is just as close as Bondi/North Bondi, and it’s infinitely more tranquil. On the other side of Port Jackson harbor, Lady Jane is another naturist beach that’s popular with local gays, but also with tourist lookie-loos.
Photos by mcgrayjr & AndyCavell
Next up: South Africa’s Sandy Bay
Sandy Bay, Cape Town, South Africa
It’s a bit tricky to reach (10 miles southwest of central Cape Town, then a 20-minute trek from the car park), but it’s so worth it: The beauty here in one of the area’s last undeveloped coastlines is breathtaking, and its relative remoteness means the atmosphere is extremely low key.
Photos by DrUbLiC & garybembridge
Next up: Maui’s Little Beach
True to its name, Little Beach is just over 650 feet long. But it’s one of Hawaii’s few nudity-kosher beaches, and the one most beloved by the gays (and the hippies, both diehards and neos). Part of Maui’s Makena State Park, Little is separated from Big Beach by a steep lava outcrop created just a couple hundred years ago. Come on Sunday for fire dancing and drum circles.
Photos by zsl_12, abragrace, imposedminority
Next up: Vancouver’s Wreck
The second biggest clothing optional beach in North America, Wreck gets more than 100,000 visitors every year. It’s city-close (even reachable by Vancouver’s bus system), but a steep cliff and nearly 500 steps keep it private. Even more private are the adjacent woods – men are known to get especially friendly here, but this is officially verboten.
Photos by GoToVan, Mardi Reid, bjnudeclub
Next up: Rio’s Abricó
Praia do Abricó, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Located some 25 miles west of Ipanema and Copacabana in the suburban Rio town of Grumari, Praia do Abricó (or Apricot Beach) has been popular with naturists since the 1940s. This is Rio’s official nude beach, but distance keeps the big crowds away, making for a wonderfully peaceful vibe.
Photos by Portfolio Beto Roma, cirobess@, Claudio Marcon
Next up: New Jersey’s Gunnison
Gunnison Beach, Sandy Hook, New Jersey
Nudism is officially illegal in New Jersey, but fortunately Gunnison lies on U.S. land (part of a fort once used to protect New York harbor), allowing it to be the only official naturist beach in the state. Since the 1970s it’s been the New York City area’s favorite clothing-free beach. 55 miles separate it from downtown Manhattan by land, but a twice-daily ferry runs in summer, making it just a 30-minute trip to nearby Atlantic Highlands Marina.
Photo 3 by Sister72
