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Sunday, July 07, 2002

ON YOUR OWN:

Finding a secluded spot to strip in the wild can be easy or difficult, depending on the area and how far one is willing to travel to take it all off. The key is getting well away from the general population so as not to offend the innocent. Look for discrete places off the beaten track, and always scope out the environment to make sure there are no families lurking just around the bend.

Local, state and provincial laws differ, but in most places, simple nudity is not illegal. The same holds true in most national parks and forests. Hot springs, especially those located near roadways, can be more of a problem. Wise skinny-dippers always keep shorts handy, just in case.

CLOTHING-OPTIONAL BEACHES AND HOT SPOTS:

Beaches frequented by bare-bottomed bathers pepper both coasts, frequently giving Amtrak riders an eyeful on shore-hugging routes. The Caribbean, Europe and much of the Pacific also offer numerous areas for suit-free sunning. Some even have shops and restaurants where one can order beer and bratwursts in the buff. Inland, there are numerous sites along rivers and lakes used by cold-water skinny dippers, and many natural hot springs remain clothing free.

The easiest way to find places to peel is to obtain a copy of "The World Guide to Nude Beaches and Resorts" published by the Naturist Society (1-920-426-5009; www.naturistsociety.com). Organized by state, province and country, it gives directions to hundreds of clothing-optional beaches around the globe. Members of the Naturists also receive periodic updates in the club's magazine, "Nude & Natural."

CLOTHING-OPTIONAL RESORTS:

While few truly clothing-optional resorts are found in the United States or Canada, the Caribbean is rife with luxurious properties where one can choose whether to sport suits or bathe in the buff. The leader is SuperClubs (1-800-467-8737; www.superclubs.com), which offers six all-inclusive resorts in Jamaica with au naturel beaches and more.

Other clothing-optional beach resorts can be found in Jamaica, Aruba, St. Martin, Bonaire, Grenada, Antigua, Curacao and Mexico. The easiest way to locate them is to go through an agency specializing in nude travel. A few of the better-known ones include Go Classy Tours (1-888-825-2779; www.gonude.com), Castaway Travel (1-800-470-2020; www.castawaystravel.com) and Bare Necessities Tour and Travel (1-800-743-0405; www.bare-necessities.com). Bare Necessities also arranges cruises in which entire vessels, such as the 2,000-passenger Carnival Ecstasy, become floating nudist resorts.

NUDIST PARKS:

Nearly every U.S. state and Canadian province boasts a nudist park or club. Some are "landed," which mean they have real estate. Others are "travel clubs" that arrange undressed get-togethers at public or private locations. Most clubs have strict rules for admission. While clubs welcome couples and many extend membership to single women without hesitation, the number of single males granted admittance is carefully controlled.

The "North American Guide to Nude Recreation," published by the American Association for Nude Recreation (1-800-879-6833; www.aanr.com), provides a guide to member parks sorted by state and province. More Canadian parks can be found in the "Canadian Guide to Naturist Resorts and Beaches," a guide published by the Federation of Canadian Naturists and sold through the Nudist Store (1-800-446-6833; www.thenudiststore.com).

INFORMATION:

To learn more about recreating in the raw, contact the American Association for Nude Recreation (1-800-879-6833; www.aanr.com), the Naturist Society (1-920-426-5009; www.naturistsociety.com) or the Federation of Canadian Naturists (1-416-410-6833; www.fcn.ca).

-- Dan Leet