8 Naked Ways to Have Fun Indoors Without Clothes

With winter making most of the United States and Europe too cold for outdoor nude recreation, many nudist travelers are longing for warmer weather.

If going south is not an option,  here are 8 alternative ways to enjoy nude recreation indoors without traveling.

All of these nude recreation activities can be done inside your home relatively cheap.

1. Exercise in front of the TV with work-out tapes but without clothes
2. Naked yoga:  More and more people are realizing the advantages of yoga without clothing
3. Ping pong:  Get a ping pong table and play ping pong in the buff
   
4. Billiards:  Get a pool table and play billiards without clothes
5. Table tops games:  Better yet, get one of those gaming tables that converts from a pool table to a ping pong table to a tabletop foosball game.
6. Air hockey:  Air hockey tables can be had cheap and are another way to do indoor nude recreation
7. Board games:  Play Scrabble, nude, but with double points for nude recreation words
8. Reverse Strip Poker:  Start out nude but put on clothing if you lose

Have fun!

Follow the Path to Naked Gardening in England

The Abbey House Gardens in Wiltshire, England is giving new meaning to being one with nature.

According to a BBC article, "A couple who garden in the buff are holding more open days when the public can walk around their garden naked." (Source).

During these 'clothing optional' days, visitors can tour the couples' garden in the nude for a variety of benefits (according to the Abbey House Gardens website):

• escape the pressures of daily living
• get back in touch with your inner self
• be inspired
• find time to unwind in fresh air
• enjoy some gentle exercise in beautiful surroundings
• meet up with friends & relatives in an easily accessible place

Sounds perfect!

If you love gardens and being outdoors without clothes - the ways humans have for thousands of years - then this is a place worth exploring.

The BBC has done an absolutely fabulous job of covering this clothes-free garden story through a series of articles and a video over the last few years. Take a look at some of what the BBC has documented:

• Gardening in the buff takes off


• Naked Gardeners' Exhibition - The Abbey House Gardens in Malmesbury is a must for garden buffs, art buffs and those in the buff…


• Video: Naturism big in Wiltshire (2 minutes)


• Gardens opening for naked walks (appears to be the first BBC article on the gardens)


• Wiltshire's Naked Gardeners at Chelsea Flower Show (mostly about the couples' commitment to gardening)

Also, visit the official Abbey House Gardens website.

I'd love to see something like this at a nudist resort closer to home (United States).

Maybe this exists already, but wouldn't it be groovy if a North America AANR-affiliated clothing-optional club with a large property and lots of woods allocated a few acres for members/visitors to use as a community gardening space?

Visit Solair, but not on Weekdays; Berkshire Vista 2008?

I received this comment from a reader on another post about visiting Solair on a weekday.

"My girl and I planned to go to Solair yesterday (we're late 30s). Took the day off to relax and hopefully sit by the pool. Sent an email to confirm that we would be coming and got a response that we were not allowed to visit unless it was a weekend or holiday. Needless to say, we won't be visiting. No big deal, but wow, not a way to encourage the younger crowd. C & D"

That's unfortunate.

The weekday restriction is surprising. While some smaller membership-oriented clubs don't have the staff to support weekday guests, Solair gives off the appearance of being able to.

If you've read my posts about Solair in the past, I have mixed feelings. My wife and I are younger than you and did not feel out of place. I like the facilities, the safety and the true nudist atmosphere. That comes at the trade-off of not liking the membership push and what I've heard nudist singles say about being denied.

Membership focused clubs are good for the members but tend to isolate everyone else. There are other membership focused clubs that I've passed on to visit open clubs. Membership is just not for me.

Northeast alternatives

If you are in the area, SunRidge is 45 minutes south of Solair. SunRidge is a lot smaller but I'm pretty sure they can support weekday guests. It's a nice place if you just want to lounge by the pool all day. It's a nice place to bring a picnic lunch too.

Then there's Berkshire Vista in western Mass, maybe 2 hours from Solair. Berkshire Vista definitely allows weekday visitors and has discounts for staying overnight on weekdays. The downside is that their 2008 future is uncertain. This is on their homepage today: "We are NOT closing! We will operate in 2008 and beyond. Info will be released in the upcoming weeks." Naturist Journal has more details already here that point to Berkshire Vista scaling back.

In Eastern PA lies Sunny Rest Lodge, a really, really nice place with better facilities than the 3 above resorts. We just visited on a weekday and will be writing a trip report soon.

About 30 Years Old and Getting Nude at Solair Recreation League

The Hartford Courant newspaper's lifestyle section just featured a nice trip report about Solair Recreation League, a nudist camp ground in Connecticut.

The author, Joann Klimkiewicz, visited Solair with her sister. Both around 30 years old, they left with a fairly positive impression of the resort. The sister's collectively had experience with being in clothing optional environments (Europe and some US topless beaches) so the article was more insightful, I think, than the more common "first timer" article.

As compared to some one-sided articles by authors who have only read about nudism, this author showed dedication by taking the plunge and then writing a well-rounded and fair account of the experience.

Read the full story here

My impression of Solair
Personally, I like Solair overall, having visited once and also being in the same "around 30" age group as the sisters above. When my wife and I visited, it was a lively summer Saturday last year. Besides people gathered at the pool, hot tub and lake, the sand volleyball court was active.

The library was empty, but who wants to read books inside on a nice day!

Solair had an event that day that I've never imagined ever seeing: a cooking demonstration in the nude. Think Emeril live, but scaled down and on a picnic table in a gazebo in a nudist resort. The woman's presentation was actually very good and educational.

I think Solair's hot tub and pool are average but nice. I prefer deep pools over volleyball depth pools, but that's just me. The lake is a uncommon feature and had a platform in the middle that you could swim to while skinnydipping. The grounds are really nice, comparable to Sunny Rest Lodge, a nudist resort in eastern PA that I'll be doing a trip report about soon.

I wish that there wasn't a pricey annual membership fee (after 4 visits) at Solair - otherwise I'd be back more often. The Courant author refers to it too:

• "Solair, for example, charges $25 for a first-time visit and $500 for an annual membership. For the under-40 set, that drops to $17.50 for a first-timer, and $300 for the year."

I realize Solair's needs to run a business and the quality of the camp ground shows they are making some good decisions, so I cannot really knock them for it. In fact, it may be the glue that holds Solair together and helps make it what it is. We felt really safe and comfortable there and it is one of the most family-friendly places I've ever visited and that is a good thing for nude recreation.

So there you have it, a newspaper author endorses Solair. I think it's a nice place too. And if you search the forums on nudist-resorts.org, you'll also hear good opinions of Solair.

Cheering the Sun God at a Nude Canada Beach

Wreck Beach and the Sun God

As the warm sunny day ends, you lie naked on a nude beach with your spouse. Fellow nudists are nearby. Everyone is relaxing as a cool evening breeze blows in.

As the sun starts to make it’s final descent towards the horizon, there are faint sounds of cheering muffled by the wind.

It grows louder and louder, surrounding you. Someone nearby screams “Goodbye Sun God, Goodbye!” An energy flows around you as everyone excitedly watches the Sun God.

The edge of the sun is seconds from hitting the mountain in the distance. The cheering grows louder and louder as the Sun God then slowly disappears behind the mountain.

Then the Sun God is gone. You know its the end of a great day at the beach.

This is one of the more magical moments in life, being at one with the people around you and Mother Nature and not a care in the world.

(Photo credit: Wreck Beach Preservation Society)

It was Wreck Beach in Vancouver, Canada where this happened on a day when the weather and people were in harmony, a common experience during the short Vancouver nudist season.

Maybe this is why many nudists call Wreck Beach one of the top 10 clothing-optional beaches in the world.

But there’s a lot more to Wreck Beach than the occasional beautiful sunset. During the day, we experienced most of its several mile-long beach and visited both ends of the beach.

Taking the long climb down the steps of Trail 6, we first arrived in the southern part of the beach. This is the popular part of the beach you see in pictures in my previous Wreck Beach post.

This main part of the beach has soft, unique brown sand and is covered with driftwood logs from a nearby logging operation. The logs give the place a one-of-a-kind character. They also provide a good place to rest your head while protecting you from the wind.

While resting your head, the view is of mountains in the distance. Behind you is a dense forest covering a steep hill.

We were lucky to have perfect weather. The weather drew out lots of people. Probably 70-80 percent of the beach goers were nude in the sandy beach area that day - a good number for a clothing-optional beach.

The atmosphere was friendly and respectful. Vendors offered food and drinks and other wares. A group of people played nude volleyball. Wreck Beach regulars seemed to keep guard of the place and kept it safe and comfortable. Later, they would clean the litter left by the more careless.

We also visited the other end of the beach north of the sandy area. The northern part is rocky (see second to last picture here) and when the tide is high, there’s not much room. Finding a soft spot in the sand without having a rock in your back is challenging.

The northern rocky area also has a lot less people. Being less crowded means that it lacks the protection you have when surrounded by many fellow nudists. We just didn’t feel comfortable with the rocks or some of the people who seemed suspicious or staring (not a nudist behavior).

The main beach is so much better and returning there for the evening turned out to be a great experience.

If you are ever in Vancouver, a great tourist destination in itself, be sure to visit Wreck Beach if the weather is nice.

----

Wreck Beach is a direct result of the ongoing efforts of the Wreck Beach Preservation Society and other supporters. They prove that when like-minded people get together, great things can be accomplished in the face of adversity.

(Photo credit: Wreck Beach Preservation Society)

Nudists Need the Internet and Food

I just returned from a great trip that had the famous clothing-optional beach in Vancouver, Wreck Beach, on the itinerary (trip report coming soon). While traveling, I missed my chance to participate in the latest "Great Naked Debate" on Nudist Day. I lacked a good Internet connection.

The debate was entitled "What can be done to attract younger people to the nudist lifestyle?". Check it out. You may not agree with every last detail, but the contributors covered a lot of angles.

Some similar viewpoints were in "What are the Real Problems with Young People and Nudist Resorts?" here where some readers chimed in with more good feedback on this important topic.

The answer seems to boil down to one central idea:

• creating something worthwhile that satisfies the needs of the customers.

Potential nudist destination customers in the younger age groups have a million ways to have their entertainment needs met. Any tourist/travel destination, be it clothed or nudist, free beach or paid resort, competes with the many forms of entertainment. To win the competition, the destination must meet the needs of customers.

A tourist destination has to be more worthwhile than such things as:

• watching TV
• surfing the Internet
• going to concerts
• going to the movies
• ...and all the other things people do for fun

Think about it. A clothed hotel becomes worthwhile to you when it has a good location, a pool, restaurant and has the other amenities you want for the right price.

Food

Now, try to find breakfast at a nudist resort or campground. Not many serve breakfast. Some serve lunch or dinner. Very few serve 3 meals a day, 7 days a week. So you either need to bring food or leave. Either way, your basic human need for food is not met.

This is bad because Americans love food.

The ones that serve lots of food, like Caliente and Paradise Lakes, the 2 big resorts in Tampa, offer a destination that is a complete experience. You don't have to leave if you are hungry. In my last trip report about Sun Ridge Resort, I mentioned how I did leave because my food needs were not met.

The Internet

One other way clothed hotels have adjusted to modern customer needs is by proving some form of Internet connection. Most do. What about nudist destinations? Not so.

I'm in the under-35 age bracket and I want my Internet no matter where I am. Is that so much to ask? This is a more common statement of my generation but slowly becoming typical of all generations (see Internet age trends). Even baby-boomers are spending a lot more time online nowadays too.

Why aren't most nudist resorts adapting to something so basic as an Internet connection?

The Internet and food are among the lifelines of today's potential nudist customer.

If you are at a nudist destination that doesn't meet these needs, speak up and make your opinion known.

New Nudist Fun: First-Ever Clothing-Optional Triathlon!

Bar S Ranch Clothing Free Resort and Country Club awaits on its vast 380-acre wooded, hilled grounds in Reidsville, N.C.

On a normal day, Bar-S nudist resort gives visitors and members the chance to be one with nature, to enjoy peace and solitude. If you like the outdoors, Bar-S-Ranch has miles of trails, Lake Wanda with swimming and fishing, plenty of camping, a swimming pool, and the Cow Pasture Golf Course (watch your step). Bar-S is the only nudist resort I recall whose website lists “reading” as one of the popular pastimes, a reminder that social nudism is not always about socializing - reading a book is fine too.

“Come enjoy our dream. Leave the stresses and pressures of life behind while you relax in the tranquility, security and privacy you will find at the Bar S Ranch,” says the Bar S Ranch website. This is an escape from the world of cell phones, text messaging, big box retailers and traffic jams.

That’s a normal day.

A less than normal day will be Saturday, August 11, 2007. On that day, Bar-S-Ranch tries to take nudist recreation to new heights with the first-ever clothing optional sprint triathlon. Offering nudists and the courageous a completely novel experience, the event makes the most of Bar-S-Ranch’s trails and lake. Participants will do a 500-meter lake swim, a 20-kilometer (12.4 mile) bike ride and a 5K run.

Clothing? Only a helmet is needed for the bike ride, a cross-country fusion of hilly terrain, wide golf cart paths, gravel road and single tracks. (A cushioned bike seat may come in handy too.)

Keeping in the theme of “clothing optional on your own terms” while encouraging participation, the triathlon event is not open to general spectators except that each participant can bring a guest. Resort members and volunteers will be there too.

To a lot of people, this level of privacy is desirable. This is a contrast to World Naked Bike Ride which involves riding through the streets naked amongst clothed people and an exceptional comfort level with being nude in public.

So think about the triathlon and the rare, historical opportunity it presents. You could be one of the first participants in the first-ever clothing optional triathlon in the United States. More on the event and registration here.

If the Clothing Optional Sprint Triathlon is too much for you, take pride in your hide! That’s right, the “Take Pride in Your Hide 5K Walk & Run” is planned for Saturday, July 28^th, 2007 at 9:00 AM at Bar-S-Ranch Nudist Resort.

Or, just visit on a normal day. As the map at right shows, the grounds hold plenty of opportunity for outdoor nude recreation.

--Nudist Footnote--

When it comes to nudist fitness and sporting events, Pete Williams’ Fitness Buff Radio Show seems to know what’s best. If you want to stay in the know, subscribe to their e-newsletter (fill out form on the Fitness Buff Radio Show website). That’s how I first learned about the Clothing Optional Sprint Triathlon at Bar-S-Ranch Nudist Resort. Host Pete Williams plans to participate in the event. Go Pete!

Streaking Nude a Hit

Recent nude runs at nudist resorts have had a positive turn-out from participants of all ages. Lake Como had over 100 participants and Paradise Lakes about 80. Many more nude runs are planned this year at various AANR-affiliated nudist resorts in the United States. Streaking is in.

According to the Fitness Buff Radio Show (nude radio show) e-Newsletter:

"More than 100 runners turned out for the 15th annual "Dare to Go Bare 5K" at the Lake Como Resort on Sunday, May 6. Fitness Buff host Pete Williams finished in 22:06. Co-host Sabrina Vizzari, who lives nearby and created the race in 1993, did not get out of bed in time."

I'll bet Pete now makes fun of Sabrina regularly on the Fitness Buff radio show they do together.


The inaugural Cotton Tail 5K Fun Run at Paradise Lakes was held a few weeks before on April 21st. The race results show almost 80 participants. Not bad for the inaugural event. According to the Paradise Lakes website:

"The inaugural Cotton Tail 5K Fun Run was a BLAST. And, it appears Streaking may have improved some runners times! See how clothes can weigh you down? Thank you for everyone who helped make this fun event happen. We had lots of positive comments and the participants are looking forward to the Sneaker Streaker 5k September 22 at 8:00 a.m."

Upcoming nude runs:

On June 2, Turtle Lake Resort, a nudist resort in Union City, Michigan, will be hosting the annual 2007 Turtle Lake Resort 5K. According to their website:

"If you love to run or walk, the Annual TLR 5K is a must. For those of you who have never participated in this event before, Turtle Lake offers you the new experience of a Run/Walk in the nude. This is, however, a clothing optional event, so nudity is not required for the Run/Walk. All participants will receive a 5K Run T-shirt. Prizes will also be available to the winners. There are several categories in which prizes are given, so there are many opportunities to take home an award."

The event will be followed by a nude minigolf tournament, horseshoe tournament and DJ dance, making for a fun-filled day of activities. Learn more on Turtle Lake's calendar.

For a list of other nude fun runs, there's a good list here.


Try nude running out. I will someday. It's still on my "nude TO DO" list.

Nude and Free: Skinny Dipping at Paradise Lakes Nudist Resort

Swimming nude is a great reason to try nude recreation. (If you are new to the idea of wholesome nude recreation, the American Association for Nude Recreation provides an FAQ). Whether skinny dipping in a pool or lounging in a hot tub, I have yet to hear a person say they like bathing suits better – no matter what age, size, or color the person is.

The Florida nudist resort trip report continues with a look at swimming naked at Paradise Lakes Nudist Resort. The resort provides a variety of ways to be comfortably naked in the water in a safe and accepting environment.

On Thursday afternoon with perfect weather, sunny and in the 80s, the pool had a scattering of nudists. We enjoyed clothes-free, wet-bathing-suit-free freedom in the main pool area.


Paradise Lakes has a uniquely shaped swimming pool (pictured). It’s more of a lounge pool than a swimming pool. When we returned on a warm Friday afternoon and again on Saturday, the whole pool area was jammed with people.

One part of the pool goes 6 feet deep, allowing for swimming, but most of the pool is 3 to 5 feet deep – nice for standing around, chatting and having a drink. A kind waitress brings beer, mixed drinks or whatever.

The pool meanders from the deep section to the shallow section and then a water volleyball section starts. In addition to the main pool volleyball area, Paradise Lakes has a separate water volleyball pool.

Nude water volleyball is a popular social nudist activity at Paradise Lakes. Games are frequent and can be almost non-stop in both pools on Friday, Saturday and Sunday when the conditions are right (time of year, weather).

To get away from it all, head towards the lake. Next to it, another pool and hot tub area provide a hidden oasis within the oasis of Paradise Lakes.


The residents and guests staying in this section of the resort property use this pool often. It’s convenient and nearby other nude recreation activities. The hot tub was being worked on during my stay, but the pool was nice and had room for swimming the way swimming was meant to be: clothes-free.

I close with these 2 important words: "waterproof sunscreen"

Vancouver's Famous Nude Beach: Wreck Beach

With a bunch of trip report updates in rough drafts, I need a break! It is hard to return to work after a nudist vacation!

Comfort is found in the thoughts of upcoming trips. One upcoming destination will beWreck Beach in Vancouver. As I learn more, I will share.

Though not a resort, the people of Wreck Beach organize fun events and are dedicated to keeping nudist history alive for future generations.

Though the 2007 calendar is in the works, the Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run/Walk is already planned:

• Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run/Walk: Sunday, August 12, 2007 at 11:30 am Sharp! Registration opens at 9:00 am at the bottom of Wreck Beach Trail No. 6 in Pacific Spirit Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Email beachgirl@look.ca for details.

During the cold winters, the Wreck Beach Swim Club organizes indoor events. Learn more about upcoming events and Wreck Beach at www.WreckBeach.org.