America and its Naturist Beaches.

Gunnison Beach, Sandy Hook, NJ: This popular New Jersey nude beach offers a view of New York and quite a lot more. Billed as the largest clothing-optional beach on the Atlantic, the destination welcomes up to 5,000 people on sunny summer weekends. Want to go? It’s suggested that sun-seekers arrive by 9am to snag a parking space in the lot.

Gunnison Beach, Sandy Hook, New Jersey

Gunnison Beach, located on the Sandy Hook peninsula in the northeast corner of New Jersey, has been officially recognized as a clothing optional beach for several decades. In fact, it is probably the largest and most firmly established nude beach on the East Coast of the United States. There are even signs that warn visitors that they may encounter nude sunbathers beyond a certain point. This huge sandy beach attracts a large and diverse crowd on hot summer days; the families, couples and singles mingling together will instantly make you feel comfortable.

Haulover Beach, Miami Beach, FL: Often hailed as the most popular nude beach in North America, thanks to its nice sand and amenities such as barbecue grills, this expansive Florida beach goes further than topless-friendly South Beach by allowing the Full Monty on its northern end.

Black’s Beach, San Diego, CA: Although nude sunbathing is not officially sanctioned at this SoCal beach, it’s accepted and beach-goers who strip down aren’t hassled. Located at the base of 300-foot cliffs, the beach is not easily accessed from above, but can be reached with a stroll from one of the adjacent beaches.

Baker Beach, San Francisco, CA: While the southern end of this scenic San Francisco beach is frequented by families and, more often than not, sweatshirt-covered visitors who come to stick their toes in the sand and gaze at the Golden Gate Bridge, the northern end welcomes the clothing optional crowd. Before you go, note that cold water and equally as brisk temperatures make this a far from ideal spot to swim on most days of the year.

Baker Beach, San Francisco, California

Located only minutes from downtown San Francisco and offering an incredible view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Baker Beach is one of North America's hottest urban naturist beaches. The atmosphere is friendly and the crowd is mixed, including a lot of students. Although the water is usually on the cold side, the beach gets really busy on hot days due to its proximity to the city. In several areas, you will find many fully clothed people just "passing through"; you may even encounter a few annoying gawkers. If this happens, just ask someone how to get to North Baker Beach. While the northern part is mainly gay, this is also where most of the nudists congregate.

Little Beach, Makena, Maui: With a clothing optional history that stretches back to hippie times, this Maui beach is a sandy strip accessible from a short lava-flow trail in Makena State Park, located south of Wailea. Because this relatively small beach is the only public nude sunbathing spot on the island, it’s quite popular and often becomes crowded on warm, sunny days.

Photo of Little Beach courtesy of Maui Beach Guide

Mazo Beach, Mazomanie, Wisconsin

Located on the Wisconsin River between Sauk City and Mazomanie, this sandy riverbed beach is well known for its friendly atmosphere. Aside from regular beach activities such as volleyball, there are many organized events like the Nude Olympics and "Christmas in July." On some weekends, a hot tub or trampoline is even brought down to the beach for some added excitement. At night, beachgoers gather around campfires to enjoy the starry sky and cheerful camaraderie. Just keep in mind that the river can be dangerous due to its strong currents, which means that you should never swim alone.