Your vote: Best nude beach in California?
Although the Trail 6 area of San Onofre State Beach may be losing its status as a naturist hangout since the 1970s, there are several other strips of sand along our coast that they also frequent.
Here is your chance to weigh in. Take our poll and tell us which is the best clothing-optional beach in California. And please use the comments section below to tell us why.
>> Click here for a photo gallery of all the beaches (*sorry, no nudity) <<
– Whitney Friedlander, Los Angeles Times staff writer
[Photo: Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times]
*Updated: Added note at 3:53 p.m. based on reader feedback
27 Comments on “Your vote: Best nude beach in California?”
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July 15th, 2008 at 2:55 pm
Oh My God, is this what has become of the LA Times??? You guys are in the process of laying off 150 journos and this is the TRIPE you ask about.
Damn you guys are sad.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Is this important?
July 15th, 2008 at 3:34 pm
Black’s Beach is wonderful but by far the best clothing optional beach in So. Cal is More Mesa in Santa Barbara. Not only is this gem uncrowded, free of lurkers and police but even without the ability to go bare, it is without doubt one of the finest beaches anywhere.
July 15th, 2008 at 3:36 pm
this is a pretty sad excuse of a poll/blog post/newspaper. the accompanying promise of photos from the beaches really reveals the times’ level of respect for their readers and what they want. keep up the poor work!
July 15th, 2008 at 5:08 pm
Whoa … Why the hostility in the comments section? I think most people would agree that a list of “best beaches” is perfectly relevant for a newspaper travel blog, not to mention newsworthy given the recent news about San Onofre.
Black’s and San Onofre are the only two on the list that I’ve been to, and Black’s is the better of the two… It and the adjacent Torrey Pines (which is not clothing-optional) are both great beaches that I think even the grumps who have commented here would enjoy.
July 15th, 2008 at 6:46 pm
Interesting that the photos being published are from a supposedly “scientific” website. The one that Streisand attempted to sue to posting her home with free access to openly post comments by anyone who chose.
Not only did you exercise extremely poor taste as well as garnering even more sympathy for the laid LATimes staff members, but you have now advertised, and highlighted even, that such activity is illegal. You are not “Big Brother” are you Mr. Zell? My guess is that each of these locations will now suffer from lookey-loos trying to get their yahas off and what used to be a form of social acceptance towards “doing your own thing as long as it doesn’t hurt another” will be duly eliminated.
Thanks a hell of a lot, try tackling some real issues next week. Mr. Zell, go on an extended vacation somewhere far away and let these people do their jobs - you’ve proven with this that you have no business in this business.
July 15th, 2008 at 7:07 pm
Bates Beach in Santa Barbara was the best until it was closed down 8 yrs ago. A grp is trying to get it reopoened. Second place Blacks (steep climb takes it out of #1), Third, Avila/Pirate’s Cove in SLO and 4th best is San Onofre (rocky). We need more like the old days!
July 15th, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Imagine, after an exhausting week of the daily facade everyone puts on every morning before we step out our doors, the ability to go to a place where none of that defines the person you are. Where you are not judged by the car you drive, the type of job that you have, or the clothes on your back. Imagine a place where everyone’s the same, and you’ll imagine what it’s like to visit there. Imagine all of this peace and beauty in a naturist surrounding, free of one of the strongest reminders of the world we so dearly need to retreat from: our clothes. Imagine a place like naturistmingle.com where no one is judged by appearance but is accepted only as God himself created him. Imagine an environment where even children can play in complete safety and peace.
July 16th, 2008 at 10:44 am
How can a state with hundreds of miles of beaches, and hundreds of thousands of beach goers….only have this handful of “clothing optional” locations? Sad situation. There should be clothing optional section of every major beach park….even if secluded and hard to get to.
Even sadder is that this list, limited as it is, will likely become the “hit list” for the cretins now running the park service.
Watch for the rangers to come running…at all these locations…to protect their narrow view of whats “proper”. Given Ruth Colemans view of propriety, all these locations could be closed to clothing optional use within a year.
July 16th, 2008 at 1:37 pm
Given the recent news about San Onofre, this question raises awareness about public nudity and civil liberties on our State’s public lands.
To all nay-sayers, if you can’t see that civil liberties are more relevant to journalism and nude beaches more relevant to its travel section than excessive whining about yet another downsizing in a poor economy for an industry undergoing an evolutionary crisis, blog about it elsewhere.
The writing’s been on the wall of newspaper journalism for years. If you didn’t big layoffs coming, you weren’t paying attention.
July 17th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
I picked Baker because it’s closest to where we live. Amazing view of the GG Bridge. An easy walk from the parking lot w/convenient, clean bathrooms. Sometimes have to share the beach with clothed surf fishermen but this is peaceful co-existence. Always a few voyeurs hanging out on the cliff above the beach. Like all Bay Area beaches, there are only a few great “beach days” each year, when there is an off-shore breeze and no fog. Have to get there early on those days to get parking. Haven’t been to a lot of the others on the list. Avila is nice and so is Muir Beach (not listed?). Was in Santa Barbara recently and couldn’t find a nude beach. We followed directions to the supposedly nude part of Gaviota — no nude sunbathers, in fact no sunbathers at all and barely any beach. Looked like the place would be nothing but rocks at high tide. Similar difficulty locating Butterfly (cemetary) beach. Found the beach but the only “nude” sunbather was a toddler.
August 7th, 2008 at 9:05 am
What is truly obscene is repressive attitudes of main stream religion; equating the beauty of the natural nude body with sex and lewd behaviors. Nudity by itself has nothing to do with sex. To feel shameful about something that is nature and how god intended us to be is the sickness itself. Dirty thoughts comes from dirty minds. If you think nudity is offensive, you should probably seek some professional help dealing with this irrational shame and guilt regarding something that was created in god’s image. For the religious folks, is god’s image offensive to you too??? Hmmm…
August 7th, 2008 at 4:44 pm
The State Parks Director, Ruth Coleman, has agreed to NOT ticket nudists until after Labor Day. Go enjoy the beach while it lasts.
Also, the issue of banning nudity at a long standing naturist area like San Onofre, which has been one of the nation’s premier clothing optional beaches for 30 years, should be a HUGE red flag for anybody who enjoys the privilege of going nude at the beach. If these meddling politicians manage to ban nudity at San Onofre, the sky’s the limit, and you can fully expect a rash of nudity banning around the nation.
You’d be more than wise to visit the friendsofsanonofre.org website to find out how you can contact the proper politicians to voice your support of continued naturism at San Onofre State Beach.
Also, Check out these polls…
http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/news/local/huntingtonbeach/article_2089604.php
http://beach.freedomblogging.com/2008/05/30/state-cracks-down-on-san-onofre-nude-beach
http://travel.latimes.com/daily-deal-blog/index.php/california-best-nude-2260/
THE PEOPLE OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CLEARLY SUPPORT NUDITY AT SAN ONOFRE.
August 7th, 2008 at 5:32 pm
First of all it’s bureauocracy at its worst that would try to shut down San Onfore’s tiny clothing optional section…It will force naturists to drive an additional 100 miles round trip to visit Blacks or even further to visit More Mesa in Santa Barbara county…This is socially and fiscally irresponsible in this day of high gas prices and greenhouse emissions…PLUS…Why is it that naturists are not considered like any other minority group who simply want a place to practice their hobby… and without San Onofre there will not be even one single nude beach for the 10,000,000 plus residents north of La Jolla and all the way to Santa Barbara…Come on government…Speak for the people for once will ya..and stop making decisions without actually knowing the true facts… And hey Director Coleman…STOP listening to those people beneath you with an obvious political agenda…and start actually HEARING the constituency you have vowed to represent…
August 7th, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Why is the state trying to close nude beaches? They use the excuse that employees will sue for sexual Harasment? Lets get over it Nudity is not Sex
August 7th, 2008 at 11:03 pm
San Onofre by far,The beach is Beautiful and the people are so friendly. Most beaches nobody gives you the time of day. San Onofre lets you feel welcome the moment you step on the beach. Au natural is a life style and it allows me to reconnect with who I am as a person. After a day at San Onofre I remember what life is about, Living. Please help support the clothing-optional beach.
August 8th, 2008 at 6:00 am
I am saddened and dismayed that Victorian big brother bueaucrats are attempting to repress the right of nude sunbathing. Let them state the reason they think this in any way could be harmful. I contend that this is healthy and harmless recreation that offends only those who are obsessed with repressive religiosity.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:02 am
SANS O YES FREE!
SAN O NO FRE!
August 8th, 2008 at 8:11 am
Although Black’s is the best overall, each one gives different things and each has qualities the others don’t. The important thing is that clothing-optional beaches are available for people who don’t feel the body is obscene. European visitors tell us they look for nude beaches when they come to the US to vacation. Thank you for the survey.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:14 am
San Onofre and Black’s are best because the water is warmer. I frequent San Onofre most because it is closest so it cost less to get there.
Many European nations, Australia, and several South American countries have accepted clothing optional beaches. For a country that believes in promoting freedom around the world we should establish proper signage and respect our own citizen’s freedoms.
Naturist have the same rights to utilize a portion of public lands as other tax payers.
August 8th, 2008 at 3:26 pm
I discovered Black’s Beach in 1970, four years before it became a city authorized “swimsuit optional” zone until 1977. There were a few rusting wrecked cars that had been driven over the cliff and very few ever went there, even on the weekends. One trail involved using a suspended rope to get down…one big event was in May, 1975 to celebrate one year as a nude beach. It was truly an uncrowded eden, but in 1977 the city rescinded the ordinance.
August 9th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
99.9% of the time we were evolving as a species we were not clothed. Our bodies were designed to deal with the natural world naked, like all the other creates God created. Clothes are a very recent invention in our evolutionary history and certainly have value for protection and comfort. But this paranoia and fear of being without clothes is very unhealthy and sad, as well as being illogical and uncomfortable in certain instances LIKE AT THE BEACH, OR SWIMMING! There are plenty of beach available to those people who are afraid or ashamed of their own bodies and even of seeing other nude bodies, but it is totally unfair that the few beaches where one can be free of clothes are being attached by these frightened people. Since the vast majority of people polled have skinny dipped or are willing to have designated optional beaches, why are the politicians not responding? We need to demand their attention and vote accordingly.
August 9th, 2008 at 7:16 pm
I love San O because when you reach the beach you can’t believe you are still in one of the most heavily populated areas (SoCal) of the United States! It’s Mother Nature at her finest.
August 22nd, 2008 at 8:35 am
I fear that the rescission of the “Cahill Policy”, and the efforts to build a private highway through San Onofre State beach is more than coincidental. San Onofre is on the “hit list” of numerous state parks that are slated to be closed by the Schwarzenegger Administration as cost cutting. (See http://www.parks.ca.gov/newsroom). President Bush has given the nod to the EPA to suspend the Endangered Species Act in regards to the steel head trout found in these waters. (www.surfrider.org/savetrestles) We are in serious danger of losing our state parks altogether as well as the freedom to enjoy them as we choose. Losing San Onofre whether it be used for surfing, bicycling, hiking, fishing, or nude sunbathing, would be a huge loss that California will mourn for generations to come.
September 2nd, 2008 at 10:56 am
I have been a life long nudist. Bathing suits are disgusting!!! I wish these people who do not want to go naked, while enjoying the beach and the sun, would just GO AWAY!!! You see many lewd thihgs going on “regular” beaches. A lot more alcohol for sure!!!! LEAVE US ALONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just let us have a safe place to bare all. Stay away if you cannot join us! The gawkers and complainers are the TROUBLED ONES not US!!!!!
September 3rd, 2008 at 5:15 am
I live in Europe and the first time I went to a public pool or beach here I was shocked … shocked, I tell you. I was walking through the middle of Berlin in a park and there they were … office workers and colleagues - without a care in the world taking a “lunch nude sunbath”. Now, after 16 years - I am well over it. I grew up. Show up here at the pool or beach in anything more than a pair of speedos and people start pointing and wondering why all the modesty. (Mostly it’s the young blokes you will see in a pair of “jams” but that’s a fad thing, they soon grow up.)
Reading this and the comments here really gave me the giggles … I have sent this to several “English” reading friends … we all agree … are Americans aware that men have penis’ and womem have breasts and vaginas. We all do, get over it … grow up.
September 5th, 2008 at 3:27 am
With the budget crisis I think the parks system management needs to realign their priorities. Wasting money on a non-issue, they should be fired!