The Pursuit of Being Fully Alive
10 Ways to Give Nudity a Test Drive this Winter (USA Edition)
Expand your horizons by simply loving your body in your skin — even if that’s just in the comfort of your own home
Even if you are simply planning a one-off special event, doing something naked may well open to door to a sense of freedom and affirmation you hadn’t even realized you were missing.
Since joining the MEDIUM blogosphere, I’ve been intrigued — and pleasantly surprised — to see how many authors are writing about the benefits of social and private nudity. There are many who speak to the benefits of sleeping naked, others who enjoy simply walking around the house in the nude, and others still who are owning the full monte by visiting a nude resort or practicing nude yoga.
Of course, the farther north you live, the more challenging it is for the nude-curious to satiate their preoccupation with thoughts of baring it all. So, I thought I’d offer a few ideas to change up your life for even a day or a weekend. Some of these cost nothing besides a bit of imagination, a few others might require a splurge. But who knows, a few hours in the buff might turn out to be a life-changing experience.
Naked Picnic Near the Fireplace
This is one of our favorites. If your home has a good fireplace, this is a no-brainer! Build a roaring fire and bump up the furnace a bit to take the edge off the ambient temperature and set out a blanket on the living room floor. Maybe order take-out food that’s picnic-friendly, pour yourself a glass of wine, and take time to get naked with a friend in front of the fire where you can feel the warmth on your skin. It might sound inherently sexual, but it doesn’t have to be that way at all. This is also a fav attraction at many European spas. You can even start out with a loose-fitting button-down shirt until you’re ready for your skin to feel warm all over.
Get Thee to a Hot Tub
Any hot tub can be a completely private hot tub under the cloak of darkness. Maybe you have friends with a spa that would let you “house sit” for them for an evening. Many hotels and AirBNBs feature indoor or outdoor hot tubs. Sometimes you have to summon up the courage to ask, “Can your spa be used in the nude?” We’ve found that in most cases the answer is “yes,” especially if the hot tub is in a private space — particularly in a B&B — and you’re willing to be a little discreet.
Visit a Korean Spa
Korean Spas are popping up all over the country, especially in large urban areas like Los Angeles, Dallas, and New York. These facilities offer gender-separated areas where nudity is required in the pools and the saunas. Not quite as decadent as their coed counterparts in northern Europe, but many people have found a visit to the Korean spa to be the gateway to body acceptance. Check out this story about finding your way.
Treat Yourself to a Massage
Most massage therapists have seen it all. While many will allow you to leave your undergarments on during the massage, few will be surprised if you ask if you can remove yours entirely. And even then, part of the therapist training is to discreetly cover genitalia with the corner of a sheet as they work over your body from head to toe. Here again, be proactive and ask the masseuse before you book. Many will even bring the massage table to your own home, so you might be lucky enough to take your massage in front of that roaring fire in your family room.
Jump on the Nude Yoga Train
Nude Yoga has been trending as well all over the country. You’ll have to do a bit of research to find a nude yoga session near you, especially if you live some distance from a metropolitan area. That said, if you find the idea intriguing, naturist organizations like AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation) and British Naturism started offering nude yoga sessions over ZOOM during the pandemic. It may feel a bit strange the first time being naked online, but if you choose the right cyber community, you’ll likely find it liberating and affirming.
Find Your Way to the Hot Springs
If you live on the West Coast or near the Colorado Rockies, an evening spent on the internet will help you find myriad hot springs with a vast array of facilities. Some are clothing optional; others require swimwear. Others, still, offer a mixture of each. Depending on where you live, you might want to check out Breitenbush in Oregon, Harbin or Wilbur Hot Springs in California, or Valley View and Orvis in Colorado. These are all fully developed facilities providing accommodations as well — for a price!
Turn Up the Heat for a Naked Party
If you were successful in taking the chill off enough to take off your clothes for fireplace picnic night, consider hosting a naked wine and cheese party with a small group of friends. Make it clear that this is just like any other winter gathering, except you’re going to celebrate being alive by taking time to get comfortable in your own skin. Maybe even a Nude Year Party! It’s always good to have a place where people can undress in a separate room so the expectations are clear and everyone is on a level playing field. A clothing-optional scenario where some get naked and others do not usually result in everybody feeling awkward.
Celebrate a Milestone at a Clothing Optional Destination
Have a big birthday or anniversary coming up? Consider someplace in the Caribbean where you can celebrate in your birthday suit. There are several excellent options at various price points including Hidden Beach in Mexico, Paya Bay on Roatan, The Natural on Curaçao, and numerous clothing-optional boutique inns near Orient Beach on St. Maarten. Some of the large resorts on Jamaica have clothing-optional beaches as well. If you want a real adventure, consider New Cambium in the Dominican Republic where you can rent a small house in a clothing-optional community in the tropical countryside. That’s become a regular haunt for us in recent winters. Here are some of our other favs…
It’s worth noting that some Caribbean resorts cater to swingers, which is fine if that’s what you’re into. Others strictly forbid sexual behavior of any kind in all public spaces. Best to read the fine print so you know exactly what you’re getting yourself into.
Have a Naked at Home Day
Choose a rainy day, light lots of candles, pull the blinds, and simply make you’re own naked spa in your own home. If you have that fireplace, make a point to spend time reading by the fire. Even mundane chores can feel invigorating when done in the nude, let alone finding your creative side by writing or painting. Just you and your skin can be invigorating.
Consider Nude Modeling
Want to really take the leap into the naked abyss?
I saw a great documentary a few nights ago on nude modeling. Any community that has an art school, especially universities, are always in constant need of life models of all shapes and sizes. Those featured in the film spoke to how life-affirming the experience was as they came to appreciate their own bodies through the eyes of the artist. Photographers are often looking for nude models as well, and in both cases, models are typically compensated for their time.
Check out this first person account:
Even if you are simply planning a one-off special event, doing something naked may well open the door to a sense of freedom and affirmation you hadn’t even realized you were missing. Everyone seems to know that Europeans have found places and ways to get naked any time of the year with a little apprehension about baring all in a communal environment.
Maybe this is your time to ask yourself what’s up with all those naked French and German people. They must be on to something!
Feel free to leave a comment if I can help you find your naked place this winter.
Enjoy this story? Please take a moment to clap! You can clap up to 50 times, and each time you do that, it helps move naturist stories up the queue in the MEDIUM algorithm.
I write about naturism, travel, and other parts of the human experience simply for the joy of writing. Totally worth it. But every time somebody spends time reading one of my stories, I earn a few cents to help pay the overhead costs of being a blogger.
It’s only a few dollars a month to subscribe to Medium, which gives you access to thousands of authors and their work. And if you subscribe by clicking through the link below, I receive an incentive for that as well. Support naturism and thoughtful writing. Subscribe to MEDIUM… below…
Read more of our naturist musings on our blog…
