That time I wrote about Nakations
Naked Vacations. When less is more!
Hey freelancers — What’s the weirdest assignment you’ve been given?
Mine was for a travel blog that I regularly pitched to and wrote for. This time, they were looking for a roundup of vacation destinations for naturists.
I thought I was perfect for the job. Write about travel for naturists? I love being out in nature! Walks in the woods like Thoreau, camping in the desert like Edward Abbey, spotting rare birds like John Audobon… (wait, not like Audubon. He was no role model for lovers of birds, nature or humanity. Read more about him here.) You get what I’m saying. I’m a nature-lover at heart.
As it turns out, I’m not truly a naturist. Because as a general rule, I keep my clothes on in public. Naturists get back to nature by vacationing in their birthday suits.
As a travel writer, my goal is to explore all kinds of adventures and cultures, and share them in a way that inspires readers to be open-minded and curious. I thought I was pretty good at staying in that mindset — open-minded and curious, respectful of different cultures — but this assignment shone a spotlight on how easy it is to judge and poke fun at a culture I’d never experienced before.
Nakations: Not as weird as they sound.
My assignment was to write a listicle of clothing-optional destinations for naked vacations. I soon learned that the weirdest part of this topic is that it’s not weird at all.
My first clue that nakations are no joke came when I giggled about this assignment with a friend. Haha! I’m covering a story about uncovering it all! Packing must be easy — just sunscreen and flipflops! Then I noticed the tolerant, patient look on her face. My friend revealed that she grew up in a family of naturists. Whenever possible, her family spent their days unencumbered by the trappings of fashion. Nudity was normal. She kind of missed those days now, especially when the laundry was piling up in her home.
Before that conversation, I imagined that clothing-optional vacations would only happen in wild, hedonistic tropical resorts full of beautiful, perfectly toned naked bodies. As it turns out, nakationing has nothing to do with looking sexy and everything to do with feeling easy-breezy.
In fact, maybe I am the weird one for feeling so inhibited. I do love a good skinny dip (AKA a chunky dunk) but I make darn sure that no strangers are within sight of my fifty-something jiggly booty and boobs. Why should I judge the folks who are simply more comfortable with their bodies, as perfectly imperfect as they may be?
Answering the call of the wild: Nakation Destinations
Naturists seek out the same outdoor activities as fully clad folks do: hiking, fishing, golf, relaxing on a beach…and there are destinations all around the world that cater to the clothing-optional clientele.
Got your curiosity piqued? Itching to shed some layers and dip your toes in the nakation water? Maybe just for a day? Here are a couple options for a clothing-optional day-trip. It just might uncover a whole new you.
HIKERS heading to Germany can pack their hiking boots and rucksacks (and nothing else!) for a trek through the Harz Mountains. An eighteen-kilometer trail, newly designated as clothing-optional, meanders from the town of Dankerode to Wippertalsperre. Or for a more restful German naturist experience, simply join the sunbathers in the Englischer Garten in Munich on a sunny summer afternoon.
GOLFERS go au naturel on the west coast of France at La Jenny Naturist Golf Course. Considering some golf fashions, the appearance of the golfers here may be an improvement! It’s a short course, but I’m guessing most folks aren’t really here to work on their game. Best ball, anyone?
BEACHCOMBERS don’t need to head to the Caribbean to beach it in the buff. At Haulover Park in Miami, Florida, not even an itsy-bitsy teeny-weenie bikini is required. Almost a third of the 1.5 mile shoreline is clothing-optional, making tan lines a thing of the past.
ANGLERS can fish for bass in the lake at Cedar Waters Village in Nottingham, New Hampshire — an easy drive from any of the popular recreational lakes in the state. This picturesque private park and campground truly is family oriented, and offers more than a spot to drop a line — there is an activity for every nakationer: tennis, shuffleboard, paddleboats, and more.
