Set across a vast geographic and Red/Blue-state divide, what do Florida and California have in common? A deep appreciation for clothing-optional recreation, according to a ranking of nudist beaches in America.
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Using TripAdvisor reviews, temperature data and Instagram hashtags, the poker-culture site VIP-Grinders recently selected 10 top-rated beaches where it’s fine to wear a birthday suit, which USA Today picked up for a splashy story. Included are several California beaches, as well as one in Florida that’s great for watching space-rocket launches and another on a barrier island 12 miles off of Mississippi.
It’s important to do one’s research before dropping trou in public. “On federal land, such as what’s owned by the National Park Service, there’s no law banning nudity, so it’s acknowledged that you can shed your swimsuit without being written up,” informs USA Today. “Nevertheless, sometimes it depends on local ordinances. In California, for example, some beaches allow it only in certain areas.”
The 10 best nude beaches in the U.S., as ranked by travelers
1 Playalinda Beach in Brevard County, Florida
2 Blind Creek Beach in Fort Pierce, Florida
3 San Gregorio State Beach in San Gregorio, California
A drone view of the San Gregorio Ranch Beach in San Gregorio, Calif., on Wednesday, April 16, 2025. (Jane Tyska/Bay Area News Group)
4 Ship Island in Gulfport, Mississippi
5 Secret Cove in Lake Tahoe, Nevada
6 Black’s Beach in San Diego
7 Apollo Beach in Volusia, Florida
McWay Falls, on the McWay Waterfall Trail, plummets onto the beach at Julia Pfeiffer Burns State Park in Big Sur, Calif., on Tuesday, Feb. 10, 2015. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group)
8 Haulover Beach in Miami
9 Baker Beach in San Francisco
10 Pfeiffer Beach in Big Sur
Source: usatoday.com/story/travel/destinations/2025/08/06/nudist-beaches-near-me/85515205007/