San Diego - #1 - Black's Beach
San Clemente - #2 - San Onofre State Beach ( Closed to nudity as of Oct 2009)
Los Angeles Area
Santa Barbara Area
San Luis Obispo - Pirate's Beach
Santa Cruz - Red White & Blue Beach
Pacifica - Gray Whale Cove State Park
#3 - San Francisco Area
Lake Tahoe

If you have a favorite California nude beach please tell us about in in the Nude Beach Blog. Or, if you want to read what BeachWizards have to say about nude beaches and nudist resorts they have visited, go to the Nude Beach Forum.

California has world class nudist resorts.

Palm Springs - Together, these 3 resorts offer everything you could want in a clothing optional or nudist resort. - Terra Cotta - Morningside Inn - and the incredible adult playground, Sea Mountain Ranch and Nude Spa.

Colton - Olive Dell
Olive Dell nestles two thousand feet high in semi-desert country among hills which provide an ideal year round climate in which to relax or enjoy outdoor recreation totally free of restrictive clothing.

San Diego - Black's Nude Beach
Directions - Go north from San Diego on I-5. Take the La Jolla Village Drive exit. Travel west about 1/2 mile and turn right on Torrey Pines Road. Just past the Salk Institute you'll see a sign for the gliderport. Turn left there and park in the lot. Take the stairs down to the beach. The nude beach is to the right of the trail when you get to the beach.

Local Club: Black's Beach, P.O. Box 12255, La Jolla, CA 92039

San Clemente - San Onofre State Beach
Closed  to nude use as of Oct 2009

Aerial View - From the California Coastline Project

Los Angeles Area

There are no legal or no hassle nude beaches.

Santa Barbara Nude Beaches

Update - 04-18-07:
One of our readers reports the following for More Mesa:
Go north of the trail/stairs. I've been there many times as well as other people. On a warm summer day you might find 100 people there. There are no facilities such as bathrooms, water or trash pickup.

There is a group of people trying to get back the lost nude beaches there such as Rincon. Before 1998 hundreds of people would be there on a summer weekend. Nude Beach Alliance is the name of the group. They have a website: nudebeachalliance.com and could use support to regain the nude beaches.

Though there have been some great nude beaches in this area, in 2000, the police began cracking down on nudity on the beaches. Some of the popular beaches for nude sunning, prior to the crack down, were Rincon in Carpenteria, Cemetery Beach off East Cabrillo Blvd, and More Mesa to the north of Santa Barbara.

Above Santa Barbara - Gaviota Beach State Park - State Park Ranger Tyson Butzke reports that anti-nudity laws are strictly enforced.

San Luis Obispo - Pirates Nude Beach at Avila

Directions: - take the Avila road exit off Hwy 101. Head west for about two miles. Look for an uphill road named Cave Landing. Take that road. There is a sign that say's Not a Through Road - No Overnight Camping. Follow the road to the parking lot and take the trail down to this beautiful cove.

Santa Cruz - Red, White and Blue Nude Beach
(June08 - The property has been sold, and not currentlly open)

Pacifica - Gray Whale Cove Nude State Beach

AKA: Devil's Slide or Gray Whale Cove
Directions: Go south through Pacifica and then about 3 miles south of Denny's in Linda Mar - in the past the road has been unmarked but now look for signs to Gray Whale Cove State Park. Note that this is a state beach and law enforcement personnel may enforce "no nudity" regulations.

San Francisco - North Baker's Nude Beach

Directions - off Lincoln Blvd, near the Presidio and Golden Gate Bridge
North of San Franciso - though there are several nude beaches in this area, the most popular is Red Rock Beach.
Directions: Park 1/2 mile south of Stinson Beach and then follow the trail down to the ocean. It will take you about 10 minutes.

Lake Tahoe - Secret Cove Nude Beach

On the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe. The beach is small due to high water but if you get there early (10:00 am) you should have no problem finding one of the nicer spots. Besides the beach area there are many large boulders that surround the cove, many use them just lay out.. The water in the cove is shallow so it stays fairly warm and is great for swimming, or just floating on an air mattress. The beach is recognized as a nude beach and nearly everyone is nude.
Directions: - From the bay area take I 80 east to Sacramento. Look for the Highway 50 exit and take it east to Lake Tahoe. From Stateline, take Highway 50 north to Highway 28. Go north on 28 about five miles until you see a parking lot on the west (lake) side of the highway. Park here. Walk south on the fire road that begins here until you come to two Porta Potties and some trash cans. Follow the trail that starts here down to the beach. Expect a 10- to 15-minute walk. If the lot is full, you can park on the shoulder of 28, south of the last No Parking sign (cars on the asphalt itself will be cited). On the west side of the road, follow signs that say Trail to the beach path. The trail also leades to Chimney Beach which is sometimes used by nudists, The boulders between Chimney and Secret Cove are reconized as clothing optional.

Non-landed clubs (do not own a resort or camp) providing you the opportunity
for nude recreation at private homes and on outings.