Where the Weather’s Warm and the Clothing Is Optional
For some, the thought of lounging by the pool or playing tennis in the nude may seem intimidating, while for others, it’s the ultimate form of freedom and relaxation. Embracing the clothing-optional lifestyle and letting the sun soak your bare skin can be a truly eye-opening adventure. Whether you’re a seasoned nudist, naturalist, or simply curious about exploring a nude-friendly environment, California offers some of the best resorts and pools for going au naturel. From serene retreats to social hotspots, here are five of the top nude resorts and pools in California where you can enjoy a liberating, clothing-optional getaway.
Best Nude Resorts and Pools in California
Before You Go: Nude Resort Etiquette 101
A few unwritten rules make every first visit smoother. Always carry a towel and sit on it, every time. Ask before taking any photos, and expect most clubs to ban cameras outright. Never stare, and keep conversations and behavior respectful. Most pool areas are nude-only, while clothing stays optional elsewhere. Bring sunscreen for skin that rarely sees the sun, plus sandals, a water bottle and a cover-up for the drive home. Many clubs require a guided orientation tour on your first visit, so call ahead and confirm hours before you point the car.
Sequoians Nude Recreation
Tucked into 80 forested acres of East Bay canyon land, Sequoians is a member-owned naturist club just 33 miles from San Francisco. This co-opted nudist social club is for families, singles and couples. Amenities include a heated pool and hot tub, co-ed showers, nude or clothed hiking trails, lawn games, children’s area and a patio firepit. The tree-dotted property is green and lush with life, a sweet and relaxing escape from city life.
The warm microclimate makes it a green, secluded escape with a heated pool, a hot tub and seven hiking trails you can take nude or clothed. Sun on the decks, play lawn games or gather for a Saturday night potluck. The setting feels worlds away, in part because there’s no cell reception once you’re in the canyon.
Local Insight: Sequoians is open to the public only on weekends, Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and during the week it’s members and AANR guests by reservation. Photography is prohibited without a board-approved camera pass, so leave the phone in your bag. Pack your own food and drinks, since this is a bring-your-own retreat, not a full-service resort.
Sequoians Nude Recreation
Location: Castro Valley
Best Nude Resorts and Pools in California
Sea Mountain Resort
Sea Mountain is the desert’s adults-only clothing-optional resort, built for couples and women only and open 21 and up. Soak in 24-hour heated mineral spring pools and hot tubs fed by natural geothermal water. The property runs a 24-hour dance lounge, nightly events and a poolside spread of complimentary snacks and beverages. The Sacred Pools Spa offers tandem massages, so you and your partner never get separated into sterile rooms. Book a guest room where mineral water flows from the showers and French doors open to the pool.
Local Insight: If an overnight isn’t in the cards, the daytime VIP pass runs 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. year-round. Add a small upcharge to stay into the evening party. Couples must check in together, and the vibe leans sensual and social rather than quiet, so match your expectations to the crowd.
Sea Mountain Resort
Location: Desert Hot Springs
Best Nude Resorts and Pools in California
Laguna del Sol
Spread across 250 acres near Sacramento, Laguna del Sol has drawn clothing-optional travelers since 1961. It’s the only such resort in the U.S. with three separate pool areas, plus a 32-foot jetted conversation pool and three spas. The 25-acre Lake Archie anchors the property, ringed by a walking and cycling path with complimentary pedal boats, a kayak and a rope swing. Burn energy on tennis, six pickleball courts, water volleyball, an archery range or a full gym. The lakeside Lakeside Inn serves meals with a view, and the Moonshadow Lounge spins themed dance parties Friday and Saturday with a full bar.
Local Insight: Day passes run about $33 for non-members and include a required orientation tour, offered daily 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. This is a strictly non-sexual environment, so leave the lifestyle expectations at the gate. Pool areas are nude-only, but you can wear a cover-up elsewhere, and locals save money by camping or bringing an RV instead of booking a room.
Laguna del Sol
Location: Wilton
Glen Eden Resort
Glen Eden bills itself as Southern California’s premier clothing-optional club, and it’s an easy on-ramp to the naturist lifestyle. Cool off in three heated pools and two spas, then fill the day with six tennis courts, five pickleball courts, water volleyball, a 24-hour gym and hiking in the surrounding hills. The Sunshine Cafe handles poolside meals Thursday through Sunday, and Piper Hall runs karaoke, billiards and live weekend entertainment. History and culture buffs can browse the Western Nudist Research Library, one of only four in the country, plus on-site art studios.
Local Insight: First-time visitors get 50% off, paying around $21, but everyone new must take a clothes-free guided tour by appointment. Call ahead to book it. The resort is dog-friendly on the grounds, though pets stay out of pool and recreation areas. Bring quarters for the laundry and your own toiletries for the showers.
Glen Eden Resort
Location: Temescal Valley
Best Nude Resorts and Pools in California
Wilbur Hot Springs
Wilbur Hot Springs is a beautiful, off-grid, solar-powered retreat where the hot springs are the draw. The mineral baths are the only clothing-optional area, so clothing stays on everywhere else on the property. Soak in the historic flume, then wander the surrounding nature preserve thick with wildflowers, trees and birds. Keep an eye out for the wild ponies that roam the grounds. Because Wilbur runs off-grid and solar, expect limited connectivity and a true unplug. Confirm current booking and day-use policies before you go, since this remote retreat operates differently than a standard resort.
Local Insight: Wilbur Hot Springs dates to 1865, when Ezekial Wilbur established it. It later served as a post office before J.W. Cuthbert built the hand-poured concrete hotel, one of the first of its kind in California.
Wilbur Hot Springs
Location: Wilbur Springs
Q: What not to do at a nudist resort?
A: A few unspoken rules keep things comfortable for everyone. Don’t take photos without clear permission, since privacy is the whole point. Always carry a towel and sit on it, especially around pools and shared seating. Don’t stare, comment on bodies or treat the space as sexual; most resorts are about relaxation, not voyeurism. And read each property’s vibe ahead of time, since some, like Sea Mountain, lean adults-only and lifestyle-friendly, while others, like Laguna del Sol and Glen Eden, are family-oriented.
Q: Where is the best nudist resort?
A: It depends on the experience you’re after. For a social retreat, Laguna del Sol spreads across 250 acres near Sacramento with its own 25-acre lake. Glen Eden in Temescal Valley is the gentlest entry point for first-timers, with indoor and outdoor pools and a welcoming community feel. Sea Mountain in Desert Hot Springs is the adults-only pick, with 24-hour mineral pools. And Sequoians in Castro Valley offers a quieter, tree-lined escape.
Q: Are there any adults-only resorts in California?
A: Yes. Among the clothing-optional crowd, Sea Mountain Resort in Desert Hot Springs is the standout adults-only option. It’s a 21-and-up nudist and lifestyle-friendly retreat with 24-hour heated mineral pools and hot tubs, nightly entertainment and guest rooms where mineral water flows from the taps. It draws both singles and couples looking for a livelier, grown-ups-only atmosphere.
Ashlee is a freelance writer with a focus on travel, lifestyle and food. After obtaining her degree in Journalism she took the world by storm teaching in South Korea and giving motivation speeches across the United States. She can often be found on road-trips, plane rides and cooking up her favorite meal from her most recent travels. The anti-homebody loves a good hike, good book and a day spent with friends.
