2008 could be a big year for nude recreation.
US nudist campgrounds, resorts and beaches all over the country could be busy this year. [See the list of nudist clubs on the American Association for Nude Recreation's (AANR) website]
Here's 5 reason why:
1. USA Nudists will get extra money in May, just in time for nudist season.
The USA government is giving out economic stimulus payments in May. This means an extra up to $600 for nudist singles and up to $1200 for nudist couples. Many nudists will put this money towards USA nudist travel. See the IRS website for the facts.
$1200 in the hands of a nudist couple is enough to buy a long weekend at a nearby nudist campground or resort.
What better way to spend extra money than nude recreation? Name something better, I dare you!
2. Less USA nudists are heading to Europe this year.
The US dollar losing value to the Euro has been all over the news lately. Today, it costs $1.56 USD to buy 1 Euro. Add at least 2% to 5% percent on top of the exchange rate for currency exchange fees at banks and with credit cards. Many USA nudists will have to skip the European nudist vacation and stay in North America.
Luckily, the experts on TV say things will even out in a few years. For now though, many American nudists will wait it out.
I highly recommend Europe and loved the naturist village of Cap d'Agde, France, but when I went, the exchange rate wasn't as bad.
3. European nudists ARE heading to the USA.
Whereas USA culture still finds nude recreation awkward, this is not so much the case in Europe. Nude recreation is common with the French, Germans, Spaniards, British and others.
And now more than ever, coming to the USA for nude recreation is a bargain. Imagine being able to convert 1 Euro into $1.56 US dollars. It makes coming to the USA for vacation much more affordable.
4. Nudism awareness in the USA is higher than ever.
I'm taking a guess here. It would seem that with all of the media coverage of nudism over the last 2 years, the awareness of the idea of nudism would be higher than ever in the USA. Back before the Internet, this media attention would go to waste. But today, someone reads about nudist travel in the New York Times or Conde Nast Traveler and then can go online for more information about the nudist resort discussed. Just about every nudist resort's website has a FAQ about nude recreation that should make people new to the concept comfortable. For instance, see Paradise Lake's.
5. Good things are happening.
While not everything is rosy, the long-running USA-focused nudist blog USAnudist.com/blog makes regular mention of good USA nudist travel happenings. USAnudist.com mentions that the oldest nudist resort in Florida, Lake Como Nudist Resort, is getting a modern upgrade in 2008 by adding a new RV and mobile home park within the grounds. See "Lake Como adds RV park" on USAnudist.com.
There you have it! 2008 has a lot of potential for nude recreation, doesn't it?
Want to travel internationally to a nudist destination but afraid of the prices? Getting out of the US and Canada is a little more challenging lately. Still, there are options.
For US and Canadian nudist travelers looking for adventure in Europe, the fluctuating and lately deflating value of the US dollar against the Euro and British Pound has made many reconsider trips to European nudist destinations. For Canadians, the Canada dollar is increasing but still weak.
But why put off a nudist vacation altogether? There are other places where the US and Canadian dollar stretches further.
Canada to US or US to Canada:
1 Canada dollar currently equals 1.018 US dollar
Canadians can visits tons of US nudist destinations with the Canadian dollar being the closest to the US dollar its been in a long, long time.
For Americans, Canada is no longer the bargain it used to be. Still, Canada has a good mix of nudist destinations (such as Wreck Beach) and getting there is cheaper than Europe or the Caribbean (depending on where in the US you live).
Europe and the Caribbean
As of today, these are the reported currency exchange rates for the US Dollar against 3 other currencies and some of the nudist travel opportunities in these countries.
Croatia nudist travel:
Despite its troubled political past, Croatia is an emerging tourist destination hopefully looking towards a brighter future. Though a long flight from the United States, Croatia has over 30 nudist and clothing-optional destinations, from beaches to campsites. Learn more here.
1,000.00 United States Dollars = 5,176.20 Croatia Kuna
1 USD = 5.17620 HRK
1 HRK = 0.193192 USD
Mexico nudist travel:
Mexico is cost-effective for US tourists. Flying there isn’t too bad, depending on where you live. The pickings for true nudists are limited though.
Playa Sonrisa (official website) on the Caribbean coast of Mexico is for true nudists/naturists and even offers a 15% discount for naturist club members, such as AANR members. They have beach front bungalows and rooms for accommodations, naked snorkeling and even have a restaurant. This seems like a nice destination and bungalows and rooms range from $85 to $140 a night, depending on the season/room.
Hidden Beach and Desire Resort are among the other clothing-optional destinations in Mexico, though they appear to be more adult-oriented and exotic focused from what I can tell from websites about them. I’d research more to find out if this sort of destination is right for you.
1,000.00 United States Dollars = 10,857.50 Mexico Pesos
1 USD = 10.8575 MXN
1 MXN = 0.0921022 USD
Bonaire in the Caribbean:
I had written about Sorobon Beach Naturist Resort in the past. A nice little place on the beach in a protected cove, beachfront accommodations make it desirable.
1,000.00 United States Dollars = 1,780.00 Netherlands Antilles Guilders
1 USD = 1.78000 ANG
1 ANG = 0.561798 USD
Fees for exchanging money
Keep in mind that when exchanging money, everyone wants a cut. Walk-in banks and currency exchange booths are hit-or-miss in terms of how much they take. ATMs and charging with credit cards can be a better bargain. Check with your banks first though. Fees are all over the place. Some charge nothing and others can charge flats fees plus additional rates upwards of 3% or more, which is like throwing away money. Here's a good article on the topic.
With a bunch of trip report updates in rough drafts, I need a break! It is hard to return to work after a nudist vacation!
Comfort is found in the thoughts of upcoming trips. One upcoming destination will beWreck Beach in Vancouver. As I learn more, I will share.
Though not a resort, the people of Wreck Beach organize fun events and are dedicated to keeping nudist history alive for future generations.
Though the 2007 calendar is in the works, the Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run/Walk is already planned:
- Wreck Beach Bare Buns Run/Walk: Sunday, August 12, 2007 at 11:30 am Sharp! Registration opens at 9:00 am at the bottom of Wreck Beach Trail No. 6 in Pacific Spirit Park, Vancouver, BC, Canada. Email beachgirl@look.ca for details.
During the cold winters, the Wreck Beach Swim Club organizes indoor events. Learn more about upcoming events and Wreck Beach at www.WreckBeach.org.
Plane tickets. Check. Nudist resort reservations. Check. Rental car. Check.
I am ready for a long weekend in central Florida in 2 weeks. Time will be spent relaxing at a few of the nudist resorts - this time Paradise Lakes and Caliente.
Like most people, the money tree is bare (a "nudist money tree") so my travel budget is a concern. Spending money properly allows me to relax at a nudist resort or nude beach instead of worrying about how I’m going to pay for it all.
If you are a frugal nudist vacationer, it's worth looking at rental car options to save some money.
Orbtiz, Travelocity and Kayak are good for comparison. Priceline and Hotwire have the lowest prices. All are worth looking at.
The low price ones come with less choice though. With Hotwire, the car will come from a pool of national or major car rental companies at your destination of choice. Only upon booking is the rental car agency revealed. Once booked, there are no refunds or changes allowed.
Still, my best deal was through Hotwire for $166 for 5 days (including taxes and fees).
The car agency ended up being Hertz. I went to Hertz’s website to see what everyone else pays: $228 (including taxes and fees) for the same period.
I saved $62 - enough to pay for dinner. I may even get a few $2 bills and go buy a bottle of sunscreen at a local store.
I hope the car is cool looking. Would it be wrong to enter a rental car in the Bare Bods and Hot Rods Car Show at Caliente that weekend (April 15th)?
Even still, as long as the radio works, I can listen to the Fitness Buff radio show and Pete Williams who I interviewed on Friday at 5pm on the Tampa area's WTAN AM 1340.
Though many exciting nudist travel topics have been covered here lately, from nudist resort car shows to nude cruises to nude swimming in the Antarctica, now is a perfect time to talk about a good old-fashioned nudist campground.
Juniper Woods is such a place. Juniper Woods is a clothing-optional, family-friendly 65-acre campground in rural Catskill, New York. We visited on 4th of July weekend a few years ago - just for a day.
The atmosphere was uncomplicated and peaceful. A BBQ was set-up for the holiday. The friendly staff was busy grilling up hot dogs and hamburgers for the nudist guests. The petanque court was active. Families were about. Some people played Frisbee in the meadow.
We went for a dip in the pool. Even though the pool is not deep or huge, there was still plenty of space. We then went into the relaxing hot tub/conversation pool. We dried off by sitting on the nearby rocking swing.
We later took a casual walk around the spacious grounds. The dam that controls the water to the two lakes had broke so the water level was down. It’s probably fixed by now. Other than that, the grounds were well maintained.
By the large number of RVs and campers on landscaped sites, a lot of people call Juniper Woods their summer home away from home. Some even have small cabins with immaculate landscaping – flowers, groomed bushes and lawn ornaments.
Several tents were up in the large meadow that day. I noticed a lot of free space in the wooded campsite area. If you like camping in solitude, the wooded camping area is away from the RV area, has trees between sites, and allows for campfires.
Keeping in mind that this is a campground and not an entertainment complex, I recommend bringing some books or maybe some board games. The rec hall and pavilion had ping-pong, foosball and a few other games. Dinners and dances are held here too.
Nudist destinations come in many flavors. If you are looking a charming, secluded clothing-option campground with lots of space and a friendly atmosphere, Juniper Woods makes a nice escape.
Juniper Woods is 45 minutes from Albany, NY and a reasonable 2 hours drive north from New York City.
On June 9, 2007, Juniper Woods will be having an open house and first time visitors get in free. There will be sports events, vendors, a potluck dinner and DJ dance. Many other events are planned on weekends throughout the year.
"California's Largest Clothing-Optional Resort" lies about 2 miles north of the Mexico border - with the small village of Jacumba, CA in between (aerial view).
Nudists gather daily at the 500-acre DeAnza Springs Resort, a mere hour east of San Diego.
Nudists also go hiking in this unique Southern California desert setting. While the resort has plenty of space to walk around, the adjacent Anza-Borrego Desert State Park also offers miles of nude hiking opportunities.
After hiking, nudists gather around in the 7,500 square foot clubhouse, which has a restaurant, bar, dance hall, game room and fitness center. Other activities include a hot tub spa, tennis courts, volleyball and shuffleboard courts, bocce ball, horseshoe pits, and a kid’s jungle gym area.
And when the weather gets hot, plenty of nudists gather around the outdoor pool. A big year-round indoor pool provides a nice place to soak during winter months and cool evenings.
Hiking is good throughout the year. Average daily temperatures make hiking in the afternoon comfortable in the winter months and morning hiking in the summer months.
There are over 300 RV sites, lots of camping sites and motel rooms ($55) and rental units ($60-70) available. Throw in the grounds fee and a night here is less than $100, which is a cheap way to be naked.
Read about a few other Southern California nudist travel destinations here and here.
You want to be naked in the great outdoors. You want to visit a clothes-free resort or do a nude cruise. Or maybe you want to spend a weekend at a good nude beach.
But, alas, you have no money. Read on and you'll find some.
OK, lets look at a rewarding way to find money for getting naked.
Finding money starts with managing money. No, managing money is not an exciting topic. Some people would rather eat anchovies for a week than talk about money.
All it takes is 3 minutes a day. AND, the reward is great if you like nude recreation.
You will be a happier nudist in the long run through the financial freedom gained by taking this first step.
The first step is to understand your budget, to understand what you have and who gets it.
Finding out is easy.
(photo courtesy of aanr.com)Get a little pocket-sized notepad. In the very last page, write down some of the nude resorts, nude cruises and nude beaches you want to experience someday. A few have been mentioned in my previous posts here on Nudist Travel Guide Blog or try the American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR) for a good list of North America destinations.
Now, put the notepad wherever you keep your keys. At the end of each day, when you turn in your keys, write down what you spent that day.
Gas - $15
Coffee - $4
Lunch - $10
Snacks - $2
Easy.
Not so fast. Give yourself a little reward. Keep some gum by your new notepad. To get the gum, you must make your entries in the notepad. If you spend nothing all day, you can have 2 pieces. No cheating.
Challenge yourself to 10 days of writing everything down. After that, challenge yourself to another 20 days. That will give you 30 days of numbers to work with.
Then, look at the numbers, slowly, and start asking questions:
Are you spending money needlessly every week? How much are you spending on food and drinks? Could you spend less? What about entertainment?
Say you spent $4 on coffee, $10 on breakfast or lunch and $2 on snacks 200 times a year. Multiply $16 by 200. That's $3,200 a year!!! If you brownbag your lunch, buy snacks in bulk, and make cheaper coffee, you could get that down to a little over a thousand, freeing up enough money for nude recreation.
Is there anything else you can cut out or cut down? What changes do you have to make to afford your nude travel goals in the back of the notepad?
Could you buy cheaper shoes? Less electronics? Less books? Would you give up movie theaters for nude recreation? Spend less on weekends? Could you buy non-perishable groceries in bulk? Do you use coupons to save money when grocery shopping? Could you get a cheaper cell phone plan?
How much money did you give to credit card companies this month in the form of interest? Is that money better spent being naked? Could you cut out other things to get credit card debt down? Could you transfer your balance to a 0% or low interest credit card? Most of the major credit card companies have balance transfer offers for new customers whether nudist or not. Find yourself a new credit card company.
That wasn't so hard, was it? Worth the effort? Definitely.
Do this exercise. Repeat it. Get yourself to the places you listed in the back of your notepad. I am.
