Ready for a “nakation”? Here are the etiquette rules for nudist retreats

(NEXSTAR) – You may have streaked in your youth or gone swimming on your last camping trip, but you haven’t truly experienced the freedom of nude playtime until you took a “nakation”, according to experienced naturists. .

“Anyone who goes to a club or resort for the first time to participate in nude fun, I always hear the same thing: ‘I wish I had done this years ago,’” Jeff Baldasarre, director of marketing and communication of the association. The American Association for Nude Recreation (AANR), told Nexstar.

“They all come back with this one sentence. They are addicted,” he added.

Recreational events for nudists – or naturists, as they are often called – are not hard to find, with nude bike rides, nude gardening events and even nudist cruises taking place in more temperate times. Across the country. Groups like the AANR or the Naturist Society Foundation also provide their members with information about nudist campgrounds, clubs, and resorts willing to welcome potential nudists — if they’re respectful, of course.

That being said, anyone new to the field Natural their lifestyle should be expected to educate themselves on proper naturist etiquette, lest they be kicked out on their stomachs.

Bring a towel. Everywhere.

“There are two things (you’ll notice) when you walk into a club: you realize it’s not sexual, and the second thing is that no matter where you go… you have to have a towel with you,” said declared Baldasarre. “That goes for resorts, cruises, or anything else.”

According to naturists, bringing a towel when seated is a universal hygiene rule observed at all nudist clubs, resorts and events, even if it is not explicitly stated.

“The rule is that when you’re naked, you only sit on what’s yours,” a self-proclaimed nudist once explained on an Internet forum.

Many members of the naturist community have also jokingly compared their towel label to similar advice from Douglas Adams’ “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy,” in which a towel was considered one of the most important objects in the world. ‘universe.

It’s “just about the most useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker could have,” one commenter on Reddit’s nudist community wrote in response to a question about the towels, citing the book.

Put away the camera

One thing you’ll want to avoid using (in all but very specific situations) is your smartphone’s camera. A nudist retreat is a place where members expect a certain amount of privacy and discretion, and most clubs will not appreciate – or tolerate – you taking photos.

There are exceptions, of course. Many nude recreation facilities allow photography in specific areas, and after everyone in the photo has given consent. The upcoming Big Nude Boat cruise departing from Florida in February, for example, explicitly states that guests who violate these rules will have their cameras or phones confiscated.

“People have been kicked out,” Baldasarre said of people who violate the camera rule at AANR-affiliated clubs.

This is not a sexual environment

As mentioned above, nudist and clothing-optional resorts are places where naturists are encouraged to feel good about themselves – not sexualized.

“Yes, seeing others without clothes can be nice; nudists should recognize that human adults have a sexual nature,” reads a set of guidelines published by the Naturist Society Foundation. “But – and this is a huge ‘but’ – nudist clubs do not exist to satisfy voyeuristic or exhibitionist tendencies.”

This doesn’t mean that members can’t meet or form romantic relationships. You just shouldn’t arrive expecting a debauched hookup hot spot just because the place is full of naked people.

Talking about that…

You might have to get dressed

It’s quite common to wear hats, shoes, jewelry, and sunscreen at naturist resorts (or more so, if you plan to play certain sports). But depending on the club you’re visiting or the event you’re attending, you may need to pack real clothes.

At clothing-optional resorts, guests are permitted to remain clothed if they wish. Some clubs, however, may require clothing in the gym or dining areas, even if the rest of the property is open to nudes.

The Big Nude Boat, for example, requires clothing in the dining room but not at the buffet. Some excursions will also require clothing, and guests must be clothed when the ship is docked in port, regardless of where they are on the boat.

On the other hand, there is usually an area in every nudist resort – with or without clothes – where guests must be naked.

“The biggest rule, in most of them, is that you have to be a nudist in the pool,” Baldasarre said. Otherwise, you risk offending the regulars with your “textile” type behavior.

Nudists have a word for non-nudists

Yes, it’s “textile”. You were known as a “textile” before adopting the naturist lifestyle.

If you’re ready to commit to nude hobbies, it’s pretty easy to embark on your non-textile journey. Most clubs will also allow visitors to come and take a look (dressed) before deciding whether to book a stay. The AANR and Naturist Society, among others, also offer membership programs that not only entitle you to discounts, but also indicate that you have been pre-approved as a respectful guest.

“We have our screening system, for all members who join us, to make sure there is nothing (in their background) that could be alarming,” Baldasarre said.

What if you don’t like your nudity? You are free to leave whenever you want, even if it doesn’t happen often.

“I’m sure there’s someone (who left),” said Baldasarre, who has worked for AANR for seven years. “I haven’t met anyone yet.”