11 Nude Beaches In California To Sun Your Bum

CALIFORNIA — California is famous for its sunny shores from the northernmost tip to the edge of Baja, and scattered along those sandy beaches are a few places where you can sunbathe and swim in the buff.

When selecting beaches to visit, it's best to know what to expect when you arrive. Will there be lifeguards? Is there an undertow or rip current? Among those important questions, it may be prudent for visitors to learn whether or not those lazing about in the sun will be "swimsuit optional."

A Patch editor told a story of landing at a Central California nude beach quite by accident, she claims, after taking a wrong turn.

She was on her way to Avila Beach once upon a time in college, she said, between San Luis Obispo and Pismo Beach.

"It's a pretty popular beach among college students, up a little mountain road. But, if you take a wrong turn, you end up at the nude beach," said Patch Editor Rachel Barnes. "I got out of my car and started walking toward the ocean, looking for my friends. Instead, I saw someone's grandpa in a way I didn't want to see him!"

It's a rite of passage for Cal Poly students, she laughed, and it seems to happen to everyone there sooner or later.

Whether or not nude beaches are your thing, we found 11 of California's most famous nude beaches for you to sunbathe and swim topless, bottomless, or in just the birthday suit. Be warned, however: while the beaches might be popular among the 'hang loose' crowd, that doesn't always mean local law enforcement tolerates beach bums.

SoCal - Central Coast

1. Black's Beach: 2800 Torrey Pines Scenic Drive, La Jolla: Known for its proximity to the Torrey Pines Mesa glider port, this "clothing optional" beach is defined by a northern boundary of large rocks and a southern boundary about 100 yards south of the main trail, according to California Beaches.

2. San Onofre State Beach-Nude Area: Old Pacific Highway, San Clemente. Known by locals as Gladiator Beach, this nude beach sits at the edge of the California State Park boundary. It is only accessible by hiking in from the state park.

"Just know that rangers for the state park and the military base could visit at any time and they have issued citations in the past," according to California Beaches.

3. More Mesa Beach: 1095 Mockingbird Lane, Santa Barbara. Secluded and hidden below the bluffs of More Mesa Park in Santa Barbara, this private beach has a "clothing optional" reputation, according to California Beaches. "If you turn right at the bottom of the stairs, it is a clothing-optional beach, but if you go left, it is not (local rule)."

4. Vista Del Mar Beach: El Camino Real, Goleta. The small slice of sand sits on Gaviota State Park property. Vista Del Mar Beach has a remote feel due to tall cliffs below Highway 101. "At low tides you can walk west past a train trestle all the way to Gaviota State Beach or east to San Onofre Beach.

5. San Onofre Beach at Gaviota State Park: El Camino Real, Goleta. This section of San Onofre Beach is a lesser frequented part of Santa Barbara County, according to California Beaches. "In the past, it has been known as a 'clothing optional,'" though state parks officials may issue citations here.

6. Pirate's Cove Beach, Avila Beach: Cave Landing Road, Avila Beach. Yo, ho, this well-known "clothing optional" beach is between Avila Beach and Shell Beach in the Pismo Beach area. This section of beach is owned by San Luis Obispo County and is named for a time when liquor was smuggled into the area, according to California Beaches.

7. San Gregorio Private Beach: 19429 Cabrillo Highway, San Gregorio. The first widely-known "nude beach" in America is a narrow beach with driftwood that many beachgoers use to build privacy walls, according to California Beaches. "We have heard this is almost entirely a gay beach, but the general rule is straight on the south and gay to the north," according to that site.

8. North Baker Beach, Clothing Optional: Gibson Road and Bowley Street, San Francisco. Secluded, gorgeous Golden Gate Bridge views and frequented by nude-beach lovers, this is not a place if you want privacy or swimming. According to California Beaches, the favored activities here are sunbathing, hiking and...photography.

9. Bonny Doon Beach: Santa Cruz, off Cabrillo Highway. Another well-known clothing-optional beach for naturists is this beach at the north end of Bonny Doon. World Beach Guide says to look for a large rock that divides the main section of beach from the part where you can tan your bonny doon. Choose your sides accordingly.

10. San Gregorio State Beach: At La Honda Road and Cabrillo Highway. The beach is divided into general family beach and a "clothing optional" portion. "At the extreme end of the beach, you’ll reach San Gregorio Private Beach, which is favored by nudists and LGBT beachgoers. There is a separate fee for access and parking at this private beach area," according to World Beach Guide.

11. Red Rock Beach: Located at Shoreline Highway, Stinson Beach. This "clothing optional" beach is part of Mount Tamalpais State Park. It is remote, so be sure and pack what you want with you. The section of Northern California Coastline is considered a "small and private beach, best enjoyed at low tide," according to Google commenters.

Be sure and plan your type of beach day holiday, from "clothing optional" to "family friendly" beaches in California on World Beach Guide, California Beaches, and the California State Parks websites.

Yes, summertime is a great time to head to the beach in all sorts of dress, but if you choose to go for broke, there may be a fine associated with that. Visitors to beaches must obey city, county, state, and federal laws whether or not you see them.

"Technically, nudity is prohibited across the whole state and is a citeable or arrestable offense, according to the California Code of Regulations Title-14 section 4322 – public nudity, under the California Department of Parks and Recreation. As of 2024, "no person shall appear nude while in any unit except in authorized areas set aside for that purpose by the department."