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The “clothing optional” nude beaches in California aren’t that hard to find if you know where to look. There are areas on the California coast that are void of nude beaches (all of Los Angeles County for example), but all regions of the state, including Northern, Central, and Southern California, have some options.

See the complete list below!

The San Francisco Bay Area and Santa Cruz have the highest concentration of clothing optional beaches. Outside of those areas, there are well-known places like Blacks Beach near San Diego, Pirates Cove between Avila Beach and Pismo Beach, San Onofre near San Clemente, San Gregorio near Half Moon Bay, North Baker Beach near San Francisco, and several options in Marin County.

Usually these beaches have a clothing-optional “zone” or area which might be at the far north end or south end of the beach where it is more secluded. Read our individual beach descriptions as we try to indicate where these nude areas are located.

Note that you should obey all city, county, state, and federal laws whether posted or not. Technically nudity is prohibited across the entire state and is either a citable or an arrestable offence pursuant to the California Code of Regulations Title-14 section 4322 – public nudity. That said, it seems to be the state parks properties where rules are enforced (more so recently). At other beaches the clothing optional aspect has been accepted socially.