Need a place to get naked in New York? Here are a few spots that aren’t your bathroom.
FIRE ISLAND. Since the 1960s, this barrier island just to the south of Long Island has had several clothing-optional beaches, including Lighthouse Beach, Kismet, and Cherry Grove. As for simply tossing aside your bathing suit top, in 1992, the New York State Supreme Court ruled that women had the right to be topless in public just like men do. It was the first state to do so.
FULL TAN SUN CLUB. This nudist club is in the town of Sprakers, on Interstate 90 just east of Albany. There’s nude swimming in the club’s pond, nude camping, nude fishing, nude trail hiking, and nude lawn games.
POTTER’S FALLS. Located on Six Mile Creek on Rt. 79 just southeast of Ithaca in central New York, this is a 25-foot waterfall where people have been skinnydipping for decades. But don’t tell them we sent you: It’s actually illegal to swim there, since the creek is part of Ithaca’s water supply.
LAKEVIEW WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT AREA. Located on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario, this undeveloped and little-known beach is a popular spot for nude sunbathers and swimmers. There’s also an area of protected sand dunes. Don’t walk on them, though: The area has “Dune Stewards” who can give you a ticket for being (naked or dressed) on the dunes.
SKINNY DIP FALLS. This aptly named waterfall is found in western New York State, just north of the Chautauqua Gorge State Forest. (Look on the Internet for detailed instructions. You’ll have to walk a bit and look for a rock that’s painted with “Nudist area next one mile.”) If you’re not happy with Skinny Dip Falls, you can always go to Bare Butt Falls in nearby Zoar Valley.
EMPIRE HAVEN. At this 97-acre “family-oriented” nudist park in Moravia, in the Finger Lakes region, feel free to enjoy the park’s pool, camping places, hiking trails…and “pickleball court.”
He must not be a baseball fan: St. Patrick is patron saint of both Boston and NYC.