If you have never visited one of the many nude hot springs that exist, this guide is for you! While there are many places to visit hot springs nude, we can only talk about our experience doing so in the United States. When traveling abroad, Victoria typically goes to hotel spas and in places such as Europe or Japan, nudity is totally fine and no one cares. The experience in America is slightly different, so these tips are by Americans for any travelers and mainly relate to experiences that you will have at one of the nude hot springs in America. If you have always wanted to soak naked in a hot natural pool, then you are in for a real treat!

Everything You Need To Know About Visiting Nude Hot Springs

Do Your Research To See If The Hot Springs You Are Visiting Allow Nudity

Whether or not you want to visit a nude hot spring, it is always a good idea to do your research anyway! If you are someone who isn’t comfortable with nudity, then you wouldn’t want to plan your whole trip to a hot spring only to show up to find a bunch of naked people. Similarly, if you are looking forward to relaxing in a hot springs nude, you wouldn’t want to show up expecting a care-free environment only to find out that there are strict rules for clothing bathers must adhere to.

Many remote hot springs in the United States do allow nudity, while more popular ones certainly do not. If a hot spring in the United States has a concrete pool, chances are it is more popular and will not. Similarly, hot springs around the world allow a different level of clothing and it just depends on the location. Save yourself an uncomfortable or disappointing situation by researching which hot springs allow nudity and which don’t before your trip!

Know Your Comfort Level Before You Decide To Visit A Nude Hot Springs

If you want to visit a particular hot springs location and you have done your research to see that this hot springs allows naked bathing, take a moment to think about your own boundaries before proceeding. If you are totally comfortable, then give it a go! If you are not used to nudity and will giggle and make other bathers feel uncomfortable, perhaps consider forgoing the experience for the sake of everyone involved. If you have never been around other nude bathers in a public environment and aren’t sure how you feel going nude, consider wearing a swimsuit to start and taking it off if you feel comfortable during the experience.

You Don’t Have To Get Naked To Visit Nude Hot Springs

Just because a hot spring allows nudity doesn’t mean that you have to strip down to the buff to be able to visit. You are able to bathe at a nude-friendly hot spring in whatever makes you feel most comfortable. If you want to go completely nude, then obviously, that is totally fine! If you want to keep your bottoms on and go topless, that is okay too!

If you are like us and want to keep your swimsuit on the entire time, you are free to do so. We felt more comfortable wearing a bikini/swim trunks during our times visiting nude hot springs, so don’t feel pressured if you aren’t into it. There is no written rule that says that you must be nude when visiting these hot springs so if nudity isn’t your taste, don’t worry! You can still experience the remote beauty that many nude-friendly hot springs offer without letting it all hang out.

Don’t Be Surprised If You See Children Or Families At The Hot Springs

Every family has different ways that they are raising their children. Some families raise their children very conservative with modesty and covering up being key whereas other families raise their children that nudity is totally fine and bring them to nude hot springs because hey, everyone is naked under their clothes, right? During our visit to nude hot springs in Oregon, we were there at the same time as an entire family ranging from parents in their 40’s to a teenage girl, around 16, a boy, around 12, and a tiny baby. The parents went naked but the kids stayed clothed.

If you are visiting a nude hot springs and come across a family with children, be respectful of their choices and understand that they [probably] knew what they were getting into [especially if they are still there!] This isn’t your place to lecture the parents if their parenting doesn’t align with your personal views and this isn’t the place complain that the kids ruined the whole thing. Be respectful, don’t judge, and do with your own body what makes you the most comfortable.

Be Respectful And Open To Others Bathing Naked At Hot Springs

If you choose to keep your swimsuit on or even your bottoms on during your nude hot springs visit, good for you! No one is going to judge your choice [or they shouldn’t] and it is up to you to be respectful and open to other people who do choose to soak nude at the hot springs. If you did your research as instructed above, you will know in advance that there may be naked bathers at the hot springs. Even if you aren’t 100% comfortable with the idea and decide to go anyway because the location is just too pretty to check out, be respectful of others.

This means that you shouldn’t stare, you shouldn’t act all giggly like you are in middle school, and you shouldn’t act offended like this is the worst thing you have ever seen. For many, relaxing naked at a beautiful hot spring in the woods is liberating and relaxing. Respect their choice and privacy. The best bet is to enjoy the nude-friendly hot spring as if nothing is different, even if you aren’t used to nudity.

If You Choose To Bathe Naked, Don’t Be A Showoff And Act Normal

If you are comfortable going to a hot springs nude, that is totally cool! That being said, people are there to relax, not to see you strut your stuff and put on a show. Be respectful of the privacy of others and act as you would during any other swim, clothed or not.

When we were visiting nude hot springs in Oregon, we were soaking in one of the pools and a guy swimming nude hops up on the side of the spring right near our heads and proceeds to start doing yoga. Now yoga is fine and with nudity you do you, but he was doing nude yoga with his junk less than 2 feet from our heads and spreading his legs all around and generally being a showoff and a distraction to others who are trying to peacefully bathe.

If you want to swim naked at a hot spring where nudity is allowed, you are encouraged to do so! Just don’t do anything to draw unnecessary attention to yourself. Acting normal and respectful is the key to an enjoyable nude hot springs experience for all.

Stay Hydrated And Know When To Get Out Of The Spring

Hot springs are, well, hot! Some can be as cool as 90*F while others can get up to 110-113*F. Hot springs are supposed to make you feel refreshed, not dehydrated. To combat dehydration, get out of the hot spring every 20 minutes and cool off with a cold shower or swim in a cooler pool. Many hot springs have a shower facility, but some nude hot springs are more remote and don’t have any source of cold water nearby.

If this is the case, make sure that you bring plenty of drinking water with you and get out of the pool and sit on the side to cool down. Hot springs have the potential to make you feel faint very quickly if you do not moderate your body temperature correctly. If you start to feel even slightly light-headed, get out of the hot spring, drink some water, and relax for a little before going back.

Yes, Some People May Stare If You Go To American Hot Springs Nude

In Europe, nudity is nothing to even be discussed. No one gives a single damn and young and old, male and female alike relax at nude-friendly spas together. On the other hand, here in America people are weird about nudity and some will stare. The difference between going to a clothing optional spa in Europe vs. America is huge, mainly in the fact that in other parts of the world people avert their eyes and keep to themselves whereas in America some people make it weird when it shouldn’t be. Not saying that there aren’t people who will stare in other parts of the world, just that it is more prevalent in America, in our experience.

When we were in Oregon, everyone was respectfully bathing in peace, privacy, and tranquility for 90% of our time there. During the last 10%, there was a creepy middle-aged/old guy who arrived and kicked back in the hot spring and blatantly stared at all the nude young women who walked by. You could clearly tell it made them uncomfortable as this is not proper protocol when visiting nude hot springs.

Unfortunately, there will always be one bad apple who may spoil the bunch, which is why we suggest bringing a swimsuit in case you are peacefully relaxing and a creep comes and you want the option to change. If you don’t give a single damn about creepy people, then good for you keep relaxing and don’t pay any mind to the disrespectful party.

You May Have To Pay A Small Fee To Visit Nude Hot Springs

If you are hoping to visit a naked-friendly hot spring in the backcountry, chances are you won’t have a fee to pay. That being said, if you are visiting a hot springs location that is on private or state property, there will probably be a small fee involved. Fees range from $7-$12 per person, on average, and help with the upkeep of the springs. Fees are usually taken in cash, so if you are the kind of person who doesn’t carry cash often, make sure to withdraw cash from the ATM before heading to a fee-only hot spring. You don’t want to travel all the way out there without the proper entry fee, only to be turned away!

Understand That People Can Be Naked In A Non-Sexual Way

Society has conditioned us to think that naked=sexy times but that isn’t true. Victoria grew up in a household full of nurses. When you are in the health profession, you see thousands and thousands of naked people monthly and even more across your career. You understand that nudity is natural and can be non-sexual. Again, as stated above, not everyone is comfortable being naked, and if you aren’t that is to be respected and accepted. That being said, even if you yourself aren’t comfortable being nude yourself, understanding that being naked isn’t inherently sexual is an important part of having a pleasant visit at a nude hot springs.

Leave No Trace When Visiting Any Hot Springs

No matter what kind of hot springs you visit, it is always important to leave no trace. This means that you shouldn’t leave all your trash and junk behind when you depart. If you bring food, make sure to pack out whatever you bring in. This goes for everything from plastic packaging to rinds and fruit peels. Anything that wasn’t there when you got there shouldn’t stay there when you leave.

Rinsing off, if possible, before you enter a nude hot spring, is also a good idea if there is a shower facility on the premises. The oils from your body have the potential to contaminate the water and you want to keep it as pristine as possible!

Well, that is a wrap! You should have a great visit to a nude hot springs if you follow these tips and tricks! Visiting hot springs and swimming naked can be a freeing experience! Even if you don’t swim naked, visited a clothing optional hot spring can still be a fantastic experience because many are located in stunning and beautiful locations around the world!