Contest: Would You Go On a Nudist Vacation? Tell Me & Win a Book

Would you go nude?

Would you go nude?

I am not a nudist, though I played one as a journalist.

When I was offered an assignment from More magazine to go to a nudist resort–undercover and uncovered–I was skeptical, to say the least. I was no prude. I’d been to a couple of nude beaches and had done some youthful skinny dipping. And, hey, I’m a child of the Sixties. Free love, man.

But an entirely nude vacation? No way. I like museums, nice restaurants, historic sites….places where people tend to keep their clothes on.

Still, the client was convincing, and the money was good. What the heck, I thought. I could really use the paycheck and it’ll make a good story.

It did. The published piece, called “The Naked Truth,” even won a Lowell Thomas Award. But the back story, as detailed in my memoir, Getting Naked for Money, was far juicier.

Want to know about drinking with a naked WalMart manager? Dining in the nude? Enter the contest and you’ll get a chance to win a copy of the book that bares it all.

Contest rules

What about you? Would you go to a nudist resort on a lark? On an assignment? Under no circumstances, ever? Just post a comment here to express your opinion and that’s it — you’re entered. Short answers (hell, no!) are fine. Long answers are even better; I’m curious.

For a second entry to win the book, subscribe to this blog.

At the end of each day, I’ll number all the entries and subscribers. At the end of the contest, the winner will be chosen by The Randomizer.

The contest runs for a week, from 7am November 16 EST until midnight November 22 EST; the winner will be announced on November 23.

That’ll give you something to discuss at the Thanksgiving table instead of politics.

You’ll get a signed copy of the book if you live in the U.S. If you live outside the U.S., you’ll get the Kindle version.

Wear what you like while you’re commenting, but take note: Anyone of either gender who sends a nude picture will be immediately disqualified.

 

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About the Author

Edie Jarolim is a writer and editor living in Tucson, Arizona. Sign up on this blog to get updates about her humorous tell-all/memoir, GETTING NAKED FOR MONEY: An Accidental Travel Writer Reveals All.

32 Enlightened Replies

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  1. 1) I would absolutely do this—primarily to see how it would work out. Would I feel horrified? Liberated? Would I laugh my ass off along with my clothes?

    My concern would be appropriate boundaries; it’s bad enough to have someone all up in my space with clothes on, let alone without.

    But sure. I would try it. As the kids say, YOLO. ; ) xo

  2. Hilary says:

    2) No, I wouldn’t go now at my age even though I’m an old hippie (mainly because I’m always cold), but I loved your book! You are a brave woman to do this, even on an assignment! I did subscribe to your blog and I’m glad I did!

    I hope others answer YES!
    Peace and love.

  3. Liane says:

    3) Nope. Not at my age!

  4. Stacey Parshall Jensen says:

    4) I don’t know…first thought is no. No way. Nope. Nope. Nope Nope.

    BUT… then something shifts and I get a wee bit curious. So…. make my vote… a ‘yes’. (I’m typing that slowly like it’s a whisper.) LOL!

    PEACE
    Stacey

  5. Roxanne says:

    5) Um, nope. You were VERY brave to try it for us, though, and report back. I’ve been to topless beaches outside the U.S., and that didn’t bother me. It’s more the nether regions that I don’t want / need to see out in public … or near my food.

  6. 6) No, I would not! My first thought is I’d be cold the entire time. 🙂 I guess, thinking it over, if it were at a warm-weather resort, I could do it. So I’m solidly ambivalent. But “no” was my first response.

  7. Amy says:

    7) No I don’t think I would – although I like the idea of everyone being that comfortable with their natural body and think you are brave – just not sure I could do it 🙂

  8. Katherine says:

    8 and 9) I’m on the fence. My first reaction is NO, but I realize that as I grow older and keep climbing higher on “Mt. Don’t Give A Damn” I just might say YES, why the heck not?

  9. Leo says:

    10) For myself, to relax and have fun, I feel best with clothes on.
    But my former local hairdresser could confirm I am up to the challenge. Drawing the short straw in that particular practical joke I must admit, being naked in public – in the hairdresser shop – turned out to be the least of my worries…. I would certainly scrutinize any new offers made more thoroughly than back then.

  10. Cheryl Chervitz says:

    11) I would be willing to go to a nudist beach or resort. We were all born naked, nothing to be ashamed of. Then I wouldn’t have to worry about what clothes to pack!

  11. Cheryl Chervitz says:

    12) subscribed to blog: zekthezookeeper@yahoo.com

  12. 13) Nah! Out of the same sense of compassion that keeps me from singing in public. However, I confess to my topless moment on a Greek beach (Santorini). Ken was more uncomfortable than I was.

  13. 14) Absolutely not – not even if I got paid! Even tho I think I look pretty good naked (ha!), most people don’t and that’s the part I find off-putting.

    Plus I would feel too chilly and self-conscious all the time. Nope. No. Neaux.

  14. Leslie Clifton says:

    15 and 16) I am comfortable naked in the hot tub by myself I should add or with my husband. I have never done so with company and I’m not sure I’m ready to go there. I love to Skinny Dip. That I could do. And grab a towel pretty quick upon exiting the water. Parading around naked at a resort for the week not so much. However if I want a fabulous prize to a resort with nudist rules I woud swallow my Insecurities.

  15. Elissa Wolfson says:

    17) Ask your client if he/she needs any more writer volunteers…if so, tell me where to sign!! Unlike my cuz and others, I’m hot all the time, and one can only take off so much on a normal vacation 🙂

    • Hilary says:

      Hey, cuz Elissa! I’m glad you commented. I can assure Edie that you are a wonderful author in your own right who also seizes on the adventures in life! I think your travels are as extensive as Edie’s!

  16. Jamie Mayer says:

    18) First impulse is “sure, why not”. Second impulse is…”uhh….do I want really want to play nude tennis?” Nopetynope. But I’d like to live vicariously by reading your account – you are braver than I!

  17. loren dawn says:

    19) No, i dont think i would take a nudist vacation…….i would probably be retreating to my “tent”, and not getting very involved with activities or meeting people. Just going for a little skinny dip…now that could be do-able:)

  18. Ali says:

    20) Honestly, I would go to a nudist resort if someone paid for me to go. I love being naked! I might even be looking into this right now…

  19. Cynthia Youknowwho says:

    21) Hmmmm, honestly there would have to be a monetary incentive; even though I am no longer a spring chicken and am comfortable in my own naked skin, I do have reservations about sitting where other butts have gone before. Many towels, many clean towels, would need to be available. And slimmer thighs would be a plus, hahaha.

  20. Pup Fan says:

    22) Is “I don’t know” an acceptable answer? Or perhaps “maybe”? That’s where I’ve landed so far… 🙂

  21. Kasia says:

    23) I would try almost anything once, so why not. I’m sure it would be a liberating experience!

  22. Deb Wolfe says:

    24) Yikes! I don’t think I could pull it off. 😉

  23. karenn says:

    25) No. I’ve been to a nudist resort, and it’s actually pretty boring aside from the fact that everyone’s naked.

  24. Lydia Gregory says:

    26) As a travel journalist myself I had to do a site inspection (thank the Lord not a stay) at a nude resort in Cancun ages ago… I’m a Puerto Rican who wore thongs on the beach in her youth, but totally bare? Heavens no! My mini skirts may have looked like belts at one point in my life but I can barely change clothes in front of my friends, much less “drop trou” in front of strangers! (I know, we island girls are such a mess.) Needless to say that resort visit was eye-opening and not in the best sense of the word because, you well know, the actual guests rarely match the young gods and goddesses on the website and marketing material lol I’ll share my impressions with you personally one of these days, hopefully over a glass of good tequila. Un abrazo and congratulations on your excellent book!

  25. Laura says:

    27) These comments are so funny! Thinking about a nudist resort, I realize that I’ve never had a desire to either a) parade around nude or b) watch others parade around nude, so I guess my answer is no, even if I were getting paid. I wish I had more of the “I’ll try anything once” mentality of some of the other commenters (and you)!

  26. 28) I don’t think I would go nude – though certainly topless!

  27. Dianne says:

    29) Hell no! But I’m glad you were brave enough to do so. The world’s a much better place with me keeping my clothes on in public 😉

  28. Ana says:

    30) I always try to go to nude beaches when I go back home to visit (I am from Spain) so I am ok being naked in public… Sitting at a table for dinner naked? Or working out? I am not sure it would be comfortable but you can’t no without trying once, so my answer is definitely Yes!

  29. MARK CANAVAN says:

    A strange bit of circumstances here. I was doing a bit of research for a memoir that I had written when I stumbled upon your article. You see, though it hardly features more than a few pages in MY story, I actually worked, briefly, for Steve and Linda Payne at Desert Shadows. This was 2005-2006 and my primary reason for accepting the gig was it’s close proximity to the methadone clinic I attended. Perhaps a somewhat different memoir than the one you have written, but some of the more salient facts about the place remain the same. Of course I don’t know when it was that you were a guest, but I could have easily been one of the courteous front desk attendants who checked you in. Oh, the stories I could tell. Having been a heroin addict involved in all manner of harrowing indignity and degradation, the banal needs of naked volleyball players (what is it w/ nudists and Vball?) was a nice change of pace. Much of the clientele were from regions north, invariably clad in parkas 10 months of the year and I often could not get them registered fast enough before they were shedding clothes to let things dangle shall we say, right there in the lobby. Anyways, doubt you are still giving away a copy of YOUR memoir and mine though finished, is not published, I would trade you an EPUB of mine for one of yours. BTW, that is not code for aforementioned nudie-pics. LOL

    • Edie says:

      That is too funny! It’s only the first chapter of my book — and of course the title — that deals with Desert Shadows; I was there in 2003 and my article came out in 2004, so I guess I missed you as the front desk clerk. I would be glad to exchange e-pubs. I have a .mobi file that I’ll send you, now that I have your email address, and you’ll have mine. Thanks for writing, Mark!

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