Clothing optional: Nude Recreation Week returns July 10-16
Ever considered shedding all of your clothes to deal with the scorching, triple-digit temperatures?
Some people do it year round. And not just in the comfort of their own homes.
The American Association for Nude Recreation and Naturist Society are once again hosting the annual Nude Recreation Week, held July 10 through 16 at more than 200 clubs across the U.S. and Canada. This year's theme is "Naked Street Party," and each club produces its own events and programming.
"We want to educate the general public that there’s nothing wrong with nudity," said AANR president Beverly Price. "To do that we invite the general public to open houses that are usually free and scheduled by the clubs...The whole idea is if you never tried it, ever thought of it, or maybe even haven't thought of it, to come out and give it a try."
In Arizona, the Shangri La Ranch in New River is the place to go for a clothing-optional lifestyle. The club will host a special event for Nude Recreation Week on Saturday, July 15, featuring an ice cream social, root beer floats, lawn games and other poolside activities.
Anyone who is curious about going clothing-free is invited to come, free of charge, and see what the ranch is all about. While there won't be any other special events during the week, people are still invited to come take a tour.
About 100 residents live at the family-friendly Shangri La Ranch, and another 50 have seasonal units. Other members will come up and stay for the weekend, or just the day. The ranch features two swimming pools, a hot tub, sauna, sport courts, hiking trails and a clubhouse. There's also a cafe open on the weekends.
Danielle Smith, 30, of Phoenix, grew up at Shangri La Ranch and became the communications manager about a year ago. She said the ranch is pretty relaxed.
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"Anyone is always welcome to come check out the club, and the first day will always be on us," she said. "We want to make sure that this is what you’re looking for."
Smith said there are only a few simple rules. No swimwear is allowed in the pool, hot tub or sauna, so "don't do anything you would need to apologize for," she said. She also said to wear plenty of sunscreen, and place a towel on any surface where you sit while you're nude.
"Everyone here is friendly," Smith said. "Someone who comes here likes to say, removing their clothes removes the stress."
Nude Recreation Week
When: 2 p.m. Saturday, July 15.
Where: Shangri La Ranch, 44444 N. Shangri La Road, New River.
Admission: Free for first-time visitors. Ask about membership and room rates.
Details: 623-465-5959, shangrilaranch.com, aanr.com.