Gaviota
Gaviota coast, west of Santa Barbara · United States
A quiet stretch of the wild Gaviota coast where nude sunbathing is tolerated west of the park beach. Gay-friendly, never crowded.
- Status
- Tolerated
- Crowd
- Naturist
- Country
- United States
- City
- Santa Barbara
- Water
- Sea
- Best time
- May to October
- Confidence
- Medium
Find it
34.4720° N, 120.2280° WCrowd A nude beach with no particular gay crowd. Families, couples and regulars. Go for the sun and the swim, not the scene.
Getting there
Gaviota State Park, forty minutes west of Santa Barbara. Walk west along the sand from the main beach.
The rules
Tolerated. Not designated, but nude bathing has been the custom for years and is left alone. Rules and patrols can change, so read the signs when you arrive.
No photos of anyone, sunscreen everywhere, cover up the moment you leave the nude stretch, and go home with the light. It is a beach: sunbathe, swim, talk, flirt. Anything more belongs somewhere private.
Questions people ask
Is Gaviota a gay beach?
Not especially. A nude beach with no particular gay crowd. Families, couples and regulars. Go for the sun and the swim, not the scene. A quiet stretch of the wild Gaviota coast where nude sunbathing is tolerated west of the park beach. Gay-friendly, never crowded.
Is it legal to be nude at Gaviota?
Tolerated rather than designated. Not designated, but nude bathing has been the custom for years and is left alone. Rules and patrols can change, so read the signs when you arrive.
How do I get to Gaviota?
Gaviota State Park, forty minutes west of Santa Barbara. Walk west along the sand from the main beach. Best time: May to October.
More in United States
Method
Status says what the law and the locals allow; crowd says who is on the sand. Both come from gay-travel guides, the national naturist federations and members who were just there, scored on sources, recency, crowd, legal footing and safety. How we rank. Pins mark the beach; the gay end is described above. Last reviewed September 2026.