Gunnison Beach
Sandy Hook, New Jersey · United States
New Jersey's only legal nude beach, on federal land, and the largest on the East Coast: five thousand people on a summer weekend. Manhattan's ferry-to-freedom.
- Status
- Official nude beach
- Crowd
- Gay-popular
- Country
- United States
- City
- New York
- Water
- Sea
- Best time
- June to September
- Confidence
- High
Find it
40.4590° N, 73.9895° WThe gay end
The whole beach is clothing-optional; the gay crowd gathers towards the north end.
Crowd A nude beach for everyone with a gay end everyone knows about. Walk in the direction the guide says and you will find the boys.
Getting there
Seastreak ferry from Manhattan in summer (forty-five minutes), or drive to the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, Lot G.
The rules
Official nude beach. Designated by law or by the council. Nudity is allowed and expected on the marked stretch, and nobody will ask you to cover up.
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 Gunnison Beach a gay beach?
It has a gay end. The whole beach is clothing-optional; the gay crowd gathers towards the north end. New Jersey's only legal nude beach, on federal land, and the largest on the East Coast: five thousand people on a summer weekend. Manhattan's ferry-to-freedom.
Is it legal to be nude at Gunnison Beach?
Yes, on the marked stretch. Designated by law or by the council. Nudity is allowed and expected on the marked stretch, and nobody will ask you to cover up.
How do I get to Gunnison Beach?
Seastreak ferry from Manhattan in summer (forty-five minutes), or drive to the Sandy Hook Gateway National Recreation Area, Lot G. Best time: June to September.
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.