Monday, August 31, 2009

No Smoke in sunny Palm Springs - Only Blue Skies


I am very sad for the people who have lost their homes in the Los Angeles wildfires. Even sadder for the firemen who lost their lives.

Southern California is big. These fires are over 130 miles away and NOT in our wind pattern. They are all north of Palm Springs

We have had a lot of people calling, worried that we had smoke. The wind patterns are not bringing in smoke.

We have 100% blue skies. There is no smell of smoke.

Don't forget, this is the last week we have our stay one night, the 2nd is half priced special on Monday thru Thurs.

Hope to see you soon in sunny, smoke free Palm Springs!

Now if you want to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Sunday, August 30, 2009

Nudist resorts need to do a better job at marketing themselves


I spend lots of time marketing our nudist resort on line. Although we average just over a 75% repeat guest rate, we still need new customers every day. Marketing is my job at our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa.

What makes me write this post is there is a group on Facebook called Sleeping Naked. It is a fun group with fun posts. It has 125,625 members when I checked earlier today. Yes, that is right, over 125,000 members.

I looked at AANR's (American Association for Nude Recreation) Facebook group and they had 469 members. TNS, The Naturist Society was not much better at 529 members. Terra Cotta Inn has less than 100 members. However, our free yahoo group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsoftheterracottainn has almost 3000 members. So I am not a complete online idiot :-)

I couldn't believe it, 125,000 members in a group called Sleeping Naked. That is fantastic numbers. Why do they have so many members and nudism so few?

The press loves to cover nudism. Look at how they covered the Guinness World Record Skinny Dip.

The only conclusion I can come to is nudism just is not being portrayed as fun. And if it doesn't seem like fun, people won't be interested.

This is what is on The Naturist Societies Facebook page:

"Our Mission Statement

The mission of The Naturist Society is to promote a culture of body acceptance through clothing-optional recreation using the tools of education and community outreach...

The Naturist Society views clothing-optional recreation as essential to body acceptance. Through clothing-optional recreation, participants, be they individuals, couples or families, learn to appreciate the diversity of body types, gain a better understanding and acceptance of their own bodies, and reap the social, psychological and physical benefits of a healthy and natural way of life..."

No where is the word FUN mentioned. And that is the one thing that all nudists and naturists say about nudism and naturism. It is FUN.

Now the Naturist Society is free to market themselves however they feel to promote their organization. I for one though, think FUN has to be involved. That is why our website is http://sunnyfun.com

This Sleeping Naked Facebook group really opened my eyes as to what a bad job I and most other nudists are doing promoting nudism. And I am sure this affects the bottom line for nudist resorts and organizations.

Now if you want to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

The 7 most overrated businesses to start up accoding to Yahoo small business

With the recession and so many people sadly laid off of work, many people are thinking of starting their own businesses. Every week, I have 1 or 2 couples who say they want to start a nudist resort just like ours. We have been open 15 years and have seen about 16 nudist resorts open and go out of business in Palm Springs. However, we are doing very well. This will probably be our 2nd best year in business.

I am an accountant. I had my own firm for 15 years before we started The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa. So I know how hard you have to work when you own your won business. Way more work than when you are an employee. This year I am averaging between 70-80 hours working per week.

According to yahoo small business, these are the 7 most over rated small businesses to start:

"The 7 Most Overrated Businesses

...many people do a lousy job of picking businesses they can realistically turn into a profitable operation.

"There's this very sad pattern about how people start businesses," says Scott Shane, an entrepreneurship professor at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. "People are most likely to start businesses in industries where start-ups are most likely to fail."

The problem: Many would-be entrepreneurs are drawn to businesses they like to patronize or the ones that are cheapest and easiest to start. Instead, experts argue, aspiring entrepreneurs should create firms in which they have professional experience so they have a competitive advantage in the market...

1. Restaurants. Dining out and cooking are among Americans' favorite pastimes. But "restaurants are among the toughest businesses to run,"

...about 60% of restaurants close in the first three years, according to a 2003 study at Ohio State University. That's quite a bit higher than the roughly half of all start-ups that close in the first five years.

The reason: Restaurants typically have low profit margins and need strong managers who can run an ultra-tight ship through seasonal fluctuations and other struggles...

2. Direct Sales. It's a tempting pitch: Work from home and earn commissions by selling cosmetics, kitchen knives or cleaning products. But companies that recruit independent sales reps tend to attract new team members by pointing to the success of their highest earners.

...The result, Yancey says: "Most of them wind up with a bunch of jewelry or kitchen equipment sitting in their basement that they can't sell."

3. Online Retail. By far, one of the easiest businesses to start is selling items through online marketplaces such as eBay or Amazon. But as online commerce ages and these sites fill up with more established retailers, it's much harder for new, small sellers to compete for attention and generate a viable income...

...successful online retailers today must have a handle on sourcing their products at a low enough price, then layering on clever online marketing and fine-tuned logistics. These businesses won't generate much income if they can't be easily found in searches, maintain a good reputation among buyers or add enough value so that sellers can build profit margins high enough to take on bigger players and physical stores.

4. High-End Retail. Many people dream of opening a day spa, luxury jewelry store or designer clothing boutique – businesses they feel good patronizing. But specialty retail businesses close at higher rates than non-specialty stores...

"It's going to be a long time before we return to the days of conspicuous consumption," says Ms. Lesonsky of GrowBiz Media. High-end retailers often suffer from poor locations and lack of understanding of how to source and market their products in an effective way. In today's economy and in coming years, she says, retail entrepreneurs should be looking to sell non-discretionary consumer goods or offer items at a value rather than high-end products.

5. Independent Consulting. Common advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to stick with industries they know. So, for many looking to escape the corporate treadmill that means turning their professional expertise into a one-person consulting firm.

It seems practical – more companies are indeed relying on independent contractors and freelancers these days – but it's not as easy to pull off as many imagine, says Dennis Ceru, an entrepreneurship professor at Babson College in Babson Park, Mass. Many consultants struggle with time management problems, spending so much time scouting work that it's very difficult to earn steady income. "The difficulty many face is they go through peaks and valleys of having work," says Prof. Ceru. "When the engagement ends, they are frantically looking for work," which may take weeks or months...

6. Franchise Ownership. The idea of being handed a proven business plan without the uncertainties and headaches that come with building a business from scratch is understandably alluring. But too many people don't understand the risks associated with franchising and sign restrictive franchise agreements without thoroughly researching their franchisor and their contractual obligations, says SCORE's Yancey...

It's a myth that franchises are far more successful than independent businesses. A 1995 study by a researcher at Wayne State University found that 62% of franchises were open for business after four years, compared with 68% of independent businesses...

7. Traffic-Driven Web Sites. Everybody has witnessed the success of social-networking sites like Facebook and popular blogs that generate all their revenue off advertising. But as the Internet ages, that's much harder to accomplish, says Martin Zwilling, a start-up consultant in Fountain Hills, Ariz., who specializes in helping entrepreneurs find angel investors.

Zwilling says he hears pitches for new social-networking sites about once a week, but actively deters people from starting them. "I say, skip it," he says. "You need to invest $50 million to get any presence" in the social-networking space rightnow... What's more, he says, the amount of traffic needed to build a lucrative traffic-driven Web site is far more than most new Web entrepreneurs realize: "Until you get to the point where you have a million page views a day, you're nowhere."

To read the full story click here

I would add a number 8. It's starting a small nudist club or resort. It is just like running a restaurant. Nudists think, "Oh I go to a nudist resort and it looks like so much fun to own and operate. I can do that."

Yes, it is true Mary Clare and I really enjoy running our resort, but we make it look easy because we work so hard. Sadly, I know of so many nudists who have lost their life savings trying to start nudist resorts. I tell people have the fun vacationing at the resort, but have a different job.

Now if you want to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Southwest Airlines has a big airfare sale - Travel Sept 9-January 7th


It's time for a vacation in sunny Palm Springs. We are the sunniest city in teh US. For instance the last time we had rain was back in February. Can you say that about your last vaction? (OK you can if it was with us in PalM Springs :-)

This sale ends Sept 3rd. So call us at 1-800-786-6938 for availability now. We answer the phones from 8am-10pm PST.

Southewst does not fly into Palm Sp[rings. Guests take it to Ontario, California (ONT) or LAX.

Here's the details:

Fares do not include federal excise tax of $3.60 per takeoff and landing, airport-assessed passenger facility charges (PFC) of up to $9, and government-imposed September 11th Security Fee of up to $5 one-way.
14-day advance purchase required.
Purchase by September 3, 2009, 11:59 pm Pacific Time.
Travel September 9, 2009 through January 7, 2010.
Travel valid every day except Fridays & Sundays.
Blackout Dates Apply: November 24 - December 1, and December 18 - January 4, 2010.

CLICK HERE FOR SOUTHWEST AIRLINES SALE SITE

If you have always wanted to try topless or nude sunbathing, now is the time. We are the most mainstream clothing optional resort in the US and perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Last year AOL.com picked us as one of the 10 best clothing optional resorts in the world. And in July, Australia's major media site news.au.com picked us as one of the 10 best nudist resorts in the world.

So say goodbye to your funny tan lines forever. Give us a call at
800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Bloomberg says Naturist property market has survived global recession

I don't have to tell everyone that it is a tough recession out there. I have never worked harder to stay full since we first opened our resort 15 years ago. Hard work does pay off. July was our 2nd busiest month in our history. So I am very thankful to all our guests from around the world for taking their vacations with us. And I know we are the ONLY hotel of ALL hotels Palm Springs that is real busy.

Here's the story:

"The U.S. naturist property market has survived the global recession because the majority of house- buyers in unclothed communities are older and don’t need mortgages, the Financial Times reported.

Naturism has grown to a $450 million industry from $400 million five years ago, primarily because of real estate values, the newspaper said, citing a spokeswoman for the American Association for Nude Recreation.

House prices in naturist communities haven’t dropped as much as those in the general market...

For the full story click here

As the Dickens book says, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..."

I know of many nudist resort owners saying this is their worst year ever.

Nudists need to support nudist resorts. They need to stop going to all the non nudist owned places in the Caribbean and Mexico. It is time to support our industry. Otherwise, when places close and nudists say there are no nice places to go to, they will have no one to blame but themselves.

If you have always wanted to try topless or nude sunbathing, now is the time. We are the most mainstream clothing optional resort in the US and perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Last year AOL.com picked us as one of the 10 best clothing optional resorts in the world. And in July, Australia's major media site news.au.com picked us as one of the 10 best nudist resorts in the world.

So say goodbye to your funny tan lines forever. Give us a call at
800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Friday, August 28, 2009

Great post about nude vacations


I just came across this post. Erich Schuttauf, who is the best director that AANR (American Association for Nude Recreation has ever had, is quoted in this post.

Now I am the PR chair for AANR West http://aanrwest.org This is a great link to learn all about nude recreation in the western US so click on it.

Some would say I am biased. Yet, I have seen good and bad directors of AANR and with no bias what so ever, Erich is THE BEST!

Now I do not say this lightly, as the previous director, did nothing to advance the acceptance of nude recreation. Erich is a breathe of fresh air and has done more to promote positive nude recreation than anyone I know except for maybe Godiva.

Here's the post:

"CNN) — “There’s something about being naked that makes a person forget a layoff, pay cut or a shrunken retirement account.

At least that’s how the promoters of nude travel see it.

The economic recession is “doing us a lot of favors, maybe because there’s the idea that if you’ve lost the shirt off your back, you should go nude,” said Erich Schuttauf, executive director of the American Association for Nude Recreation.

He added: “You go to a [nudist resort] and when you take off all your clothes, all the cues that tie you to the workaday world — the ties, the suits and everything — when that’s gone, your body says it’s time to relax. You get in that mode faster.”

While some nude-resort owners say they’re cutting back because of the recession, others said they’re on par with last year’s budgets or are expanding their services. Overall, being naked brings in big bucks. According to Schuttauf, the industry is valued at more than $400 million..”

For the full post click here

FYI, the above picture was featured a few years ago in Newsweek Magazine when they picked us as one of the best small businesses in the US.

If you have always wanted to try topless or nude sunbathing, now is the time. We are the most mainstream clothing optional resort in the US and perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Last year AOL.com picked us as one of the 10 best clothing optional resorts in the world. And in July, Australia's major media site news.au.com picked us as one of the 10 best nudist resorts in the world.

So say goodbye to your funny tan lines forever. Give us a call at
800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Thursday, August 27, 2009

And another nudist resort bites the Dust - Just say NO to vacationing at Non Nudist owned places in the Mexico and the Caribbean!


I just wrote that Glen Echo in Ontario, Canada will be closed to nudists as of
Oct 1st due to not finding nudists to buy it.

Last week Paradise Lakes in Tampa, Florida pulled out of AANR, the American Association for nude recreation instead of being suspended. Why? Because they are hosting s racy g-string review hosted by a Penthouse model. They said nudists no longer support them enough.

What's happening to nudism in America and Canada? I have heard from some nudist resort owners that this is one of the worst years they have ever had. They all say, where have nudists gone? (Luckily for us, this will be our 2nd or 3rd best year ever in our 15 years of business. But, I have worked harder than ever marketing our resort). For instance this July was our SECOND best July ever in our 15 years of business.

It seems 2 things are working out here.

First, many nude vacationers in the US and Canada still don't support American and Canadian nudism. Every time you go to Mexico, or Jamaica, or some other Caribbean island and spend a vacation at a non nudist owned resort, that is taking away money that could be reinvested in American and Canadian nudism.

Those big impersonal corporations that overcharge nudists for rooms on "nude sides" instead of prude sides, don't care about nudists. You are just a big stupid dollar sign to them. If they cared, they would charge textiles and nudists the same.

We reinvest about 15% of every dollar we receive from guests. That is one of the highest reinvestment amount percentages of ANY hotel in the US. To us, we want to deliver to nudists the BEST VALUE of any hotel. And we succeed since we are so popular.

Yet, do I want more guests? I sure do! We will probably be around a 78-80% occupancy rate this year, a rate that most hotels in the US would love to have. Yet, we should be close to 100% occupancy. And if Americans and Canadians start supporting nudism more, hopefully we will.

Even some of our repeat guests are not supporting us as much. Last weekend, we had a guest tell us they stayed at a textile resort over in a town by us called Rancho Mirage. They got a "great deal" for a hotel room. They said they got it half off. Rack rate was $259 and they got it for $129. Then they admitted they paid $22/night parking (we're free), a resort fee of $20 something (they forgot the exact amount), $12.95 for wifi (we're free). And they had to pay for breakfast (we're free). And they didn't get free afternoon snacks. Their "bargain" cost way more than our
$169/night. Their $129/night ended up costing around $215/night compared to our bargain of $169.

The guest stayed there for 3 nights. I said to them, "you know, we can use the money much more than that place can. They don't have a salt water pool, they don't have poolside misters and heaters, they don't have free wifi. You should be supporting nudist businesses in this economy instead of big corporations." The response was "oh, I never thought of that."

Nudists need to think. They need to support American and Canadian nudist resorts.

Stop going to non nudist owned places in the Caribbean Mexico. Let the citizens in those countries support their own naked places. Americans and Canadians have been supporting them for way to long to the detriment of nudism at home.

Now if you want to vacation at one of the best clothing optional resorts in the world according to tripadvisor.com and AOL.com, then give us The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa a call at 800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!

A nudist park in Ontario, Canada wil be closing


Glen Echo, the oldest nudist campground in Ontario, Canada will be closing. The owners could not find a buyer.

Now descriptions of this nudist campground makes it sound rustic. I have never been there. Maybe it deserves to be sold off to non nudists. I don't know.

Yet, this is a disturbing trend for American and Canadian nudism.

Who's to blame? I put the blame squarely on many American and Canadian nudists.

Every time an American or Canadian nudist goes to Mexico or the Caribbean and stays at a corporate owned, non nudist owned resort, beach or hotel, that is taking money away that could grow the nudist industry in the US and Canada.

Paradise Lakes in Tampa, Florida decided they had to go way more risque because they felt nudists were not supporting them enough.

I don't understand why American and Canadian nudists way overpay to stay at the Caribbean and Mexican naked places. I've been to most of them once before we started Terra Cotta Inn. They are nothing special. They were way, way overpriced and we never went back to them. And we have been to some of the newer ones in Mexico and the Caribbean since we started Terra Cotta. These places are still way too overpriced for what you get.

Now if you want to support a great nudist place like Sorobon, in Bonaire then you should. That place is owned by nudists and they charge a fair price. But all other nudist places in the Caribbean are way overpriced for what they deliver in my opinion.

Finally due to the recession nudists are realizing they have been had for years at these non nudist owned places in Mexico and the Caribbean.

Nudists sometimes spending more then a $100/night extra to stay on the nude side instead of the prude side at some of these places. Worse, they are supposedly getting tolerable meals as they are all inclusives. But on the nude side, they only have hamburger shacks if you want to eat nude. What a rip off.

Could you imagine an American nudist resort treating their guests this badly? Never. But, lots of nudists pony up $5000-$8000 for a week at these places and complain that they say we can't find enough good places like Terra Cotta Inn in the US to stay at. If they stayed here more and didn't go to Mexico or the Caribbean, we could open a second place. But, as long as nudists flock like lemmings to to Mexico and the Caribbean, I am not going to over expand.

My business is probably less then 20% AANR members and less than 5% TNS members. If it wasn't for us converting first timers into loving nude sunbathing at our resort, we would be belly up.

Nudists have to realize they are their own worst enemies. Stop giving your money to big greedy corporations in Mexico and the Caribbean who laugh at you because they can over charge you.

Start supporting American and Canadian nudism! Keep the vacation money home.

Here's the story:

"Left out in the cold
Naturist park’s closing leaves nudists with limited options

By this time next month, about 150 nudists will be cast out of the province’s oldest naturist retreat because their 100 acres of Eden is being sold to a private owner...

“We’re all very disappointed. You suddenly lose your second home, our home away from home.”

The nudist movement in Ontario had its genesis with Glen Echo Park, which was founded in 1955 as a co-operative. Most in the community got their first taste of naturism at the site... In its mid-1990s heyday, as many as 350 families were members...

Glen Echo’s owners, Mary and Edward Todorowsky, are approaching 80. Off and on Since 2005, they’ve been trying to sell to someone within the nudist community, who would keep their sanctuary open.

But after fours years of trying and several failed offers, the Todorowskys gave up...

“Losing a club is not good for naturism,” said Stéphane Deschênes, who owns Bare Oaks...

Hoping to attract a younger crowd, both resorts are moving away from the old “roughing it with nature” mentality by installing plumbing, electricity hook-ups for trailers and satellite television.

“We just added WiFi,” said Four Seasons manager Tom Landers. “I’ve been talking to the owner of Bare Oaks and both of us feel that this market is in its infancy.”

For the full story click here

Now as I said, the grounds sound very rustic at Glen Echo, so it may have been the correct thing to do to let it go textile. But, if nudists don't stop going to Mexico and the Caribbean, then one day they will wake up and find that there are NO nice nudist places left for them to go to without going out of country. And they will only have themselves to blame.

Now if you want to vacation at one of the best clothing optional resorts in the world according to tripadvisor.com and AOL.com, then give us The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa a call at 800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Labor Day Vacation spending to be up this year


Here at the Terra Cotta Inn, we too feel the pent up demand for Labor Day getaways. Our guests have ALL taken extra time off of work then and are stay from 4 nights to 2weeks over Labor Day.

Of course we are the only nudist resort in the western US that caters to couples on vacations, so it is only logical that we will be busy.

Here's the story:

...Capping a rough stay-cation summer for the tourism business, the American Automobile Assn. estimated that about 39.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between the Thursday and Monday of Labor Day weekend -- down 6 million, or 13.3%, from last year's holiday traveler tally. It's also the first decline since 2006.

About 4.7 million Californians will travel over the weekend, off 13% from 5.4 million last year, AAA said.

... Vacationing more cheaply and closer to home has been popular in Southern California, said Carol Martinez, a spokeswoman for LA Inc., the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau.

..."People are looking at shorter-distance trips more nowadays because it's usually not as expensive," Martinez said. "One of our leading visitor markets right now is San Francisco, and we've begun to market more within the region and the state because of that."

...While fewer people are expected to travel this coming holiday weekend, 2009 should still produce the third busiest Labor Day weekend this decade, trailing only 2008 and 2003, AAA said.

Hotel consultant David Brudney sees pent-up demand for pleasure travel and thinks AAA's estimates may be conservative.

"There's no question about it," said Brudney, an independent hotel consultant based in Carlsbad. "I think we're going to have a better demand for Labor Day rooms than is expected right now, across the board, all segments of hotels."

The reason? People feel entitled to a vacation, he said.

"I still believe vacations, if they're mini or full blown, are something people stick to," Brudney said. "They feel like they deserve it. They might think, 'We didn't do it in July, we didn't do it in August, so let's do it now.' "

... "They're trying to win back customers and for them, right now, it's all about those two things -- price and value."

...A sign of a growing belief that the country's economy is beginning to rebound can be seen in how much travelers are willing to spend; AAA's report said 80% of the surveyed travelers said they're planning to spend more this year on their Labor Day trip than last year.

Travelers also should be motivated by gasoline prices, which are down compared with this time last year. The U.S. average price of a gallon of regular gasoline was $2.633 on Wednesday, $1.05 less than a year ago, according to the AAA's daily Fuel Gauge Report.

"Our forecast shows Labor Day travel will be up over this summer's Fourth of July holiday, and that's a positive sign," AAA Chief Executive Robert L. Darbelnet said.

Only 4% of travelers are expected to fly to their destination, while an estimated 84% will drive, the auto club said.

For the full story click here

If you have always wanted to try topless or nude sunbathing, now is the time. We are the most mainstream clothing optional resort in the US and perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Last year AOL.com picked us as one of the 10 best clothing optional resorts in the world. And in July, Australia's major media site news.au.com picked us as one of the 10 best nudist resorts in the world.

So say goodbye to your funny tan lines forever. Give us a call at
800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Palm Springs, California's Naked BBQ is this weekend August 28 & 29














BBQ NAKED!!! Join us for our FREE "end of the Summer BBQ" on Saturday August 29th - Only a few rooms left

We are having fantastic weather here in sunny Palm Springs. Beautiful topless and nude sunbathing weather. Lots of sunshine.

The weekend before Labor Day August 28th and 29th is our annual BBQ NAKED bash. Say good bye to summer while nude at the Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa. And it is FREE for all guests staying at The Terra Cotta Inn.

You can really relax by booking both the Friday and Saturday nights, or if you are short on time come out Saturday for the BBQ. We always allow early check in at 10am and you can stay until 5pm at no extra charge. We start serving at 1pm on Saturday.

Now of course Palm Springs is the ONLY city in the US that has year round summer weather where you can go nude sunbathing almost 365 days a year. We are the sunniest city in the US and average less than 3 inches of rain a year. So for us summer really isn't ending. It is warm enough to nude sunbathe here year round.

For instance, this year, the last time it rained in Palm Springs was in February. Can you say that about the last place you went to on vacation?

We will have a fantastic and fun naked BBQ. Hotdogs, hamburgers and all
the side dishes. Plus plenty of ice cold beer.

We have always been the best value hotel in Palm Springs, and this free BBQ is just another reason to book here.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 to book this fun weekend or anytime.

Not a nudist? No problem. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

And don't forget, we have our summertime special on Monday thru Thursday of stay 1 night, the 2nd is half priced. This great room sale ends Thursday night
September 3rd.

Visit our website at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

September 2009 Special rates for New Guests of the Terra Cotta Inn


Palm Springs has been having fantastic weather. We are having one of our most popular summers ever in our history and September looks just as busy.

Palm Springs is the sunniest city in the US. For instance the last time it rained here was in February 2009. Why risk having a tropical storm in Florida, Mexico, or the Caribbean raining on your vacation this year, when you are almost always guaranteed sunshine in sunny Palm Springs!

We average one of the highest repeat guest rates in the travel industry at just over a 75% repeat guest rate. And that is with couples from around the world vacationing here.

We are the only clothing optional vacation resort in the western US that caters to couples on vacation. What that means is we are popular 7 days a week. We are not just a weekend getaway like most other places.

This September, we are running a special for new guests of the Terra Cotta Inn on Sunday thru Thursday nights. Take $25 off on your over night stay. Just mention this special when you book. Once you stay here, you will want to become a repeat guest forever!

We have always been the best value nudist resort in the US, and this special saves you even more money. With every nights stay we include complimentary breakfast and and afternoon snacks, early check in (10am) and late check out (5pm).

We have top of the line beds, free Godiva brand in room coffee, state of the art salt water pool and jacuzzi that feels heavenly on your bare skin, high pressure poolside misting/cooling system, free wifi, DVD players in all rooms and a free video library, iPod docks and much more.

This September our massage therapists are running a special, get 1 one hour massage and the 2nd massage is half priced. This can be split by a couple or taken by the same person. And obviously you do not have to receive both massages on the same day. This special is available 7 days a week. It is popular so book your massages in advance.

If you have always wanted to try topless or nude sunbathing, now is the time. We are the most mainstream clothing optional resort in the US and perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Last year AOL.com picked us as one of the 10 best clothing optional resorts in the world. And in July, Australian's major media site news.au.com picked us as one of the 10 best nudist resorts in the world.

So this September, say goodbye to your funny tan lines forever. Give us a call at
800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Nudist colonies will never die down


Nudist colonies? How many people live in them? None? What are nudist colonies? I don't know? There are nudist clubs, nudist resorts, nudist parks, but there are NO nudist colonies.

Yet, the uninformed still insist on calling nudist resorts and clubs, nudist colonies. It would be like calling a Marriott hotel a businessman colony. It just isn't correct.

There is no such thing as a nudist colony.

Yet, when I look at what are the most popular keywords people use to find my site http://sunnyfun.com they use nudist resorts and next nudist colonies. Go figure.

Here is the story that got me going. Actually it is a cute story:

"Buck's Weird News Blog

What do nudists and penguins have in common? They both live in colonies.

You might think that's where the similarities end... except for one little penguin named Ralph, who has a unique problem.

While other penguins gradually shed and replace their feathers through molting, Ralph loses his all at once, then has to wait for weeks in the nude while they grow back.

Zookeepers.. came up with a solution: a penguin wetsuit...

For the full cute story click here

If you go to that link, you will see Ralph the penguin in his wetsuit.

Now if you want to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist RESORT, not nudist colony in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Topless Women protest for the right to bare their breasts like men on National Go topless Day


Sunday was National Go Topless Day. Women in 8 cities protested the inequity of where women have to wear tops in the same places that men can go shirt free. One of the most common areas is at beaches and in parks.

The New York Daily News covered the story, (or should I say uncovered the story):

"Topless women march in Central Park for right to bare breasts

Topless women and and men march along Central Park South to celebrate 'National Go-Topless' Day in Manhattan Sunday afternoon...

The daring display was part of "National Go-Topless Day" - indeed, there is such a thing - and stunned jaded New Yorkers and wide-eyed tourists alike.

"This is unbelievable - and super," said Dalvin Jan, 21, who rents bicycles for a living on Central Park South. "I'm going to tell my wife to join in."

With Chaka Khan's "I'm Every Woman" blaring from speakers and chants of "free your breasts, free your mind," the troupe of bare-breasted women - and their enthusiastic male supporters - paraded their way along Central Park South.

"We're all here for the same reason - to allow women to be free in the park like men,"...

"I'm pretty surprised," said Carolyn Meierjurgen, 49, of New Jersey, who was taking a horse carriage ride in the park. "If they want to do it, let them do it. I couldn't," she admitted...

New York is the only state in the country where women can be topless legally, after a 1992 ruling in the state's highest court. That means any woman can walk around the city at any time with no shirt on...

"It's not about baring your breasts," she said. "But the true meaning is to normalize women's bodies."

Yesterday's protesters noted that is not always the case....

Topless events took place across the country, from Los Angeles to Columbus, Ohio...

"It's nice for them," said unfazed Swedish tourist Birgitta Asplin, 58. "It's the human body - nothing more!"

But others said it was all a very bad idea.

"This is extreme liberalism and why America's in decline," shouted one woman, who said she was a doctor but declined to give her name. "It's degrading to women to tell them to expose their breasts publicly."

"I'm not shocked - we're in New York City," said Lindsay Hall, 28, of Maryland. "But speaking from a woman's perspective, I disagree with them. There's something to be said for modesty," she added.

For the full story Click here

What some people don't understand is yes the human body is sexual and sexualized. Yet, at the same time, it is just bare skin and has no sexuality. A guy on a beach without a shirt on is just enjoying the sun. Yet, at home in bed with his wife/girlfriend being bare chested can be sexual, or again, he might just be watching TV with his kids and then there is nothing sexual about his not wearing a shirt. The same should be true for women.

People forget. Just 100 years ago, it was considered too sexual for men to go topfree at the beach. Now it is no big deal.

Over 100 years ago women drowned while swimming in full dresses because it was considered immodest to show a female calf.

Female breasts ARE NOT SEXUAL. It is what our society makes of them. Even here in Palm Springs, CA the Agua Caliente women (our local Indian tribe) lived topless until the white missionaries came in the late 1800's and "taught" them that bare female breasts were evil, so they covered up.

When people say bare breasts are sexy, that is true. But then so are bare faces, legs, rear ends, etc. Should women cover up like the Muslims in what Bill Mahr call "bee keeper suits" and only allow women's eyes to peek out?

It is time to chill out. A breast is just a breast. Breasts are only what society make of them.

Now if you want to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Monday, August 24, 2009

English TV decides it is OK to show nude models for art classes on Daytime TV


Channel 4 in England ran a art class at 12:30 pm for over a week in July. 37 prudes complained about it. In a country of over 50 million, that is negligible.

Yet, Channel 4 had to take the complaints seriously and make a decision.

They decided tough luck prudes,Channel 4 did not breach broadcasting guidelines.

If this happened in the US, I bet the FCC would have fined the station.

A couple of years ago a teacher in Texas was FIRED for taking her students to the Dallas art museum. The reason? Kids saw nude statues and paintings even though they had their parents permission to go to the art museum. I guess the parents thought there were going to be paintings of dogs playing poker and velvet Elvis's in the art museum.

The only disagreement I have over this issue, is the TV station should have also included male nudes.

Here's the story:

Naked women are acceptable on daytime TV, Ofcom rules

A Channel 4 life drawing programme which featured naked female models was acceptable lunchtime viewing, the television watchdog has ruled...

“It was adult viewing, not for screening in the middle of the day,” one viewer said after tuning in to the programme, in which artists guided students through various drawing techniques.

However, Ofcom rejected the 37 complaints and ruled that Channel 4 did not breach broadcasting guidelines.

The watchdog has written to every complainant explaining that the nudity was justified.

“Life drawing is a well-known and respected form of art. In Ofcom’s view, although the images of nudity were broadcast for long periods of time, they were not presented in a sexualised manner and were clearly justified by the context, given the editorial purpose of the series,” the letter read. The programme was broadcast during school term time and was not aimed at children, the watchdog said, adding that each episode was prefaced by a warning about its content.

Clips from the show are still available on the Channel 4 website, but viewers must click a box to confirm they are over 16 before they can watch the footage.

Channel 4 declined to comment on Ofcom's decision.

For the full story Click Here

Now if you have ever wanted to take a fun vacation, give us a call at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Sunday, August 23, 2009

BBQ Naked in sunny Palm Springs at Terra Cotta Inn the Weekend of August 28 & 29


BBQ NAKED!!! Join us for our FREE "end of the Summer BBQ" on Saturday August 29th - Only a few rooms left

We are having fantastic weather here in sunny Palm Springs. Beautiful topless and nude sunbathing weather. Lots of sunshine.

The weekend before Labor Day August 28th and 29th is our annual BBQ NAKED bash. Say good bye to summer while nude at the Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa. And it is FREE for all guests staying at The Terra Cotta Inn.

Now of course Palm Springs is the ONLY city in the US that has year round summer weather where you can go nude sunbathing almost 365 days a year. We are the sunniest city in the US and average less than 3 inches of rain a year. So for us summer really isn't ending. It is warm enough to nude sunbathe here year round.

For instance, this year, the last time it rained in Palm Springs was in February. Can you say that about the last place you went to on vacation?

We will have a fantastic and fun naked BBQ. Hotdogs, hamburgers and all
the side dishes. Plus plenty of ice cold beer.

We have always been the best value hotel in Palm Springs, and this free BBQ is just another reason to book here.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 to book this fun weekend or anytime.

Not a nudist? No problem. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

And don't forget, we have our summertime special on Monday
thru Thursday of stay 1 night, the 2nd is half priced. This great room sale ends Thursday night September 3rd.

Visit our website at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

England may finally recognize that nudists are discriminated against


PR is fantastic in the marketing of nudist resorts, as is the internet like this blog. However, one of the worst ways for nudist resort marketing is word of mouth. Yes, when you vacation at a nudist resort all people talk about is what nudist resorts they have vacationed at however, outside the nudist resorts, no word of mouth.

So many of our guests tell us their best vacations ever are at our resort. And then when we ask "how many non nudists have you told about our place," 95% of our guests say none. They are too afraid to admit they are nudists.

I have always said being a nudist today is like being gay back in the 1960's. You have to be in the closet for your own safety. Now some places like Palm Springs, it is very accepted. I was even the campaign treasurer for one of our city council members and was elect the president of the Palm Springs Chamber of Commerce.

Yet, if I was to try to teach school, I wonder would I have a hard time getting a job admitting I was a nudist?

In England they are starting to realize the discrimination against nudists.

Here is the story:


"The Government Equalities Office, overseen by Labour’s deputy leader, ranks the prejudice faced by those who wish to go naked wherever possible as equivalent to that experienced by homosexuals, ethnic minorities and the elderly.

A recent review into discrimination includes a submission written by British Naturism, which was selected for display on the website of the equalities office alongside work by Stonewall, the gay rights group, Age Concern and the Runnymede Trust, which campaigns for racial equality.

“Naturists encounter prejudice in employment,” it reads.

“This is a particular problem for people in the caring professions and education...

There is a thriving industry devoted to naturism in Britain, including more than 100 naturist-friendly campsites and a selection of luxury cruises where clothing is optional...

British Naturism has 16,000 members but claims there could be 1.2m naturists in the country, with many choosing to cover up their hobby.

Now it is urging the Government and other authorities to make “affirmative statements” in favour of naturism.

Andrew Welch, commercial manager of British Naturism, said the type of discrimination suffered by naturists today was similar to that endured by gay people before the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967...

“The presumption of many in society that a person without clothes is always up to no good is archaic and discriminatory.”

For the full story click here

It would really be cool if England was the first major government to speak up positively about nudism. Here in Palm Springs, we are highly thought of by our local government because we have such a high occupancy rate, but that is just small town politics, not national politics.

I wish British Naturism good luck with their cause.

Now if you want to try topless or nude sunbathing for the first time, feel free giving us a call at 800-786-6938.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Alicia Silverstone enjoys swimming nude and gardening nude, but doesn't consider herself a nudist


Alicia Silverstone is a home nudist whether she admits it or not. There are millions of people who enjoy being nude at home, but are too nervous to go to a nudist resort or nude beach.

I always say being nude at home is like watching a major sporting event like the Super Bowl, NBA finals, or World Series alone. Yes, it can be done, but it is way more fun at a party where you meet other sports fans. Being nude is way more fun meeting other people that enjoy being nude too.

Here's a story that was printed in Health Magazine.

“It probably started when I was doing my garden the first time. I’d be out there, and it would be scorching hot, so I would take off all of my clothes and garden. And then I would jump in the pool and swim—and I always get in the pool naked, because why would you want to put on a bathing suit? But I’m not a nudist at all... in my own home, in my garden, [nudity]’s OK.”

For the full story click here

If ever a pretty celebrity like Alicia Silverstone admitted publicly that she was a nudist, nudism would boom. Just like Bridget Bardo popularized topless sunbathing in France in the 1960's, a celebrity Like Alicia could do the same for nudism.

We have celebrities here from time to time. As I become friends with them, I always ask if they would plug nudism. They all say no as they are afraid it might hurt their careers. Strange, it is OK to say you enjoy life nude, but don't admit you are a nudist.

Now if you want to try topless or nude sunbathing for the first time, feel free giving us a call at 800-786-6938.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time. You don't even have to be a nudist to vacation with us.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Goodbye sweet Godiva




This will be my last post about Godiva. She will always be in our memories and will always be loved by us. We have so many happy memories of her.

However, I must move on.

Most people have lost a animal that they loved. Sadly many people have lost a human they loved. You can't dwell on death.

Godiva had a big heart. Above is a picture of her with her best friend, a seeing eye dog. Both dogs were so happy when they saw each other each year.

Godiva, we loved you and will miss you forever. The world is a better place because of you. Thank you for your 14 years of friendship and love.

Saturday, August 22, 2009

A Dog's Purpose in Life











Above is a picture of Godiva opening a Christmas present. She loved Christmas.

Feel free to share this post with others who have lost a beloved pet.

Mary Clare found this story on the internet:

"A Dog's Purpose (from a 6-year-old).

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, 'I know why.'

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, 'People are born so that they can learn how to live a good Life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?' The Six-year-old continued, 'Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'

So live like a dog:

Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass..
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you're not.
If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently."

I would add, be happy you're a dog, you get to be naked all your life.

Also no matter what you are dealt, make the best of it. Godiva was born with bad kidneys. The first vet she saw suggested we put her down even though she was only an 8 week old puppy because of her bad kidneys. We dealt with her kidney disease her whole life and she had a long, full, happy life.

Godiva was truly an inspiration and role model for how to live life. She lived it to the fullest in her short life.

She will be greatly missed.

RIP Godiva, March 28th, 1995- August 22nd, 2009 We Love You and Will Miss You Forever


















I have very sad news for all of Godiva's friends. We had to put Godiva to sleep
this morning.

She was born with bad kidneys. Her whole life we had to monitor what she ate and
we had to monitor her kidney function. She used to complain to us saying we were
the meanest parents ever for not letting her eat chicken, beef, fish etc. like other dogs could. She used to say to us all the time, "other dogs can eat that delicious food, why can't I?"

As guests all knew, she was a professional BBQer. She would give the best advice when you were BBQing. Everyone always felt so bad that we couldn't share our food with her. But it was for the best for her.

Sadly, her kidneys took a irreversible turn for the worst this week.

Last night, we knew we had to put her down while she was still comfortable and
with the dignity she deserved.

We will miss her very much. We loved her with all our hearts as did many guests. She was such a special part of our lives, our guest lives, and our hotel.

We have a couple here right now that would always bring her a new toy every time
they stayed here. They reminded me that every time they were here, every morning
right at 8 am, Godiva was knocking on their door saying "Get up, time for a walk,
let's go, hurry up, let's go." And Godiva truly was knocking. She sat and used her paw to hit the door just like a human uses our knuckles.

Godiva was such a character. She loved life and loved working at our resort. And she
loved all the guests (especially the ones that took her for a walk). She was such a happy dog and was always smiling. Even yesterday, she managed a smile for part of the day.

Godiva also loved nudism. You could walk into our resort or leave our resort wearing clothes. That was OK with her. But, once you walked around the grounds or by the pool she insisted on your being nude. She would bark at people who wore clothes. It was the most adorable thing. Everyone knew she was saying take you clothes off and join in with the nude fun. A reporter from the Arizona Republic newspaper saw this and wrote about Godiva the nudist dog in that newspaper.

Godiva was such a ham. As soon as she saw a camera, she posed. She loved having
her picture taken. So luckily we have lots of fond memories of her on film.

We loved her a lot and will always miss her immensely.

Sadly no one can escape old age. Not even Godiva. Even a Super Dog costume couldn't save her from all living things biggest enemy, time.

If any one has any funny stories to share about Godiva, it is OK to post them
here.

A lot of guests have started posting stories about Godiva at our yahoo group at
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/friendsoftheterracottainn

If you want to read the stories, join the group.

Tom

Friday, August 21, 2009

Only 2 rooms available at Terra Cotta Inn this weekend August 22


Sun, sun, sun That's what Palm Springs has to offer. We are the sunniest city in the US. the last time it rained here was back in February.

The weather has been great here in sunny Palm Springs.

Everyone loves staying at our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa in the summertime because we are the cool place to stay in Palm Springs!

This weekend, Saturday August 22nd, we got a few last minute cancellations, so we have some availability. We now have just 2 rooms left on Saturday.

The weather is perfect for nude sunbathing. Nice and sunny and warm.

We are the only hotel in Palm Springs that is busy this time of year because we have a high pressure pool side misting cooling system. So no matter what the temperature outside, our guests are nice and comfortable poolside. We have also invested in a salt water pool and jacuzzi which is heavenly on your bare skin.

You can really relax and have fun here. We allow early check in (10am) and late check out (5pm). We also include complimentary breakfast and snacks each day.

Don't forget in July and August, we do our special on Monday though Thursday of stay 1night, the 2nd is half priced. Rates start at $149/couple/night.

We are the most popular clothing optional resort in the western US. We are also the most mainstream nudist resort in America and perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 for more information or to make reservations.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Paradise Lakes in Tampa, Florida is no longer an AANR club

Paradise Lakes Resort has said goodbye to AANR over a dispute over a "Miss G-String International" competition sponsored by a Penthouse Magazine cover model named Schevelle.

Here's the story:

"G-string ad prompts resort to drop out of nude group

LAND O' LAKES - For the second time in just over a year, one of Pasco County's clothing-optional resorts has withdrawn from the American Association of Nude Recreation over advertising practices considered contrary to the organization's family-friendly principles.

Paradise Lakes Resort today withdrew from the influential association over advertisements for a "Miss G-String International" competition at the resort...

AANR's board voted to temporarily suspend the membership, but when resort owner John Forier was informed of the suspension, he voluntarily withdrew membership, said AANR spokeswoman Carolyn Hawkins. An investigation over complaints of advertising and marketing efforts behind the G-string contest was launched in recent months.

..."Any club that deliberately advocates, endorses, encourages or promotes sexual activities or sexual enterprises is subject to revocation of its charter."

...The ad says the Oct. 1-3 event will be hosted by a Penthouse magazine cover model and feature "25 gorgeous contestants competing for exciting prizes and top honors!"

In July 2008 ... Caliente Resorts withdrew its membership with AANR after the resort was temporarily suspended over an investigation into its involvement with a swingers organization...

The Paradise Lakes investigation determined that the resort's management had "increasingly sexualized the nudist experience" by advertising and marketing the G-string contest, AANR said...

When Caliente withdrew from AANR, Fox said the resort was "taking advantage of educating the next generation, the 20- and 30-somethings on social nudism. [AANR] hasn't done a good job of targeting those folks."

For the full article Click Here

Wow, this is big news in the nudist world. First Caliente is asked to leave AANR because of catering to swinger groups, now Paradise Lakes left because they "increasingly sexualized the nudist experience."

I have no first had knowledge of this situation. So I can not comment on it. I am just reporting what was in the newspaper and of course I do not know how accurate the reporting was.

My guess is sales are down at Paradise Lakes. I have written that nudists need to stop going to the places in Mexico and the Caribbean otherwise we will lose nudism in the US. So Paradise decided upon this event to increase sales.

What I will comment on is how nudism needs to reach out beyond this notion that all nudist resorts need to book families. I have seen conservative nudist resorts advertise, toga parties, lingerie parties, etc. I wouldn't call these events family friendly.

People want to have fun. The days of sitting out in a field in a drum circle singing Kumbaya are over. Couples take more vacations than families. Couples will vacation for a week or longer at a time as opposed to families wanting just Saturday nights.

I remember when we first opened 15 years ago, Lee Baxandall of The Naturist Society thought that I was a terrible person because I dared to have our toll free number be
800-Sunnyfun. What made him even madder at me was I said it was fun to vacation at nudist resorts.

Lee read my the riot act saying naturism had nothing to do with fun. It was all about body acceptance and getting over body shame. And how dare I even speak of fun and naturism in the same breathe.

Of course, we all know the whole nudist industry saw how successful we were promoting nudism and fun together and now everyone says it. Why? Because it is true!
So things can change in the nudist world.

I agree 100% with AANR that we do NOT want to promote nudism with swingers and sex. But, we also have to get away from the notion that nudism is for families only as couples normally do not want to hang around with families.

We operate a FUN conservative nudist resort, yet, we don't book families with kids. And we are extremely popular. With work it can be done. At the same time Cypress Cove in Florida and Laguna del Sol are good examples of nudist resorts that do cater to families with kids and are very successful. So it can be done. It is a large room and there should be space for all except nudism and swingers and sex groups.

Now if you would like to try topless or nude sunbathing at a fun resort, give us a call at 800-786-6938. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!

Skinny Dip numbers are in for the Guinness World Record


The official number of skinny dippers for the Guinness World Record skinny dip was 13648. AANR which is the American Association for Nude Recreation just came out with the numbers.

This will be the new number to beat next year.

We had 41 people skinny dip at noon on July 11th at our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn. We were maxed out at that number as we did not want to overcrowd our resort by packing people in. And our guests appreciated that.

The skinny did was held simultaneously all across the US and Canada.

I am sure it will be bigger next year.

This was fantastic PR to promote nude recreation. We turned away 100's of first timers who thought it was the coolest thing. Unfortunately, it wouldn not have been fair to pack our resort with people just for the event.

We have had so many first timers book this summer. And this event is one of the reasons.

If you want to go skinny dipping, we are the perfect place. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938. Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!

Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Only 3 rooms available at Terra Cotta Inn this weekend August 21 & 22


Sun, sun, sun That is what Palm Springs has to offer. We are the sunniest city in the US. the last time it rained here was back in February.

The weather has been great here in sunny Palm Springs.

Everyone loves staying at our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa in the summertime because we are the cool place to stay in Palm Springs!

This coming weekend, Friday August 21st and Saturday August 22nd, we got a few last minute cancellations, so we have some availability. We now have just 3 rooms left on Friday and 3 rooms left on Saturday.

Most guests really like to relax and book 4 nights to a week for their summer vacations as you can see we are very busy everyday of the week. But if you have already used up all your vacation days and can only getaway on weekends, this weekend is the perfect weekend to getaway.

The weather is perfect for nude sunbathing. Nice and sunny and warm.

We are the only hotel in Palm Springs that is busy this time of year because we have a high pressure pool side misting cooling system. So no matter what the temperature outside, our guests are nice and comfortable poolside. We have also invested in a salt water pool and jacuzzi which is heavenly on your bare skin.

You can really relax and have fun here. We allow early check in (10am) and late check out (5pm). We also include complimentary breakfast and snacks each day.

Don't forget in July and August, we do our special on Monday though Thursday of stay 1night, the 2nd is half priced. Rates start at $149/couple/night.

We are the most popular clothing optional resort in the western US. We are also the most mainstream nudist resort in America and perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 for more information or to make reservations.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

MSNBC says everyone needs to take a vacation in these stressful times


We have had to work harder than ever at our resort this year. One of the reasons is we have received more cancellations than ever. What is the biggest reason people are cancelling? Fear of the unknown. They are scared, they don't know what to do, so they sit at home and stew in their fears instead of getting away, relaxing, de-stressing, and enjoying life.

Luckily, although we are working harder than ever, we are still the most popular nudist resort in the western US. I read comments online all the time about people who made the mistake and booked at other nudist places midweek and say they are the only ones there or maybe there are just a few men and them.

We are popular 7 days a week, not just Saturday night.

If no one else is at the nudist place you booked, you might as well stay home as it will be boring.

Now a recent article came out saying why everyone NEEDS to take a vacation in these trying times. Here's the story:

"Despite the downturn, you need a vacation
Stressed? Cash-strapped? You don't just want a break, you need one


..."I found that I use travel when I'm stressed, when I'm upset," says Schaler, whose book "Travel Therapy: Where Do You Need to Go?", highlights over 100 destinations for the stressed-out, broken-hearted or existentially confused. "Travel can empower people," she says. "I really believe you can change your attitude by changing your environment."

..."Vacations are important," says Patricia Gerbarg, M.D., assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at New York Medical College. "People are constantly surrounded by demands, constantly adding stress, so our stress response is overactive."... Changing our environment or routine, she says, allows us to recharge that parasympathetic part of the nervous system.

... "Survival mode is not good for strategy or long-term thinking; it prevents us from seeing the big picture." More

How often do we pack up for vacation? According to travel Web site Expedia, which has been polling American workers about their vacation habits for nine years, about one-third of employed adults (34 percent) usually do not take all of the vacation days they receive each year, an increase from 31 percent reported in 2008. This neatly contrasts the 34 percent of adults who reported feeling better about their job and feeling more productive upon returning from vacation.

...getting away from our surroundings is liberating and offers a broad view of our lives. "Sometimes you don't realize how stressed you are till you get out of it," says Gerbarg. "Going away gives us that distance to recover perspective, to get our priorities straight."

Easy enough, but here's another low-level option: book a hotel room in your city (or one nearby) for the weekend. Eliminating household responsibilities for two or three days can allow you to see your corner of the world with fresh eyes..."

For the full story click here

And there is no better way to de-stress and vacation than topless or nude at The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa in sunny palm Springs, California.

We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!

Jet Blue has an unlimited travel pass this fall for $599 Buy buy Aug 21st

This has been the best year for airfare sales. Jet Blue just came out with a deal of unlimited travel this fall for only $599. Naturally there are some details. Here they are from their site:

"Enjoy unlimited travel this fall

Choose from 57 cities and more than 600 daily flights!
Enjoy unlimited travel with our All-You-Can-Jet Pass! For just $599* you can take JetBlue anywhere you like, as often as you like, from September 8 to October 8, 2009. Use your All-You-Can-Jet Pass for business, for pleasure, to visit your favorite cities or to meet with a client. You might as well just do it all! With more than 50 cities to choose from, and for just $599, it's a deal you can't pass up.

$599 for a month of unlimited travel, any available seat
Domestic taxes and fees included

On sale through Friday, August 21, 2009, or while supplies last
Travel Dates: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 through Thursday, October 8, 2009
Each flight must be booked no later than 11:59 p.m. MDT three days prior to the flight's scheduled departure.
Nonrefundable/nontransferable/no name changes

To purchase an All-You-Can-Jet Pass:
Call 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583), option 4. You do not have to be a TrueBlue member at the time of purchase, but a TrueBlue number is required to book all flights.To join TrueBlue, click here; it's free.

To book flights with your All-You-Can-Jet Pass:
Before calling to reserve your flight, please visit jetblue.com to check availability and select flight times.
Call 1-800-JETBLUE (538-2583), prompt 4.
Provide your pass number which is your original reservation number.
Provide your TrueBlue number.
You may only book one flight per city per day; if a violation of this policy is found, JetBlue will honor only the last booking made and cancel the customer's other bookings from that city on that day.
Each flight must be booked no later than 11:59 p.m. MDT three days prior to the flight's scheduled departure.
You can change/cancel flights for no fee with three (3) or more days notice; changes or cancellations to flight bookings made after 11:59 p.m. MDT three days prior to the flight's scheduled departure will be charged standard JetBlue change/cancel fees.
To change or cancel All-You-Can-Jet Pass travel:
Greater than three (3) days before a flight: $0 change/cancellation fees
Less than three (3) days before a flight: JetBlue's standard change/cancel fees apply
In the case of a no-show, the customer's pass will be placed on hold, any reserved pass flights will be canceled, and no new flight segments will be able to be booked until the customer pays a $100 no-show penalty.

To see all the restrictions and details Click Here

So if you have time off this fall, these are the airports you can fly into to visit us. Go to LGB (Long Beach) 110 miles away, LAX 120 miles away, SAN San Diego, 140 miles away, or LAS Las Vegas or PHX Phoenix 280 miles away.

Our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa is the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and is perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Jet Blue also has other seats on sale even if you can't use their pass.

For your best, most fun vacation ever, give us a call at 800-786-6938.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Only 4 rooms left at Terra Cotta Inn this weekend August 21 & 22


The weather has been great here in sunny Palm Springs.

Everyone loves staying at our resort, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa in the summertime because we are the cool place to stay in Palm Springs!

This coming weekend, Friday August 21st and Saturday August 22nd, we got a few last minute cancellations, so we have some availability. We now have just 4 rooms left on Friday and 4 rooms left on Saturday.

Most guests really like to relax and book 4 nights to a week for their summer vacations as you can see we are very busy everyday of the week. But if you have already used up all your vacation days and can only getaway on weekends, this weekend is the perfect weekend to getaway.

The weather is perfect for nude sunbathing. Nice and sunny and warm.

We are the only hotel in Palm Springs that is busy this time of year because we have a high pressure pool side misting cooling system. So no matter what the temperature outside, our guests are nice and comfortable poolside. We have also invested in a salt water pool and jacuzzi which is heavenly on your bare skin.

You can really relax and have fun here. We allow early check in (10am) and late check out (5pm). We also include complimentary breakfast and snacks each day.

Don't forget in July and August, we do our special on Monday though Thursday of stay 1night, the 2nd is half priced. Rates start at $149/couple/night.

We are the most popular clothing optional resort in the western US. We are also the most mainstream nudist resort in America and perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 for more information or to make reservations.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

Follow us on twitter at http://twitter.com/nudist_resorts

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Monday, August 17, 2009

BBQ NAKED!!! Join us for our free "end of the Summer BBQ" Saturday August 29th - Only a few rooms left



We are having fantastic weather here in sunny Palm Springs. Beautiful topless and nude sunbathing weather. Lots of sunshine.

The weekend before Labor Day weekend is our annual BBQ NAKED say good bye to summer nude BBQ. And it is free for all guests staying at The Terra Cotta Inn.

Now of course Palm Springs is the ONLY city in the US that has year round summer weather where you can go nude sunbathing almost 365 days a year. We are the sunniest city in the US and average less than 3 inches of rain a year.

This year the last time it rained in Palm Springs was in February. Can you say that about the last place you went to for a vacation.

We will have a fantastic and fun naked BBQ. Hotdogs, hamburgers and all
the side dishes. Plus plenty of ice cold beer. Best of all it is free.

We have always been the best value hotel in Palm Springs, and this free BBQ is just another reason to book here.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 to book this fun weekend or anytime.

Not a nudist? No problem. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

And don't forget, we have our summertime special on Monday
thru Thursday of stay 1 night, the 2nd is half priced. This great room sale ends Thursday night September 3rd.

Visit our website at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

Just 3 weeks left of Terra Cotta Inn's summer room sale


I'm reminding everyone about our August room sales here at Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa located in sunny Palm Springs, CA.

July was one of our busiest July's ever and August is booking fast. You just have 3 weeks left for our best rates of the year. Our summer room sale. It ends on Thursday night September 3rd, 2009.

We upgraded our poolside misting system last year. It is the most powerful effective system of ALL hotels in Palm Springs. Our pool and jacuzzi are also salt water systems, so they are super gentle on your bare skin.

From now until Thursday Sept 3rd, we have our annual summertime room sale of stay 1 night, the 2nd is 50% off on Monday - Thursday nights. Rates are only $149/night midweek. We still allow the early check in (10am) and late check out (5pm). We also serve complimentary breakfast and wine and snacks each day.

For those of you who are wired to the office, we have free wifi.

Also our massage therapists have a summertime massage discount of get one massage, the 2nd is 50% off.

We are one of the best value of ALL hotels in Palm Springs, California. And we ARE the best value for all nudist resorts in North America. That is why repeat guests from around the world fly here for their vacations.

Check http://sunnyfun.com for last minute availability.

Give us a call at 800-786-6938 to make reservations. We answer the phones from 8am-10pm PST.

Not a nudist? No problem. We are the most mainstream nudist resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!

A protest for Topless rights in America August 23rd


So many people in America are afraid of the sight of a woman baring her breast in public especially at a beach much less a topless beach.

Now it is deemed OK for a woman to be topless if she is paid millions of dollars by Sports Illustrated to do so. Or if she is paid to model and sell cars, clothes, magazines or something else, or but the idea that a woman would ENJOY topless sunbathing scares the pants off of so many people (pun intended).

Now gotopless.org will be holding a topless protest on August 23rd.

Here's the story:

"A Fight for the Right to Bare Boobs

...In January, U.S.-based GoTopless.org organized a topless protest at Bondi Beach in Sydney, Australia. Up until recently, nudity was illegal except on designated beaches, but local councils considered bare breasts acceptable.

However, a Christian fundamentalist politician, Rev. Fred Nile, introduced legislation in the parliament of New South Wales that would prohibit women from going topless on all beaches.

In response, topless women gathered on the Bondi Beach in protest, arguing that women's breasts are not offensive and should be considered just as natural as men's chests.

Now that battle is moving to the 'States. In eight participating cities—including Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, and Miami—topless women and men will gather and peacefully rally on Sunday, August 23, "to protest the gross inequality in the law and will demand that they be granted the fundamental right to be topless where men already enjoy that right...

The Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment states that "no state shall ... deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws". The GoTopless.org Movement states that this Clause defends citizens from "gender-based differential treatment."

Therefore, if a man can go topless, so can a woman.

... "The aim is to convey that the sight of a top free women [sic] in public is as natural as the sight of top free men."

For more information, visit http://gotopless.org/ (Not-Safe-for-Work Warning: As can be expected, the website features photos and video of women's bare breasts.)"

For the full article click here

And if you want to try topless sunbathing or nude sunbathing before August 23rd, give us, The Terra Cotta Inn clothing optional resort and spa a call at 800-786-6938.

We are the most mainstream clothing optional resort in the US and are perfect for couples trying topless or nude sunbathing for the first time.

Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you in sunny Palm Springs!


http://www.nbcchicago.com/around-town/events/Bare-in-Mind.html

Saturday, August 15, 2009

Belly's on men considered hip by New York Times


Finally, I'm hip! I'm cool! Since I hit 40, I have slowly been gaining a belly. Now according to the New York Times it doesn't matter any more. Round on men is in, flat bellies out!

It's an interesting article especially where they not that women still don't get the same "belly pass" as men.

Here it is:

"It’s Hip to Be Round

This summer the unvarying male uniform in the precincts of Brooklyn cool has been a pair of shorts cut at knickers length, a V-neck Hanes T-shirt, a pair of generic slip-on sneakers and a straw fedora. Add a leather cuff bracelet if the coolster is gay.

...this year an unexpected element has been added to the look, and that is a burgeoning potbelly one might term the Ralph Kramden.

...too modest in size to be termed a proper beer gut, developed too young to come under the heading of a paunch, the Ralph Kramden is everywhere to be seen lately...

...the Kramden is to what my colleague Mike Albo refers to as the “coolios” of now. Leading with a belly is a male privilege of long standing, of course, a symbol of prosperity in most cultures and of freedom from anxieties about body image that have plagued women since Eve.

...but how does one account for the new prevalence of Ralph Kramdens? Have men given in or given up? Are they finished with asserting the privileges that have always accrued to men. Or is the Ralph Kramden Barack Obama’s fault?

...“I sort of think the six-pack abs obsession got so prissy it stopped being masculine,” is how Aaron Hicklin, the editor of Out, explains the emergence of the Ralph Kramden. What once seemed young and hot, for gay and straight men alike, now seems passé. Like manscaping, spray-on tans and other metrosexual affectations, having a belly one can bounce quarters off suggests that you may have too much time on your hands.

...Women have almost never gotten a pass on the need to maintain their bodies, while men always have...

For the full article click here

Sadly, so many women are very insecure about their looks. In our experience insecurity is the biggest reason more women do not try nude recreation. Morality and religion have almost nothing to do with not trying nudist resorts. It is all self image, and fear of not "stacking up" to other women that keeps more women from trying it.

Further, ask any adult women what one of her most traumatic experiences is and you will get wearing a bathing suit. That's why more and more women are going with one pieces.

This is completely wrong, but it is so hard to get women to feel comfortable about themselves. Too bad society doesn't say the Kramden is OK for women too.

Vacationing at nudist resorts is not about looks, but about freedom, being yourself, enjoying life and having fun.

If you want to have your best, most fun vacation ever, give us a call at 800-786-6938Visit our site at http://sunnyfun.com

We hope to see you soon in sunny Palm Springs!