Monarch Bay ,California
When it comes to the OC (Orange County), Hollywood has given most of the attention to places like Laguna and Newport. Dana remains wonderfully understated despite the fact that it features the crashing waves and golden sand appearing in most everyone’s SoCal fantasies. Monarch Bay is still the most secluded place here. Ensconced at the edge of a private beach club and yet still open to the public, this bay provides people with the feeling that they’re in a secret cove. While not the best place to surf, it feels like West Coast heaven.
Lucy Vincent Beach ,Massachusetts
This clothing-optional area of this beach in Martha’s Vineyard is ironically enough marked by somewhat phallic rock formations rising out of the sand. Nevertheless, even without a “nude only” area, this scenic, cliff-lined spot would still be one of the Northeast’s most noteworthy beaches. The trademark rock column and landmark large boulders give this place a definite Pacific Northwest feel despite is being located in New England. More importantly, it’s generally not flooded by tourists and one must secure a permit to go there during the high season.
