Not-so-shy nudists

updated 4:29 p.m. ET Oct. 18, 2006

DAWSONVILLE, Ga. - Nudist resorts are dropping the figleaf.

Clothing-free resorts have traditionally been rustic, mom-and-pop campgrounds hidden deep in the woods, away from prying eyes and bluenosed politicians. But now, fancy nude recreation spots are springing up along major highways, and resort owners are joining chambers of commerce, sponsoring charity drives and hosting civic events.

“We’re no longer hiding,” said Joe Lettelleir, owner of Dawsonville’s Paradise Valley Resort, who this summer proved his point by taking a cross-country trip on a bus that dared onlookers to call a toll-free number for more information.

The Dawsonville resort was once so secretive it was called Hidden Valley. It is tucked along a winding country lane, and once consisted of little more than a few RV sites around a foot-deep pond.

But now it is undergoing a major luxury expansion. Neighbors and business owners are encouraged to stop by for a look at the 108-acre property, which was turned into a clothing-optional resort to encourage more visitors. And annual fundraisers for local charities draw hundreds of motorcyclists and joggers to its gates.

The new let-it-all-hang-out attitude is reflected right down to the name of the resort, which dropped “Hidden” from its modest welcome sign three years ago.

“Once upon a time, people built walls. And the feeling was, ‘We’ve got to have walls. We’ve got to be obscure,”’ said Erich Schuttauf, executive director of the American Association for Nude Recreation. “That really left people wondering what happens behind those walls. Folks didn’t realize it was basically just a club, what a swim and tennis club would resemble.”

Owners regularly look to one of the oldest nudist spots, the Cypress Cove Nudist Resort and Spa in Kissimmee, Fla., as a pioneer of this openness.

For 20 years, the resort has hosted an annual July open house to welcome neighbors. More recently, it has sponsored a yearly chamber of commerce event and an annual Body of Art show featuring about 25 artists and their nudist artwork.

“By demystifying it, people understand us better — and people don’t think we’re a bunch of crackpots,” said Dean Hadley, the resort’s manager.

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