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Back to Eden ... nudist style

Bodies beautiful at Arcadia Romantic Getaway

A lush retreat for couples in Shelton ... who also prefer to get naked. Photo courtesy Arcadia Romantic Getaway

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Never let it be said Kathy F., owner and operator of Arcadia Romantic Getaway near Shelton, is clamoring for publicity. Over the last 22 years, she's greeted guests on her six-acre property, most of whom heard about it from other delighted patrons. This place has devoted fans. Kathy estimates her return business at 75%. Her Arcadia Romantic Getaway is exactly what it promises to be, a lushly landscaped retreat for couples of all ages. So why is Kathy so cautious? It's because she caters to a particular subculture, one that numbers in the millions around the world. Kathy's regulars are naturists. Her regulars have visited nudist venues all over the world, and they feel there's nothing worse than a clammy swimsuit.

According to a 2015 poll by the Naturist Education Foundation, about a third of all Americans have gone skinny dipping at some point in their lives. About two thirds feel public nudity should be legal in designated areas like nude beaches. The numbers are probably higher in the Pacific Northwest, where burlesque, the Fremont Solstice Parade, and Oregon Country Fair are simply part of the cultural scene.

The simplest way to experience Arcadia Romantic Getaway is a $30 day pass. That covers sunbathing on the grounds and basking in the pool or hot tub from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekend or weekday. (Bring your own towel, please.) The gardens are beautiful, and this year, it seems every flower bloomed at the same time. It's quiet here; enjoy the whispers of breezes in the tall trees that surround the fenced property. Kathy screens all visitors, so phone ahead to make an appointment. On some Wednesdays and weekend days, spring for an hour of professional massage, then lay out au naturel.

Washington weather being somewhat erratic year-round, things don't get hopping here till Memorial Day, but then visitors arrive regularly through September. On a weekend, up to 40 warm bodies might be strolling the grounds. Kathy refers to her guests' first time disrobing in front of strangers "the walk," and everyone takes to it differently. She says often wives and girlfriends are brought here by curious male partners, but they end up enjoying it just as much. Women, she says, are obliged by society to obsess over clothes and appearance. Arcadia gives them a chance to step away from most of that for a while. Bodies of all types visit this retreat, and each one, Kathy says, is a perfect work of God.

Overnight guests have a choice of campsites, RV spaces, or furnished lodgings with kitchens. The accommodations, though rigorously clean and comfortable, hail from the pre-Internet era. The artwork leans toward Vargas prints, and the movie libraries are VHS and DVD. This is every inch a Romantic Getaway, with pool and hot tub mixers on Saturdays and informal gatherings on Thursdays and Fridays. Kids are never allowed on the property, so feel free to dress as exotically as you like - or don't. Arcadia, in fact, is always clothing optional. On the Wednesday we arrived, for example, only one guest was present, a charming Spanish author who uses the grounds as a writer's retreat. Kathy, the writer and I were all fully dressed for the day. Discerning readers may have noticed, however, that this article has no direct quotes. That's because it's the kind of place a writer doesn't feel comfortable using a smartphone for audio recording. Oh, there's WiFi, to be sure, but talk about a wonderful opportunity to break from modern life. Give it half an hour, and you'll wonder why head-to-toe sunbathing isn't the American norm.

ARCADIA ROMANTIC GETAWAY, Shelton, $30-$190, 360.426.7116, arcadianaturally.com

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