Nudist camp designed for swingers

It's been a trend for some time, for nudist camps who are seeing a drop in attendance to switch from a family-oriented style, to a swinger-friendly, or lifestyle camp.

I talked with an owner last year of a long-time family campground that was on the verge of going out of business. The families had quit coming, despite a clean area, nice pool, and plenty of activies for the families. This campground had just made the switch to a lifestyle-friendly club, and immediately tripled their membership.

Since that time, I've talked with a lot of people, some owners, some members about their nudist resorts all over the country, and the general consensus that I have is that membership is down. Families are no longer coming out to camps. I can't seem to get a consensus as to why, but it generally boils down to:
1. Money
2. Lack of activities/facilities for those under 18

I've seen this coming for many years. Older clubs just aren't interested in keeping up with what modern families are interested in. And modern families just aren't interested in the old ways of family naturism. Affluent families that can afford the camps already have everything they need at home, pool, privacy fence, kids activities.

Plus, we are becoming a society that is detached from personal contact. And yes, the internet, which brings us this blog, and many others, is partially to blame. Why go visit someone at a camp, when you can share with them on Facebook, or Twitter, or MySpace.

So, what will become of nudist camps? I don't really know, but I was invited out to visit a new clothing-optional campground a few weeks ago. Orchard Trails Resort is located near Wills Point, Texas, home of two traditional nudist clubs (BB's Hideaway and Ponderosa Resort). Orchard Trails is the brainchild of a couple who have lived East Texas for many years, and have been longtime nudists (so I'm told). They purchased a large number of acres of land outside of Wills Point, and started development, and created a plan. In fact, they have created what appears to be the perfect lifestyle, clothing optional resort, with a large area for permanent RV's, a large area for visiting RV's, Motel-style cabins, a nice cafe/restaurant, and a salt-water pool and hot tub that is in the middle of everything.

I was very impressed with how the owners planned out this resort, and catered it to the lifestyle community. Apparently it is working, because they are pulling in a lot of memberships, and selling out their RV spots.

So, what will it take for traditional nudist camps to succeed? Can they even succeed? Is there a game plan out there for a camp that can be successful?

I think there is. Lake Como in Florida is a great example. Lupin in California is another. But just throwing a camp together will not succeed, and resting on a plan built even 20 years ago is doomed to fail.

We are at a crossroads in the naturist/nudist lifestyle. Only time will tell what the future holds.