Everything You Need for an Urban Adventure, From a Nudist Picnic to Surfing the Rockaways

Spring has blessedly arrived, and much like our ursine brethren, we’ve emerged out of our winter hibernation to boldly stroll into the sunshine. If you’re not sure what to do now that the sun sets after seven, take inspiration from the accoutrements you’ll need for three very specific outdoor urban adventures—picnicking (clothing optional) in Berlin, hiking some of Taipei’s tallest peaks, and surfing at Rockaway Beach—to get your brain and body moving. You may even get some ideas about how to bring that sense of adventure to your own backyard.

Get Naked in Berlin

Berlin may be known for its rollicking nightlife, but for the next time you find yourself in the German capital, we suggest another traditional activity—flinging off your clothes and embracing the lifestyle of Freikörperkultur, or free body culture, aka nudism, and commonly shortened to FKK.

At many of Berlin’s lakes and parks, it is rare to not see someone nude enjoying the sun and avoiding any tan lines whatsoever. "Germans love to be naked," says Gabriele Mercatali, project manager for an electronic music platform and longtime local. "Even the parks in Berlin have nudist areas. It’s like if you went to Central Park in New York, and you saw a huge nudist area."

There’s a long and fascinating history of German nudism, which dates to the late 1800s and which became firmly entrenched in the culture of East Germany. While some bemoan that FKK is dying out these days, people are still clamoring for their right to be unclothed. Earlier this year, after a woman complained that she was forced to cover up at one of the city’s swimming pools, Berlin authorities announced that everyone could go topless in them.

For people new to FKK, Mercatali recommends a trip to Teufelssee, a small glacial lake surrounded by forest that’s a short trip from central Berlin via car, bike, or public transit. While it can get crowded, he notes, its proximity to the city center, as well as its natural beauty and welcoming, mixed crowd, makes a trip there worth it. "It’s cute because it’s very queer, and [there are] also a lot of families," Mercatali says. Plus, he adds, "If you walk 15 minutes, there is a whole naked area inside the woods just for sunbathing." (Be mindful of the wild boars snuffling around for a snack.) And if you’re wanting a quick dip after a night out, Teufelssee is "where everybody goes after the club."

While you won’t need a bathing suit on a trip to any of Berlin’s many lakes, be sure to bring plenty of sunscreen, a hat with a wide brim, a good book, and any other sundries you might need for a day out re-creating Manet’s Le Déjeuner sur l’herbe.

Create your own little slice of clothing-optional paradise

Hike Some Gorgeous Mountains in Taipei

Where can you hike a mountain in the morning, soak in a hot spring in the afternoon, and then hit up a night market in the evening for some of the best food you’ve ever tasted?

Why, Taipei, naturally. Taiwan’s capital, surrounded as it is by hills and mountains, is an overlooked paradise for hikers and lovers of the outdoors. "Over 60 percent of the island is forested, so we have tons of hiking trails and high-altitude mountains, and Taipei has a lot of small hiking trails in and around the city," says Clarissa Wei, a Taiwanese-American journalist living in Taipei and the author of the soon-to-be published cookbook Made in Taiwan. "It’s just a lovely place to meander and get lost." As Ami Barnes, who helms the popular hiking blog Taiwan Trails and Tales with her wife, puts it, "The hiking scene here deserves more recognition than it gets."

In fact, there are so many hiking trails within easy reach of both Taipei and New Taipei City via public transportation that it’s hard to recommend just a handful. If you have access to a car, you have even more options.

Do you want iconic views of Taipei 101, the city’s most famous skyscraper, without even leaving the city? Wei recommends you visit the Xiangshan, or "Elephant Mountain," Trail. "Elephant Mountain is one that every first-timer to Taipei should check out," she says, though its popularity may mean that you’ll be joined by crowds of people eager for the same view. (Same goes for the Jinmianshan Trail, which boasts equally stunning views.)

For more adventurous hikers, Barnes suggests the Huangdidian Trail, which includes a ridge walk (and a bat cave), and the Wuliaojian Hike, another ridge walk. "Each time I do either of these, I’m overwhelmed by just how fun they are," Barnes says. For both, in addition to the usual gear, you may want to bring gloves, since there are sections with ropes, as well as a rain jacket.

And both Wei and Barnes say hikers should spend some time in Yangmingshan National Park, a nature preserve on the northern edge of Taipei with a variety of trails. "I’m a big fan of Qixing Mountain in the park, because it’s a bit off the beaten path but also offers a unique vantage point of the city, and you can see dramatic fumaroles," Wei says. Barnes visits the park for a more relaxing experience. "I’ll head to the irrigation canal trails in the southeastern corner of Yangmingshan National Park—for example, Dengfeng Canal Trail or Pingding Canal Trail," she says. "These two are great for seeing cicadas and all sorts of wildlife in the summer."

Camping options near Taipei are more limited, but if you want to spend a night or two outdoors, check out the historic Tamsui-Kavalan Trails, which start in New Taipei City and head east to the coast. "The middle route in particular lends itself to camping," Barnes says. "There are several managed but basic campsites along the route that you can stop at, and the final destination is the black sand beach at Wai’ao. There are even a few spots where it would be possible to wild camp along this route."

And consider a night hike, says Wei: "I love hiking around Bitan Mountain at night during firefly season and seeing the forest blanketed in glittery, ephemeral lights."

Get the look in your own backyard:

Surf Year-Round in New York City

The New York City surfing scene has exploded in recent years—go to the Rockaways on a summer day and you’ll likely see dozens of boards bobbing up and down in the waves. The appeal is obvious. "Let’s say you and I surf today. And then in 45 minutes, we could be in the city and go see a Broadway show. You can’t do that in Montauk," says Lou Harris, the 51-year-old founder of the city’s Black Surfing Association (BSA).

While summer tends to be the time of year when the waters are packed with the most surfers, true fans know that summertime surfing is merely preparation for the winter, the best season to lug your board onto the A train and head out to Queens. For one, the waves are better in the colder months. "In the winter, the ocean is generally stronger than in the summer, so you’re getting some of the big waves," Rockaways regular Mohit Chhabra tells me. Chhabra began surfing in the cold waters of the Pacific Northwest but now lives in Brooklyn and heads to the Rockaways at least once a week during the winter.

And unlike during the summer, when the beach is filled with sunbathers, there are often days when he’s one of the few people out on the sand, let alone in the water. "You get a better feeling of just being away in isolation," Chhabra says. "Certain winter days, you’d be hard-pressed to find ten people out on one of the beaches of the Rockaways."

While the BSA’s Harris rarely takes his surfboard out in the depths of winter anymore, he has advice for those who are willing to brave the cold. The first tip—be prepared for the cold water to get in your wet suit. (You’re going to get cold. Accept it. What is life but equal parts suffering and joy?) "You got the water coming inside. It’s trickling down the back of your wet suit. It’s freezing. You get the ice cream headache," Harris says, adding, "The first thing that freezes are your feet." The second tip? Pee inside your wet suit. "The pee makes your wet suit warm." He adds, only half jokingly, "That’s why I always tell people, ‘Don’t rent a wet suit—buy it. Because people have peed in there numerous times.’"

Chhabra recommends a shorter board, but only for experienced winter surfers, and also investing in the right gear to stay warm. "I’d say for gear, get a good 5/4 wet suit. Get some thick gloves at least," he tells me. (And don’t forget some booties.)

But braving the cold is worth it, he says. He recalls a winter’s day earlier this year: "After an hour of being there and riding some waves, I forgot everything that I was stressed out about. When the waves are strong, like in the winter, you have to learn to work with them and flow with them and not fight with them. And I kind of like the metaphor that it is for just going through life."

Deck out your yard like a beach bungalow:

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