We visited back in July of 2015 so this review is long overdue! (thank you Richard R for inspiring me to finish!) As a first-time visitor to the rugged beauty of the Northwest and its coast line, I can tell you the beauty totally sucked me into a vortex of total awe and amazing disbelief as I drove along Hwy 101 on a one-day insanity-spree to see everything there was to see....short on time, due to itinerary, to this totally amazing place! I've never seen anything like Ruby Beach...its sheer, rugged wild beauty. It's simply breath-taking. The Hoh Rainforest is not far from this place, and I was glad I decided to drive here as I was sorely tempted to just drive back to the hotel after an all-day affair (super tired). We were able to squeeze Marymere Falls, Rialto Beach, Forks, the rainforest and Ruby Beach in one day. I wouldn't recommend this route, but we were able to do it in one day and I'm glad my all-day trip ended at Ruby Beach, one of the most magical places I've ever been in the world (and I've been all over, including Egypt, Isreal and Europe). If I missed Ruby Beach I would never have the memories I do now and this is the top ten of my life experiences! If you are from Hawaii, you'd think it very strange to drive straight into a tall stack of trees to get to the beach, but that's how it is on the Olympic Peninsula. We drove straight into some woods and were greeted with a beautiful sight of the ocean and the majestic ocean in front of us. It's a short hike down from the dirt parking lot on an unpaved dirt path down to the beach but after that the magic unfolds. The grand panoramic vista unfolds in front of you as you descend from the parking lot onto the pebble and rock-strewn beach with a large pond to your right and the Pacific Ocean stretched out before you on the left with a view of the tall islands and sea-stacks standing tall, magnificent and proud in the distance. Miles of dark sand stretch ahead of you and miles of pebbles and rocks behind as you look up into the sky and see eagles soaring overhead. Breathe it all in. It's magic and it's beautiful and it fills your lungs with such capacity that you feel like you are going to burst...that's how free and beautiful this place is. I fell asleep on the rocks for about two hours on a towel while my son built a 'fort' of rocks around me while the sun went down (it was still light out at 8 PM in the summer). I woke up refreshed, and although I slept on rocks, I've never felt more invigorated after a nap in my entire life than I did here, at Ruby Beach. I'll let the photos do the talking as there are just no words to describe this amazing place. read more

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This picturesque beach is one of the most beautiful I've seen! There is a free parking lot and a short hike down to the beach. The water was cold but you could still put your feet in the water. There are some cool cave like arches you can walk through. This is a fantastic stop after the Hoh Rainforest! These two together make for a great day! read more

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We stumbled upon this beach while road tripping through Washington and I'm so glad we stopped. The walk down to the beach was very relaxing and the beach is just gorgeous. We arrived near sunset and the view of the sun off the water was just breathtaking. Walking along the beach was very relaxing and we loved visiting Ruby Beach! read more

Ruby Beach - He caught a big one! - Beaches Near Me

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Planning a road trip, this is one location you need to stop; especially if you can get there at sunrise or sunset. We stopped here the beginning of June and you still need a light jacket depending on the weather. Stunning views of the beach and rock structures. It's nice that it's not a long walk to the beach, but you can extend the walk down the beach in both directions. Luckily we hit this beach while the weather was perfect, some of the other beaches and locations were difficult to get a nice view with the fog. read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

The place is truly magnificent with a couple of exceptions. I have been visiting Ruby Beach for a few decades now and during that time the National Park Service has done little to nothing in the way of improvements. The trail from the parking lot to beach access is easy but keep in mind the area is subject to storm surges which can dramatically change the landscape from visit to visit. During this visit in order to reach the beach, you had to scale and scamper through a large pile of drift logs to reach the open beach, making it tough going for anyone with physical limitations. Once you reach open beach the place is absolutely amazing and full of places to explore. Heading to the north end of the beach is the most popular choice but will require crossing a small stream leading into the sea so use caution. Once on the other side, there are a variety of features including some very nice tide pools during low tide. Evening explorers will enjoy a colorful display at sunset and well into the twilight. Remember to bring a headlamp or flashlight, it gets very dark and you still have a pile of logs to get through on your trek back to the parking lot. Granted there is some appeal to leaving the place rustic, but considering the number of visitors, it really needs some attention. The parking lot is dirt, a dust bowl in summer, a mud pit in winter. The vault toilet is a true adventure and not for the faint of heart, especially after it's been baking in the Sun all day. I have seen people wander into the woods to do their business rather than use that hell hole. Flush and handicapped friendly toilets are desperately needed. In fact, the whole place needs to be made more accessible to people with disabilities. Ruby Beach is one of the easiest beaches to get to and it wouldn't take much to make it completely accessible to those with physical disabilities or in wheelchairs. It saddens me every time I see the look of disappointment on the face of someone to which this beach is just out of reach. Highly Recommended read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

For starters, this should be called Rocky Beach. Probably this whole stretch. We stopped here and beach 1. All smooth gravel rock. Lots of it and not fun to walk on. Our dog didnt enjoy it. Very unstable. Now with the negative stuff out of the way. Just beautiful and rugged scenery. Do some research as parking can be limited. It wasn't too bad on our visit. Had to pull off to the side of the dirt road leading to the dirt lot which was full. Short walk to the beach down a small rocky trail and over the tide debris. Mostly large wood trunks and trees. Nothing hard. Stop in the lot or along trail for best views. read more

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Ruby Beach is everything I wanted the PNW coast to be. It was so incredibly picturesque, yet pictures don't do it justice. There is a parking lot, and I think I spotted some bathrooms on the lot, but I'm not 100% sure since I was racing to the scenic seaside. There is a great view from the lot where you see the beach through the trees - photo opp #1 of many! Then, you have to navigate throw some greenery and over a mess of beach logs which I thought added to the adventure, but it's not ideal for the elderly or physically impaired. But after you're done looking down at the sea logs you've climbed over, you will gasp at how gorgeous the sea stacks are against the rolling ocean. Add in the mist from the shore and the coniferous tree line and you'll be blissed out AF. Keep an eye on the tide, so you can discover different rock formations and and little ocean streams and a fort and all the whimsy. read more

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One of my favorite places to seek peace. I have gone several times before and just love this place. Small trail down, some steps and muddy. Restrooms in parking area. Need discovery pass. Friendly people and with a sunny November day made the trip even better. read more

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The powerful tide pushed and pulled back and forth almost instantly along the shore. I stood on a large boulder and watched the water rise and fall just beneath my feet as huge driftwood logs moved like matchsticks all around me. It's exhilarating moments like these that I gladly drive the 5- 1/2 hours through the night from Seattle so I can be here at Ruby Beach as the sun powers up through the tall trees. read more

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I wanted to see a whale... If you know me, you know that I love me some marine mammals and sea life. I scuba with my main man for the opportunities to have seaweed salads with turtles, flap my wings with the rays, and by God, one day swim alongside a dolphin or whale (in the wild). Recently my family traveled up to Vancouver, and on our way back I adamantly requested that we hit up spots along the coast to hopefully catch site of the myriad of pods traveling up this way. We drove out of Vancouver, passed Seattle, and turned back up to travel along the coast that surrounds Olympic National Park. First stop: A marina. No whales, but a lovely little gift shop with fun mermaid books. Second stop: A scenic pull-over spot. Lots of great driftwood. No whales. Third stop: A little town that had a cove but no whales. One consolation sea lion. Fourth + fifth stop: Beautiful views. Great driftwood. No whales. Our last stop: Ruby Beach. The sun is on its way down. We're still a little over 6 hours from home. My sister's patience and tiny bladder is nearing a breaking point, so I ask if we can just make one last stop at Ruby Beach since soon we'd be turning away from the coastline, and they had a bathroom there. The view as we head down the road is quite stunning. We park, and I FaceTime my fiancé to tell him about our misadventure, lack of whale watching, and to show him the stunning view. FaceTime isn't really cooperating, so we say our goodbyes. The fam walks down to catch one more glimpse of the Pacific, and we stop at a nice little lookout point down the path. And that's when I see it. Like two aquatic flares going off in the creamy golden light of the setting sun, we spot them. I shout a few joyful expletives before gluing the binoculars to my face. They're toying with us at this point. There is at least three of them playing a game of Marco Polo with the only proof of marine life being their quick bursts of waterworks. Then IT HAPPENS! I see a craggy rock formation, no WHALE, pierce the water's surface. From here it looks like mere inches of this behemoth breaches the shimmering water's surface, but it was enough for me to squeal like a kid seeing their first elephant. While scanning the coastline for our mini pod, we spot another commotion of waterspouts shooting off like aquatic fireworks to our left with dark gray backs just BARELY rolling through the waves. After 20 minutes or so, we knew we'd have to abandon our post. We decided our view from above was better than heading down to the beach, but if we had the time, I would've loved to explore this incredibly picturesque area, and hope to come back again soon to see my marine mates. Notes - We believe that the first whales we saw were the Grey Whales, and are not sure what the other marine life was. Potentially dolphins, but seemingly bigger from where we were at. This was early August, around 6pm. read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

Beautiful beach! We had fun exploring and admiring the beach. It was an easy walk to and from the beach with bathrooms on site. It was a little crowded and cool so we didn't stay long. read more

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Two friends of mine who live in the Olympic Peninsula told me about this place and I had to see it for myself. Ruby Beach is along Highway 101 about 30 miles south of Forks. It is the first beach you will hit along this stretch of the road and the most picturesque. Ruby Beach stands out among the other Kalaloch area beaches with its prominent onshore arch, sea stacks, river draining to the sea, tunneled bluffs, washed up trees and more opportunities for diverse photos. Ruby Beach is named for the reddish sand that occasionally gathers on the beach. I was hoping to see some but I didn't see any when I was there. People tend to congregate in the small area immediately at the entrance to the beach but few people tend to venture north of Cedar Creek and around the rocky bend. Cedar Creek to the north by the big rocks is crossable at low tide and if you want you can trek approximately 3 miles north on the beach to the mouth of the Hoh River, one of the best places to see salmon and bald eagles on the southern coast. Make sure you know the tide schedules so that when you return you will be able to safely recross Cedar Creek. The creek may be swift and the high tides may further add to the complication of you reaching the path back to the parking. Traveling south is an easier trek as the beach widens on flatter, finer sand. It tapers to a razor thin headland that can only be rounded at low tide, about a mile and half from the beach entry point at Ruby Beach. This is the kind of place that is beautiful at any time of the year. I will definitely be back. read more

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Someone once told me that the seventh wave to hit the beach is bigger that the six preceding waves. I've searched the internet and found few references to this phenomena, or myth. Standing on the shore of Ruby beach I picked a big wave and counted the waves that rolled behind it. Maybe 100 or so waves later, time lost in the natural pattern of things, I sadly concluded that I couldn't see, feel, the seventh wave as bigger. I stayed watching the waves, no longer counting. Counting seemed like a new-fangled modern thing layered on to of the being of waves. Each wave unique, each wave with predictable components of foam, direction and a hypnotic rhythm. Seven days in a week, a predictable daily journey to work yet each day is unique. Waves unseen continue, are none-the-less beautiful, noisy, cold and enticing. Ruby Beach is well sign-posted from Route 101, with adequate car-parking facilities in December and a short walk down a wooded hillside bank from the car park to the beach. Alone on the cold December pacific coast beach was both the antithesis of being in the middle of hectic, heated, work activity and the hypnotic security of predictability. I have walked in the Northern Sea's warmed by the winter sunshine and the monstrous beauty of the Teeside nuclear power plant. I have watched the sun set of the Basque Atlantic ocean warming my heart and the evening with fresh Beaujolais, garlic cheese, baguettes, pale skinned dark haired, blue-eyed, motorcycling English boys. At twenty-four taking a long summer lunch break from work in the company of a beautiful Irish boy. Sat on a canal bank. Our feet dangling in the cooling water. He asked "what do you want from life?" I didnt answer with "jet-fighter pilot" of age 12 or the Architect of age 15... ...impulsively I blurted "I want to live by the Sea". He laughed. On an Island like Britain it is easy to live by the Sea. We were sat in the heart of England, we couldn't be further from the sea. Later, he took me to the nearest sea, to The Wash. A mystical place. A place of love and death, of madness and Serenity. Nearly 20 years later I know that fate has favoured me. Never having lived more than 2 hours drive from the sea. My wealth is that this simple, powerful, life desire has been so regularly sated. Their number unimportant, I count the waves on the coast, at work and in my dreams. Daily. read more

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Ruby Beach was one of stops on our drive up the Washington coast. It was beautiful. Parking was easy and the hike down to the beach wasn't bad. It was a little chilly off of the water. The sea stacks were awesome. I wouldn't advise you to skip this beach on Washington trip. read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

I have visited this beach twice. The first time, by myself late last October, and then again this past weekend. The first time I went, I was mostly just looking for a nice beach to walk around and take sunset pictures on, and I was not disappointed. I took dozens of sunset pictures of what couldn't have been a much better landscape. There were a lot of ducks swimming around the Ocean, ducking under the constant waves, and it was entertaining to watch and photograph them. The second time I went, I wanted to show a friend who was visiting the area, a cool Pacific Ocean beach, and that I did. We spent a couple hours exploring the tide pools north of the entrance from the parking area, and it was a lot of fun! At first, I was excited to see hundreds of tiny clams suctioned to the rocks near the edge of the tides, and saw a couple sea anemone. However, after going further North, I saw hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of clams all over the huge rocks, from the ground up to several feet high. It was quite amazing. I saw several starfish, and hundreds of sea anemone. Plus, we found about a dozen shells there. There are so many wonderful opportunities for photographs there! I recommend bringing a change of socks or some sandals, as there is one area that can be hard to cross without getting your socks and shoes soaked, and the water is quite cold. Also, I recommend going when the tides are lower, as you can go much farther towards the Ocean to the better Rocks (which is where the great tide pools are). You can find out what the tide schedule will be at the nearest Visitor Center. I also recommend having a sunset picnic on the beach if you have time, you won't be disappointed! For those interested in photography, this is your chance for some wonderful sunset photos! If your camera has the feature, I'd set up your DSLR camera on a tripod, focused on where you think the sunset will be spectacular, with some of the large boulders sticking out of the ground as a backdrop, and set it to take pictures in intervals. That way, you can get a spectacular time lapse of the sunset, while you just sit on some driftwood or a rock, and enjoy the serene sunset. The beach is all the way west, and is only a tenth of a mile walk from the parking lot. The beach itself is not wheelchair or cane accessible, as you must climb over some driftwood and a lot of rocks to get to the sand part. However, there are benches from which you can watch the sunset, at a couple spots on the "trail." Warning: I highly recommend not using the bathrooms there, unless it's an emergency. Looking back, I should have just found somewhere behind the enormous rocks and peed, instead of going in those bathrooms. They lack ventilation and are nothing more than a johnny in the spot style trench in the ground. Absolutely rancid smelling! read more

Ruby Beach - A late October sunset at Ruby Falls, w/ driftwood in the background. - Beaches Near Me

We stopped by this beach on the way to Hoh Rain Forest, and I have to admit, I might have liked this beach more than the rainforest. The beach is pretty easy to access: park in the parking lot, and walk down the path for a few minutes to the beach. The sea stacks will remind you of Cannon Beach in Oregon, but I like this beach better. Although Ruby Beach has lots of rocks on it (at least until you get to the water's edge), there are more things to see and climb over: rocks, caves, etc. If you are on the west coast of Washington, then you definitely have to stop at Ruby Beach. read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Beautiful hidden treasure. Hike down to the ocean at Beach 4 using the well maintained trail at back of day parking lot. The end of the trail can be a bit tricky getting down the rocks, but it was manageable even with our dog. Walk north along the beach and explore the many tide pools to find abundant star fish and sea anemones. read more

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This amazing and easily accessable rock and log strewn beach is magical and mystical. Shrouded in fog and spray, the water at low wide reveals rocks shaped smooth and wide from years of scouring. Seastacks tower above . Its a can't miss beach on the 101 Olympic tour. read more

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Seeing the sun rise here in winter will change your life. Just do it. read more

Excellent beach, especially during sunset. It's a short 5-minute hike, downhill, towards the beach. -- PHOTOS: http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/DTNkXIrncjzyq0Ojv9LJ0g?select=pMdFwCmT4_T8rs9UcRjvaw http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/DTNkXIrncjzyq0Ojv9LJ0g?select=sqwfZcwR8ZhH8eEV9djOgg read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

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Great place to view some impressive Pacific Northwest coastal nature. I almost prefer it to be raining and windy when I visit, mostly because it captures the intense weather that's shaped the coastal landscape! read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

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A perfect spot to take dreamy wild beach photographs ! It's usually not loaded with people and it's peaceful. I love exploring all of Washington's beaches !!! Behold my photographs! read more

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Like something out of Beowulf... Dark, craggy rocks phalanxed against the Pacific, and sculpted where they stubbornly stood... Behind them are pools of ocean wash that managed to get through, but are now benign reflections of the rocks... Up the hill, rows of trees stand like sentries, their backs permanently bent, and yet they still stand valiant against the storm, guardians to the mountains behind them... Hovering amongst all this is a mist that invites one to step in closer and explore the mysteries of the coast, where mythical creatures might have once roamed... read more

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Traveling along highway 101 is full of adventure! The weather may not be perfect for all but I was in love with all of it. This is a must see stop as you travel in the Washington area. The water is to cold to swim in but you can still enjoy and breath in the air as you relax and take it all in. I will be visiting this area again one day. The view and everything is breathtaking, you will love it. read more

Beautiful rugged wild beach Do not miss this amazing place I could sit on the driftwood and rocks all day and stare at the ocean It's a short walk down to the beach from the car park which is easy but when you get down there you have to climb over lots of driftwood to get to the beach and it's a bit tricky so wear sturdy shoes read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

Ohhhh MY God ... this beach is a combination of both San Diego and Santa Barbara.... it's a stunner !!! So glad I stopped !! DID NOT WANT TO COME HOME !!! read more

You can get to Ruby beach through 40 minutes drive from Forks alone highway 101. Similar to nearby beaches, Ruby Beach has a lot of gigantic driftwood. It is also famous for its ruby-like crystals in the beach sand. Unfortunately it was pouring dogs and cats the day we visited, we couldn't tell if the beach was ruby colored. But the gigantic driftwood piles are still very impressive. read more

Ruby Beach - Beaches Near Me

This isn't that kind of beach; it's rocky and you'll have to traverse all the dead logs to get to the water. Once on the beach, there are lots of people just roaming around. Parking was easy and there are bathrooms so this is a good rest stop. There is a well marked and shaded trail down to the beach. read more

We came here for the second or third time and although it was cold and rainy and windy,we really enjoyed ourselves because this page is just amazing no matter what the weather. The waves crashing from the ocean or incredible, the sound of the waves was amazing, all the cool rocks which are just great for skipping from very large the very small and everything in between her really interesting to look at and you might be lucky enough like myself to find some Jasper and some agates as well if you look hard and close. . read more

I visited this beach yesterday with my friend and his family. It was a very pleasant experience. It wasn't busy at all when we went because the weather was pretty poor, but survivable. Judging from reviews, on a good day this place can get pretty packed. It seems like there was plenty of praking space available upon entering the park. There's a nice trail that leads down to the beach. There is a bunch of logs of various sizes spreaded throughout the terrain. Gotta be careful navigating your way through especially if it's a wet day. The beach itself is vast, you can get some killer view points, the breeze from the ocean is satisfying, and you can get some awesome pictures here. It's a great place to stop for a nice serene break. read more

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It Was a Dark and Stormy Afternoon On a sunny day, this beach is likely a beautiful place to visit. On a rainy day, however, it is STILL a beautiful place to visit. Dress for the weather and enjoy everything there is to be discovered on this jewel of the northwest. read more

Beautiful beach, nice small walk down to it on a well maintained path. Great family beach. as someone else said, lots of stacked rocks from other beach visitors. Colder than you'll find many places but full of raw power. Last time we went down my, now hubby but then not yet fiance, and I ran across a drawing in the sand that still amazes me... it said Matt loves Kerri, our names, but with another city and state written after it. Had we arrived 10 minutes later we would have missed it because the tide was coming in. So it will always be a special place for us. AMAZING place to be during a small storm! read more

Absolutely beautiful beach just off 101 that is well worth a visit. The beach has a little freshwater stream running into the ocean, and there are tons of huge driftwood logs scattered about the beach. There also are lots of rock formations/islands near the beach that have really cool tidepools filled with interesting sea life. Destruction Island (and its lighthouse) is out in the distance. We will definitely visit Ruby Beach again on our next trip to the Coast. read more

What an amazing beach that puts your soul at peace as the waves crash against the shore and rocks. It's a short walk down from the parking lot to the beach that most anyone can handle. When arriving at the bottom of the walk, there are two separate ways you can access the beach, either to the right and walking out onto a side part and then onto the beach or straight ahead where you have to climb over a whole bunch of driftwood to get onto the beach. We were lucky enough to arrive when the tide was out, so we were able to explore some of the rocks. Then we joked about if we fell and had to go tell the respective parents of so and so to explain they had cracked their head open while climbing the rocks who would we send vs ourselves because we didn't want to deal with the backlash. The turn off is clearly marked and would highly recommend a quick turn of off Hwy 101 to check out this beach. read more

Wow really spectacular introduction to the Northwest coast. We walked down through the tall trees to the rocky coast. Folks had placed stones on a falled trunk and created a horizontal cairn. Glacial remnants stranded off shore were home to seagrass, plants, trees. The waves' relentless roll heightened my awareness and the ebb and creep of fog draped the monsters of the sea in mystery. read more

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One of the most special places ever. The way the tide comes way in and then recedes wayy back was new to me. I've never been to beaches that had HUGE rock mountains right at the shore, that you can go inside of like caves and watch the waves violently crash up against and then the tide rushes and pools into the scramble of rocks and rushes back into the ocean just as quickly. The tidepools weren't as interesting to look at as Cannon Beach because there just wasn't as much living, but there are still tons of mussels and some anemones. Walk along the beach and you'll find a bunch of dead tree logs that have been washed over by the sea and pools of water that have formed small lakes up on the shore. Pretty striped and colored rocks everywhere, too. Magical. A great place to come and think and feel inspired. read more

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Beautiful. Only open during day light hours- wish we would have gotten here earlier but glad we got to see it! There were bathrooms available. read more

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Shared a truly once in a lifetime experience with the travel honey here. Pictures don't do this place justice. The fact that we came on a misty fall afternoon made it that much better. If I never make it back there the memory will last a lifetime. read more

I can't speak highly enough about this beach. It was absolutely breath-taking. Plenty of room on the shore to walk and get away from the crowds... The bathrooms were literally the most disgusting facilities I have ever seen in my life. I have seen some scary sites but these were just sick. Maybe it was just the season we went but at least the beach made up for it. Just make sure to hit the bathroom before you drive out if you have a weak stomach. read more

Be prepared to have your breath complete taken away by these amazing views and rock formations. I saw a ton of photos taken at Ruby Beach as I planned for this trip, but nothing could have prepared me for seeing this in person. I was completed in awe at this incredible location. I could spend the rest of my life wandering here. This is, hands down, at the top of my "must see" spots in Washington. read more