Best Beaches in Washington 2026

Your complete guide to the top 195 beaches in Washington

Washington offers 195 incredible beaches, from Atlantic and Pacific coastlines to secluded coves. Whether you're looking for family fun, world-class surfing, or peaceful relaxation, we've researched every beach to help you find your perfect destination.

Jump to Beach

  1. Rialto Beach
  2. Ruby Beach
  3. Copalis Beach
  4. Destruction Island View
  5. Ocean Shores Beach
  6. Rosario Beach
  7. Seabrook Beach
  8. Shi Shi Beach
  9. Third Beach
  10. Alki Beach

1. Rialto Beach

Rialto Beach

Rialto Beach in Olympic National Park is Pacific Northwest drama at its finest—sea stacks rising from the surf, ancient driftwood piled high, and mist-shrouded headlands disappearing into the distance. The beach is accessible via a short trail from the parking area, emerging onto a wild coastline that feels centuries removed from civilization. Massive drift logs, some 100 feet long, create natural sculptures and climbing playthings. At low tide, hikers can explore caves and tide pools teeming with sea stars, anemones, and nudibranchs. The iconic sea stack called Hole-in-the-Wall is reachable by a 1.5-mile hike north along the beach. Bald eagles soar overhead, and harbor seals rest on offshore rocks. This is not a swimming beach—the water is frigid and currents treacherous—but for raw coastal beauty, few beaches in America compare.

Best For: Photography, Hiking, Tide pools, Wildlife

Best Time to Visit: Summer for driest weather; check tide tables for low tide exploration

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2. Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach, in Olympic National Park, is raw Pacific Northwest beauty at its finest. The beach gets its name from the ruby-colored sand crystals visible among the darker grains. Massive driftwood logs, bleached white by sun and salt, create a natural obstacle course along the shoreline. Towering sea stacks rise from the surf like ancient sentinels, draped in fog on many days. The beach is accessed via a short but steep forested trail, passing through old-growth Sitka spruce before emerging at the dramatic coastline. Tide pools are abundant at low tide, and the powerful waves crashing against the rocks are mesmerizing. This is not a swimming beach—the water is frigid and currents dangerous—but for dramatic Pacific scenery, few beaches compare.

Best For: Photography, Dramatic scenery, Tide pooling, Driftwood

Best Time to Visit: Summer for driest weather; storm season (fall/winter) for dramatic waves

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More Washington Beaches

Beach 1 • Beach 4 • Beach at Larrabee State Park • BeachyKeenChelan at The Lookout • Bear Lake Regional Park • Beebe Bridge Park • Bellingham Boardwalk • Big Eddy Public Water Access • Blanca Lake • Bloedel Donovan Park • Boulder Beach • Box Canyon Creek • Caledonia Beach • Cama Beach State Park • Cape Alava • Cape Disappointment (Waikiki Beach) • Carbon River Beach • Carkeek Park Beach • Cascade Lake • Cedar River Beach (WA) • Chehalis River Beach • Chelan Lookout • Chelan Riverwalk Park • Clayton Beach • Colman Park Beach • Copalis Beach • Cornwall Beach • Curlew Lake State Park • Dash Point Beach • Deception Pass (North Beach) • Deception Pass State Park (Lake) • Deschutes River Beach (WA) • Destruction Island View • Diablo Lake • Diablo Lake Vista Point • Discovery Park • Discovery Park Beach • Don Morse Memorial Park • Double Bluff Beach • Eagle Cove County Park • East Green Lake Beach • First Beach La Push • Fish Lake Regional Park • Fort Ebey State Park (Lake) • Fourth of July Beach • Gene Coulon Memorial Beach Park • Goat Lake • Golden Gardens Park • Grayland Beach State Park • Green Lake (Seattle) • Green Lake Park • Green Lake Swimming Area • Green River Beach (WA) • Hidden Beach • Hidden Lake Lookout • Hollywood Beach • Horseshoe Lake County Park • Howell Park • Jackson Beach • Jackson Beach Park • Jakle's Beach Lagoon • Judd Cove Preserve • Kalaloch Beach • Kalaloch Beach Trail • La Push Second Beach • Lake Chelan (Manson Bay) • Lake Chelan National Recreation Area • Lake Chelan Public Boat Ramp • Lake Chelan State Park • Lake Chelan, WA • Lake Crescent (East Beach) • Lake Cushman • Lake Easton State Park • Lake Padden Park • Lake Quinault (Willaby) • Lake Roosevelt (Spring Canyon) • Lake Samish • Lake Sammamish State Park • Lake Spokane • Lake Washington (Madison Park) • Lake Wenatchee State Park • Lake Whatcom (Bloedel Donovan) • Lakeside Park • Larrabee State Park (Lake) • Liberty Lake Regional Park • Liberty Lake Regional Park Public Beach • Little Cove Beach • Little Squalicum Beach • Little Squalicum Park • Locust Beach • Locust Beach Parking • Long Beach (Washington) • Long Lake Dam Overlook (Lake Spokane) • Long Lake Dam Picnic Area (Lake Spokane) • Madison Park • Madison Park Beach • Madrona Park • Madrona Park Beach • Magnuson Park Swimming Beach • Manson Bay Park • Marine Park-Bellingham • Matthews Beach • Matthews Beach Park • Matthews Beach Park Swim Beach • Minneapolis Beach • Mocrocks Beach • Mora Beach • Moran State Park (Cascade Lake) • Mount Baker Beach • Myrtle Edwards Park • Newcastle Beach Park • Nine Mile Recreation Area • Nisqually River Beach • North Cascades National Park • North Lakeshore Swimming Beach • North Point Beach • Ocean Shores Beach • Ocean Shores Beach • Ok Mill Bridge Swimming hole • Olympic National Park • Owen Beach • Owen Beach - South • Pacific Beach WA • Phantom Lake • Pocket Beach. • Point Defiance Park • Pool of the Winds • Potholes Reservoir • Pritchard Island Beach • Pritchett Island Beach • Puyallup River Beach • Reuben Tarte County Park • Rialto Beach • Richmond Beach Saltwater Park • River Beach • Riverside State Park • Riverside State Park - Bowl and Pitcher Area • Roosevelt Beach • Rosario Beach • Ross Lake • Ross Lake National Recreation Area • Ruby Beach • Salmon La Sac Swimming Hole • Salt Creek Recreation Area • Saltar's Point Beach • San Juan County Park • San Juan Island • San Juan Island National Historical Park • Sandy Swimming Hole • Scenic Hot Springs • Seabrook Beach • Second Beach Olympic • Seward Park North Beach • Shi Shi Beach • Shrine Beach • Silver Beach • Silver Lake • Silver Lake (Whatcom) • Skagit River Mini Beach • Skykomish River Beach • Snoqualmie River Beach • South Beach • South Beach (Olympic) • South Cascade Lake • Spokane River Recreation Area • Squalicum Beach • Sun Lakes-Dry Falls State Park • Sunnyside Beach Park • Swimming Beach Day Use • Teddy Bear Cove • Tennant Lake Wildlife Area • The Cove (Lake Spokane) • The Islands Swimming Area • The Old Swim Hole • Third Beach • Titlow Beach • Titlow Park • Warren G. Magnuson Park • Waterfront Park • Waypoint Park • White Beach • White River Beach (WA) • Willow Point Park • WorldMark Lake Chelan Shores • Zuanich Point Park

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