United States
Washington (WA)
Olympic National Park
Things to Do in Olympic National Park
Ruby Beach

Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park: Address, Ruby Beach Reviews: 5/5

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Ruby Beach

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Ruby Beach
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#2 of 44 things to do in Olympic National Park
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Dramatic Pacific coast beach with a rugged shoreline.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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5.0
1,270 reviews
Excellent
1,048
Very good
183
Average
38
Poor
1
Terrible
0
gilber20
Vienna, VA205 contributions
Gorgeous Pacific Northwest Beach
My wife, two sons (14 yrs. 12 yrs), and I drove all the way from Port Angeles, WA to visit Ruby Beach. It's a delightful spot that is well worth your time. Be sure to bring a sweatshirt or light jacket as Pacific Coast beaches can feel chilly on a windy day. The rock formations here are just gorgeous - if you're lucky to arrive on a sunny afternoon, try to visit the beach as the sun is descending!

If you have very young children, they can wade in the shallow tide pools which are a safe distance away from the surf. The ocean water is brutally cold - but you may see a starfish or sea anemone if you look hard. Our visit was pretty short (45 minutes), and I would encourage you to visit another public beach (less crowded) that is just a few miles south on Highway 101 (away from the Hoh Rain Forest) if you have time. That will give you a different experience with the Pacific Ocean and fewer crowds!

I will say that Olympic National Park is spectacular. In my opinion, the 3 "must-see" things in the park would be Hurricane Ridge (close to Port Angeles, WA), Lake Crescent (for hiking canoeing, or just a place to take a break from driving), and Ruby Beach. If your time is limited, I would skip the Hoh Rain Forest, which was OK, but not really worth the additional driving time (30 minutes) there.
Written December 26, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
PandaHouston
Houston, TX6,206 contributions
Quiet Beach if you Go Early in the Morning
We came around 9:30 am on Thursday 7/29 as we were driving from Astoria Oregon to Port Angeles. Since it was early in the morning, we had no issues finding parking and it was quiet when we first got there. However, when we left an hour later, the parking lot was getting full so if you don't want to have issues with parking, definitely get there early.

There is a trail down to the beach. Once at the beach, we walked to see the sea stacks and there was plenty of driftwood.

Ruby Beach belongs to Olympic NP but we did not have to show our park pass nor did I see any way to pay the park fees.
Written August 20, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
mtjenSA
Bellevue, WA9 contributions
Beautiful but be careful driving into parking lot - HUGE potholes
Try to make it to Ruby Beach at Sunset - it's magical. I recommend getting your dinner to go in Forks and have a picnic while watching the sun go down then taking a walk on the beach after dinner.

One note of caution, the drive into the parking lot is full of very deep potholes. Be very careful if driving in late without good lighting without a car/truck that has high clearance. The car in front of us hit really hard and had to get a tow out because the car was left not drivable.
Written August 27, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Mike M
Battle Creek, MI79 contributions
Ethereal and otherworldly
I wasn't even sure I wanted to go here and it ended up being my favorite place we saw on our whole trip!
Don't let the rain keep you away. We visited one afternoon and it was gray and spitting rain but it was so beautiful. I would use the word ethereal, otherworldly.
So we wandered around a bit and the next morning we had time so we back. It wasn't raining and it may even had a little sunshine but it was like a different place entirely!
Just stunning. We didn't see a sunset but it is amazingly gorgeous anytime of the day and I would say in any weather! Just Go!
Written June 15, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
April
Beaverton, OR362 contributions
Stunning Beach and Rock Formations
Ruby Beach is one of the prettiest beaches on the West Coast. There's plenty of parking and you follow a walk path from the parking lot to the beach. Go at low tide if you can time just right. Several huge rock formations that are stunningly beautiful. At low tide you can explore in the tide pools for sea creatures. The beach is covered with drift wood that several visitors gather to make small structures that are fun to play around. Millions of smooth rocks are everywhere. Visitors like to make cairn statues that are on display to enjoy and photograph. It was a bit overcast when we arrived but it cleared while we were exploring. Worth the stop.
Written July 16, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jane S
Valparaiso, IN103 contributions
Eerie rock formations!
Birdie at the ranger station told us that many scenes from Twilight were filmed at Ruby Beach, and I can see why. The many rock formations erupting from the beach and the water would be perfect for the creepy atmosphere needed in that film. The fact that the smoke and fog covered much of the landscape just added to the ethereal feeling.
Written September 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
jautrey21
Columbus, MS117 contributions
Absolutely gorgeous!
In one day we got to see Rialto, LaPush, and Ruby. All are so beautiful that they took away my words. Of the three Ruby was probably my favorite as its features really appealed to me. The flat stones stacked on washed up trees was a cool, unexpected treat and I placed a few of my own there. If in NW Washington state don't miss a chance to see these beaches. You will not be disappointed!
Written May 17, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ruthandvern
Wilton, CA14,721 contributions
My favorite WA coast beach
This is a really outstanding beach! We drove down for sunset and returned the next day and spent a few hours at low and slack tide. The rocks are each outstanding. The beach is easy walking and the driftwood constructions are so beachy.
Written September 4, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
jkweebs
Omaha, NE520 contributions
Beach Not to be missed
This is one of the most beautiful places in Olympic National Park. A nice little walk down to the beach not too long but can be a little taxing for some coming back up. We walked the beach for about an hour and a half early in the morning. By the time we were leaving so many people were coming onto the beach and into the parking lot. If you really want to enjoy the beauty of this beach go early and avoid the crowds. Either way, this is a must-stop and see in Olympic NP.
Written July 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Angela_Houser
Sioux City, IA1,234 contributions
Highlight on the Peninsula
On a day trip to Olympic NP from Seattle, Ruby Beach was one of our first stops (husband, 4 year old daughter, me). We just loved this beach so much and ended up spending more time here than originally planned. The scenery is unreal, my daughter enjoyed playing in the sand, and it’s just an eerily peaceful place. It makes a good first or second stop on a day trip from Seattle I’d you choose to start on the coast first (which might be a good idea as most people start in Port Angeles and by noon many places we stopped at were quite busy even though it was a Tuesday in mid September). It was nice to have a rather secluded beach as there were maybe 20 other people there.
Written September 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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