La Push, WA

If you've ever wanted to step into a storybook scene this is it. Skeleton trees littered the beach with the occasional, mammoth driftwood taller than an average person. Rocks the colors of gemstones shine in the waters and sing with each lapping wave.

Because hiking to the beach is the only way to reach it, this sandy sliver of Olympic National Park feels more secret and secluded than many of the others. There’s even a tide pool for the very adventurous in near the north end of this wonderland where starfish, sponges, small sea creatures, and other swimming oddities await you.

Waves swirl across the shore, etching abstract, ephemeral patterns into the sand. Wisps of clouds cling to the scraggly trees crowning sea stacks battered by frothy waves. As the sun dips below the horizon, its beams shine through an arch in the distant rocks, making it look as through a glowing ball of flames will come bursting through the gap. During the rare times when the tide is exceptionally low, it’s possible to walk out to the closest sea stacks.

The walk to the beach is equally enchanting. You’ll follow a trail of Olympic National Park’s signature lush, leafy greenery. It feels as though the dense forest could ensnare you in its verdant grip and swallow you at any second.