SEATTLE — The secret’s out. Washington locals know about the wonders of Ruby Beach, and now it’s been highlighted by Lonely Planet as one of the best in the world.

The travel guide company released its list of the best 25 beaches in the world at the end of March, and Ruby Beach in Olympic National Park was featured as the best spot for beachcombers.

It was the only beach in the United States to make the list. One other West Coast beach was featured, although it was in Canada. Chesterman Beach in Tofino on Vancouver Island was named the best beach for winter surf.

In its entry, Lonely Planet said Ruby Beach was a great introduction to the Pacific Northwest. For starters, anyone who has been to the beach knows about its stunning scenery with sea stacks, driftwood and breathtaking sunsets.

“It looks like waters have lashed wildly against the shoreline here until trees have toppled and the sea are stacks found with a swirling froth crashing at their feet,” Lonely Planet writers wrote in the entry.

Ruby Beach also rewards beachcombers hunting for treasures like agates and sea glass, as well as sea creatures lurking in tide pools, like sea anemones, urchins and star fish, Lonely Planet said.

Ruby Beach is located in the southwest corner of Olympic National Park, about 8 miles north of Kalaloch.

If you’re planning a trip this summer, be prepared for crowds. Last year, the Ruby Beach parking area recorded 109,038 visits through the national park’s traffic count, which is the most since 2017 and a 126.8% increase over 2023.

A national park pass is required to park in the Ruby Beach parking lot.