Del Rey Beach State Recreation Site
Gearhart, OR
Del Rey Beach sits between Warrenton and Gearhart, a quieter vehicle access point that gets a fraction of the traffic Sunset Beach does a few miles north. The dune grass and driftwood piles here are undisturbed enough that beachcombing regularly turns up agates and the occasional glass float.
A genuinely uncrowded alternative to the bigger beaches nearby, though it's a bare stretch of sand with no facilities to speak of.
How we score beachesThis is a better bet than Sunset Beach on a busy weekend, since fewer people know to turn off here even though the sand and access are just as good.
Small free gravel lot off Del Rey Beach Lane, rarely full.
A short, flat sand path connects the lot to the open beach.
Leashed dogs are allowed on the beach.
Like the rest of Clatsop County, summer (June through September) brings the driest, calmest days, while fall and winter storms bring the best beachcombing after a blow.
More Pacific Coast beaches
Zuma Beach
Malibu, CA · Pacific Coast
A wide stretch of sand backed by the Santa Monica Mountains, with reliable swells that draw surfers year-round and plenty of room to spread out even on busy weekends.
Huntington City Beach
Huntington Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Known as Surf City USA, with a mile-long municipal pier, consistent breaks for surfers of every level, and a laid-back boardwalk scene along Pacific Coast Highway.
Main Beach
Laguna Beach, CA · Pacific Coast
Tucked between rocky headlands, with tidepools to explore at low tide, calmer coves for swimming, and an arts-town backdrop of galleries and cafes just steps from the sand.