Collins Beach

Collins Beach is a rare thing - not an ocean beach but a river one. It is located on the eastern side of Sauvie Island, on the border between Oregon and Washington state, with sands that disappear beneath the waters of the Columbia River.

Approximately 1.5 kilometres in length, it is also worth noting that Collins Beach is in part a clothing optional beach, one of just two beaches in the state where this is a possibility - legally anyway. Despite this, Collins Beach can be quite busy on summer days.

One of the more unusual sights on Collins Beach is a concrete (yes, concrete) sailboat, abandoned on the sands by the trees, and looking suspiciously like a lost UFO. If you’re coming by car, you’ll need to display a parking permit, which can be bought from the general store nearby.