We have had more experience with the West Coast than the East. Don’t know about dramatic tides, but all up and down the Oregon coast are public beaches. When the tide is out, you can go walking on the wet sand and find all sorts of things.
Where we camped in the southern part was rockier, so there were tidal pools uncovered with anemones, urchins, limpets, and lots of starfish. Seaweed everywhere. The tide schedules were posted in the campground, so we could choose when to go look. Don’t go when there’s an incoming tide, though. The water can go all the way up to the rocks and you don’t want to get stranded or worse!
And as for other stuff, Mt. St. Helens in unbelievable! Went ten years after the eruption and things were still pretty primitive. Went in 2003 and a lot more areas had been developed for the public. We stuck to the one we had gone to in 1990 on the east side, only four miles from the smoking cone.
Downside: 2000 miles out there, 4-5 days on the road. Portland your best bet for flying in.
