One of these West Coast beach horseback rides costs $30, one costs $170 — the price won’t tell you which one you’ll remember

Everyone pictures riding a horse straight into the surf on a coast trip. Almost nobody actually books it, which is a shame, because on one of these three West Coast beaches it costs less than a decent lunch.

Three real outfitters — one on the Long Beach Peninsula, one at Pacific City, one above Half Moon Bay — will put you on a horse and send you toward the water this week. The prices between them run from $30 to $170, and that gap has almost nothing to do with which ride you’ll actually remember.

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Washington: $30 for the closest thing to a movie scene

The Long Beach Horse Rides sets you loose on the aptly named World’s Longest Beach, a 28-mile stretch of hard-packed sand on Washington’s southwest coast. A one-hour ride along the coast runs $30, and if you’ve actually got saddle time behind you, the 9-to-11 a.m. two-hour ride works in trotting, cantering, and full-on galloping for $60.

Reservations aren’t required, though they fill up fast enough that you shouldn’t test it. Bring closed-toe shoes — the outfit runs a 275-pound weight limit and keeps regular hours from June 1 through mid-September.

Oregon: $110 for the dunes at Pacific City

Green Acres Beach & Trail Rides starts riders at the Bob Straub State Park boat launch in Pacific City and works its way through sand dunes before dropping onto the open beach. It’s built for every skill level, not just confident riders, and a one-hour ride runs $110 per person.

That’s more than triple Washington’s rate for the same length of time. What you’re paying for is terrain — real dunes instead of flat packed sand — with Cape Kiwanda’s headland standing offshore for most of the ride.

California: $170 for the cliffs above Poplar Beach

Sea Horse Ranch runs its Early Bird Special out of Half Moon Bay at 8 a.m. daily: two hours along the Coastal Equestrian Trail, tracing ocean bluffs before dropping onto Poplar Beach. It’s $170, riders as young as seven can join, and it’s built for everyone from total beginners to lifelong riders.

Is a bluff-top trail worth nearly six times what Washington charges for a shorter ride? Depends what you’re actually after. This one sells the view as much as the horse.

Which one’s actually worth booking

If you’re only doing this once, book Washington. Thirty dollars gets you the same wind-in-your-face, hooves-in-the-surf experience the postcards are selling, and you’ll still have money left for dinner. Save Half Moon Bay for the trip where the scenery is the whole point, not just a bonus.

Trip tips: grab a rental car to get out here, lock in your hotel before the good rooms are gone, or skip both and book a camper van instead.

Rules and fees change — always confirm current requirements before you go.