Do you remember what vacation used to be like? Time stopped as you delighted in new adventures, played with family and friends, reveled in rain or sun, and explored new places. Whether it was running along the beach or building sandcastles, browsing trinkets in coastal shops or just catching up with a friend over a cup of coffee and doughnuts in a cafe, getaways revived us. Feel like a kid again in Seaside, where that time-honored vacation feeling has never left. If you haven’t been on a real trip for a while, Seaside can bring out those feelings and create great memories once again.
Rediscover Sandy Beaches
There’s something about the beach that brings out the kid in everyone. Seaside’s miles of flat, sandy beach next to the roaring Pacific surf tend to spark the imagination. Search for shells and sand dollars in the sand. Take a kite to fly on a windy day — or better yet, buy some buckets and shovels in one of Seaside’s shops for the biggest sandcastle ever. Visitors of all mobility levels can join in beach fun with the special beach wheelchairs available to reserve for free.
Another way to make lasting memories is to do a little good while having a lot of fun in Seaside. Help keep the beach clean and earn rewards by picking up cleanup bags from the Seaside Aquarium on your way out to the beach. When you’re ready to come back in, simply fill up your bag with litter from around your area, snap a selfie before you deposit the full bag next to a trash can anywhere along the Promenade and then show the photo to staff at the Seaside Welcome Center. For each person who filled a bag, you’ll receive five beach coins worth $1 apiece to use on anything at participating Seaside coffee shops.
At sunset, cozy up with a blanket to stargaze and sing camp songs around a warm fire on the beach. Seashore Inn offers a campfire and s’mores package that gathers all the essentials for you. To make sure everyone stays safe, check out these tips about how to build the best campfire on Seaside’s dry, open sand.
Hit the Trails
Seaside’s the perfect place for bicycles. It’s flat most everywhere and there’s so much to enjoy, including the pretty and quiet beachhouse neighborhoods just a few blocks from Broadway in either direction. For cruising around town, rent some wheels at Wheel Fun Rentals or the Prom Bike Shop. Both shops have a range of vehicles to suit your style, from mountain bikes and trikes to four-wheeled surreys that fit the whole family.
If you’ve brought your own bikes, strap on your helmet and pedal away on a biking excursion on Seaside’s bike trails and roads. Mountain bikers might enjoy Oregon’s newest riding area at Klootchy Creek, featuring groomed trails for all ages.
For those on foot, Seaside offers treks for all abilities and interests. Take a casual stroll along the 1.5-mile oceanfront promenade that recently marked its 100th year — call it the Prom if you want to be like a local. Beach lovers will want to take a long, rejuvenating hike in the sand, especially just before sunset.
Want to go back even further in history? Follow the footsteps of the historic Corps of Discovery expedition on the longer, wilder climb up the Tillamook Head Trail, just over a dozen miles out and back. This physically challenging hike pays off in views of Terrible Tilly — the Tillamook Rock Lighthouse — and cooling breezes in dense forest, and you’ll be walking in the footsteps of explorers Lewis, Clark and Sacagawea.
Try New Adventures
Ever wanted to walk through the air? Whether you want to climb to new heights or conquer your fear of them, High Life Adventure Park offers a challenging aerial course. Maneuver through ropes, beams, platforms and other obstacles 20 to 40 feet off the ground on this aerial adventure course suitable for various ages and abilities.
What does a sea creature feel like? Kids of all ages will love getting up close and personal with the sea anemones, starfish and sea urchins in the touch tank at the Seaside Aquarium. There are also harbor seals to meet and greet. Families have been visiting this spot since the 1930s.
Where else but Seaside can you actually roast your own coffee beans? Burly and the Bean Coffee Roasters offers a 45-minute experience, where you can create your very own blend to take home. You’ll learn about coffee’s global origins and how to taste and describe flavor profiles, so you can wow the baristas back at home.
Go Out and Play
Sometimes vacation means having time just to play. Seaside offers its own arcade, carousel and amusement park. In cooler weather, challenge your family to a game of pinball, air hockey or Skee-Ball at Funland Arcade, a Seaside tradition since the 1920s. Or test your mettle at laser tag or on the indoor bumper cars.
If you like carnival food, you have to try a Pronto Pup, a battered and deep-fried hot dog on a stick that’s an Oregon Coast tradition. The retro, time-honored stand is next to the arcade. Just across the street, younger kids and the young at heart will definitely want to take a ride on one of the Seaside Carousel’s 24 colorful carousel animals.
If teeing off at the green is your scene, up your mini-golf game on the newly rebuilt 18-hole course at Captain Kid Amusement Park, just south of downtown. Speed racers will love the new go-kart track — kids shorter than 58 inches are allowed to ride with an adult.
By the time you’re done playing, you’ll leave Seaside with memories of yet another amazing vacation, just like the ones you used to have.
