Surfing in Seaside, by Chris Bryant

Dating back to the mid-1800s, Seaside was Oregon’s first seashore resort and remains a popular destination with its flat, broad oceanfront and lively, playful atmosphere.

Seaside’s 1.8-mile promenade gives unencumbered access to the Pacific Ocean and the magic mix of salt air, the rhythm of ocean surf, and the free-spirited beach fun.

Seaside touts itself as a walking community because everything is within walking distance and most places are wheelchair accessible, making it a great vacation destination for all ages.

Downtown Seaside, by Chris Bryant

The wide expanses of beach provide plenty of room for a variety of activities in the sand. A kaleidoscope of beach fun includes low-rider beach bikes, beach volleyball, sand castle building, kite flying, Frisbee, wave watching and exploring. Clamming is another fun beach activity, but don’t forget to get your license from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (available at numerous retail stores) and a tide table before you grab your shovel and bucket and head to the beach.

Seaside’s Broadway lives up to its name with its downtown pizzazz. Dozens of unique boutiques, specialty shops, art galleries and antique stores, along with the fun arcade will keep everybody in the family happy. The kids won’t have to wait until the county fair for some of those classic carnival rides, like the carousel, miniature golf, bumper cars and boats, Tilt-A-Whirl, miniature train, and paddle boats and canoes.

You can eat your way down the long stretch of downtown with all the treat shops and restaurants. Cotton candy, ice cream and salt-water taffy are just some of the treats for little kids and big kids alike. Go all the way to the end and you will reach the Seaside Turnaround at the beach. There you’ll find a statue of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark that was erected to commemorate the explorers’ expedition. This is a good time to hop on the promenade or begin exploring the miles of sandy beach. If all this fun has made you a little weary there are plenty of benches along the way to pause, rest, and watch the ocean surf.

When you are on the Promenade, grab another history lesson at the The Salt Works, which marks the site where the Lewis and Clark expedition set up a camp and boiled seawater to obtain salt for use at Fort Clatsop and on the journey back to St. Louis. The salt cairn display is located near the Prom at Lewis and Clark Way, south of the Turnaround.

Lewis & Clark Memorial at the Seaside Turnaround, by Chris Bryant

The Seaside Museum chronicles local history with artifacts that date back to 700 B.C. and includes a diorama of the town in 1899 and the Butterfield Cottage.

Seaside’s aquarium is considered world class. The structure for the Seaside Aquarium was built in the 1920s for a large saltwater swimming pool and in 1937 was converted to an aquarium. The Discovery Center allows visitors the hands-on experiences of touching starfish and anemones and feeding the seals in the feeding tank.  Listen to the different calls of the harbor seals and see if you think they are saying,  “Feed me!” The aquarium is open daily at 9 a.m. and is located at the end of Second Avenue at the end of North Promenade.

Ecola State Park, south of Seaside, offers a place to see sea life in the wild. You can see gray whales migrating along the coast during the spring, winter and summer at this official viewing site.

The North Gateway Park, at the northern end of the Neawanna Natural History Park, has hiking trails into a large forest along high-saline salt marsh near the estuary bay.  The North Coast Land Conservancy protects all of the forest here in perpetuity because this land is culturally and spiritually significant to the Clatsop people.

Get a bird’s-eye view of this colorful and beautiful area on a helicopter or airplane sightseeing ride.

Stay a day or stay a month. Many of the lodging properties have daily, weekly and monthly rates. You have your choice of lodging, from hotels, motels, bed and breakfasts, inns, timeshares, vacation rentals, condos, campgrounds and RV Resorts.

There is always a party atmosphere in Seaside with wine tasting, art walks, live music, and other special events.

In January, The Seaside Chamber of Commerce & Q.C.E.D. presents the 26th Annual Barbershop Cabaret. In their words, “This Ain’t Your Grandpa’s Barbershop.” It’s Rockin’, Rollin’, Snappin’, Tappin Entertainment from National & International Winners & The Best of the Pacific Northwest.”

In August, every year, the beaches are lined with nearly 100 nets for the Seaside Beach Volleyball Tournament. More than 600 teams compete for cash and other prizes. Spectators will find unique seating on sand berms built up at center court.

To learn more about Seaside visit www.seasidechamber.com and www.seasideor.com.