Seaside (Oregon)

Seaside is a city on the Northern Oregon Coast. Seaside is one of the most popular beach resorts on the Oregon Coast, helped largely by easy access from Portland.

Understand

Go to New York, take the Coney Island amusement park (minus the amusement park rides and midway), lift it up, and drop on the Oregon Coast. If you can imagine this, you've got a good idea of the look and feel of Seaside. It has all the trappings of a beach town: cotton candy, salt water taffy, and souvenir shops galore. This is a great place for kids and kids-at-heart.

Visitor information

Get in

By car

Seaside is on U.S. Highway 101, which runs along the Pacific Coast from Los Angeles to Olympia, Washington. The best way to get to Seaside from Portland is to take U.S. Highway 26 from downtown Portland and follow it approximately 80 miles to its intersection with U.S. 101 just south of Seaside.

By bus

The Amtrak Thruway bus provides service between Seaside and Portland twice daily in each direction. The bus leaves twice each day from the Portland Greyhound station, and picking up at Portland Union Station and Sunset Transit Center in Beaverton. Busses leave from Portland-Greyhound at 9:15AM and 6:10PM, and depart each day from the Youth Hostel (930 N Holiday Drive) at 9:03AM and 6:35PM. The trip lasts between 2½ and 3 hours. Fares are $18.00 one way with cheaper fares for children (12 and under) and seniors (62 and over). Tickets can be booked through Amtrak online or by calling ☏ +1 800 872 7245.

By plane

Portland International Airport (PDX IATA), is the nearest airport to Seaside with scheduled service.

Get around

By car

In Seaside's compact downtown area, it's easiest to park and walk. There`s usually ample free parking in the Convention Center lot (1st and Columbia), a block from Broadway and the Prom. No overnight parking, and RVs may be restricted during busy months. For a quieter stretch of beach, try the free lot at 12th Ave., at the north end of the Prom.

By bus

The Seaside Trolley is a bus painted as an old-fashioned trolley, and runs Saturday and Sunday, Memorial Day weekend thru September. It runs to 14 stops in a loop including hiking trails, a golf course, and lodging further from downtown. $1.

See
  • 🌍 Lewis and Clark Salt Works, Beach Dr. and Lewis & Clark Way (Located on the beach on the opposite side of the Promenade). The location where Lewis and Clark's expedition distilled salt from seawater in preparation of their return trip. Reenactments are held in the third week of August. Free. 
  • 🌍 Seaside Aquarium, 200 North Prom (End of 2nd Ave. at the Promenade, 2 blocks north of Turnaround), ☏ +1 503 738-6211. This historic small aquarium is best known for the seals who do tricks for fish thrown by visitors. This often involves splashing. The aquarium also has a touch tank, an octopus, and fish tanks focusing on the Pacific Ocean. Coupons for free seal food with admission are readily available in brochure racks around town. Adult $8.50; child (6-13) $4.25, senior (64+) $4.25, family (up to 6 admissions) $29. (updated Jan 2020)

Do
  • 🌍 Funland Arcade, 201 Broadway, ☏ +1 503-738-7361. A large arcade, bumper cars, and counter-service pizza on Seaside`s main tourist street. (updated Oct 2016)
  • 🌍 Interstate Amusement/ Ten Tiny Tees/ Pronto Pup, 110 Broadway St. (big yellow awnings on the last block of Broadway). Classic bumper cars- you feel the impact on these more than most. Fast Tilt-a-Whirl, and indoor 10-hole mini golf. Cash only. (updated Jan 2017)
  • 🌍 Sunset Pool, 1300 Broadway (East of Hwy. 101), ☏ +1 503-738-3311. Two indoor pools- a lap pool and a warm water pool with a rock climbing wall and water slide. Also has a spa and modest fitness room. Outside, there is a 10,500-sq ft skate park, and the nearby grassy Broadway Park with a covered picnic shelter and river access. (updated Jan 2017)

Buy

Eat

The main street Broadway offers a variety of dining choices. Doogers offers a fresh selection of seafood, steaks and chowder in a family atmosphere. McKeown's offers a variety of dishes ranging from gumbo like stews, pastas, steaks and seafood. Their Sunday all-you-can-eat brunch is also popular.

  • Norma's Seafood & Steak, 20 N Columbia St, ☏ +1 503-38-4331, . 11AM-9PM, daily. Great clam chowder and other popular seafood items in a relaxed atmosphere. (updated May 2021)
  • 🌍 Angelina`s Pizzeria and Cafe, 300 S. Roosevelt Dr, ☏ +1503-717-1230. Su-Th 11AM-10PM, F Sa 11AM-11PM. New York style pizza, calzones, Stromboli, and panini sandwiches on homemade Foccacia bread. Menu includes some unique combinations, such as "The Machiavelli" pizza with Ritz crackers and Macaroni and cheese. Can order delivery online. (updated Jan 2017)

Drink
  • 🌍 Zinger's Homemade Ice Cream, 210 Broadway (across from Funland Arcade), ☏ +1 503-738-6027, . 1-10PM (summer). The North Coast's only homemade ice cream, Zinger's has an inventory of more than 60 flavors (24 at one time). Unique flavors like Blue Moon, Butter Brickle, and Banana Pudding (and that's just the "B's." Homemade waffle cones and fudge, too. Closes during winter, reopening in March. (updated Sep 2020)
  • 🌍 Sea Star Gelato, 8 N Columbia St, . Winter: M-Sa 1-8PM, Su noon-7PM. Homemade Italian-style gelato and fruit sorbetto, the latter is vegan and fat-free. Traditional gelato flavors, plus beach-inspired and regional choices like S`mores, Northwest Marionberry, and Dark Roast Hazelnut. Free tastes. (updated Aug 2020)
  • Times Theater and Public House, 133 Broadway St, ☏ +1 503-739-7188. 11AM-10PM. (updated Aug 2020)

Sleep

Bed and breakfasts
  • 🌍 The Starry Night Inn (formerly The Custer House B&B), 811 1st Ave, ☏ +1 503 738-7825. A small, art-focused hotel in a Queen Anne style house (circa 1900) and three cabins. Breakfast, snacks, beer and wine included in the lobby. (updated May 2021)
  • 🌍 Gilbert Inn, 341 Beach Dr., ☏ +1-800-507-2714, toll-free: +1 503-738-4142. An 1885 Queen Anne built by Alexandre Gilbert, an early Mayor of Seaside who donated land for the Prom. 11 guest rooms, 5 of which were added in a 1990 renovation. There’s a shared sunroom and patio with outdoor fireplace. (updated Jan 2017)

Camping

Vacation rentals

Cope

Public restrooms are available under the Turnaround, at Quatat Park by the Convention Center (493 Oceanway), and at the Seaside Cove area in South Seaside (Sunset Blvd.)

Go next
  • Cannon Beach, 9 miles to the south, has many art galleries and Haystack Rock.
  • Astoria, 17 miles north, has the famous Astoria Column viewpoint overlooking the Columbia River and several museums. It`s also become known as a trendier town on the coast, with several microbreweries and industrial buildings re-purposed as restaurants and hotels.
  • At the far north end of the Oregon Coast,Warrenton has historic World War II fortifications and the wreckage of the Peter Iredale still visible on a beach.
Routes through Seaside
Astoria ← Warrenton ←  N  S  → Junction E → Cannon Beach → Coos Bay


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