With three miles of gorgeous Pacific Ocean beach and the world famous Promenade, a 1.8 mile boardwalk right on the beach, Seaside, Oregon, is one of the most unique towns in the Pacific Northwest. Taking a walk down the Promenade where it meets Broadway, you’ll find you just about anything you’ll ever need, including shops, restaurants, hotels, beach cottages, and gorgeous views of the Pacific Ocean. Seaside, Oregon, is a popular vacation destination and a fun place to live and raise a family.
A Town Built On Fun
While Seaside, Oregon, has a rich history that includes the Lewis and Clark Expedition and being named after railroad tycoon Ben Holladay’s summer resort in the 1870s, Seaside is really a town built on fun. Alexandre Gilbert, the mayor of Seaside, donated his beach property in 1912 to this amazing city in Clatsop County for its famous Promenade along the Pacific coast.
Since it’s so much fun, tourism is the number one industry in Seaside, Oregon. Visitors come here to stroll down the boardwalk, shop at the specialty boutiques, see the incredible sea life at the Seaside Aquarium, and wile away time riding the Town Center Carousel.
Seaside, Oregon, offers a lot in the way of nature and sports with hiking trails through the coastal wilderness. It’s also a great place for surfing at the cove, swimming, volleyball, golf at Seaside Golf Course, tennis, fishing, crabbing, and participating in one of the city’s famous marathons the Hood to Coast Relay, the Portland to Coast Relay, and the Seaside Three-Course Challenge.
Seaside, Oregon, is famous for its food with a number of excellent seafood restaurants that even feature Oregon wines. With two major highways, a bus system, and its own Seaside Municipal Airport, Seaside, Oregon, also makes having fun here convenient for residents and visitors alike. The celebrated Seaside Factory Outlet even makes this city fun for shopaholics everywhere!
Historic Landmarks
- Lewis and Clark Statue – Seaside sits at the end of the historic Lewis and Clark Trail, making it a national landmark. The city commemorates the expedition with a reconstruction campsite and a statue of Lewis and Clark that sits at the end of the Promenade at Broadway and the Turnaround. This is the site where Lewis and Clark constructed a salt-making cairn in 1806 to make the gallons of salt needed to preserve meat for their journey back home to Virginia. The Turnaround is aptly named because it’s the place where Lewis and Clark officially turned around to head back to Virginia to report their findings to Thomas Jefferson.
- The Promenade – Stroll down the Promenade to relax and enjoy the view, air, sunset, and unique shops and restaurants thanks to Mayor Alexandre Gilbert who donated the land in 1912.
- Seaside Aquarium – Just a few steps from the Lewis and Clark statue, you’ll find the Seaside Aquarium. This celebrated aquarium is home to incredible marine life and also features a discovery center with many exhibits, including the 35-foot long skeleton of a gray whale.
Seaside, Oregon, Today
With a booming economy thanks to thriving tourism, Seaside, Oregon, has much to offer both visitors and residents. This exciting community has many different types of homes for residents to choose from — from beach homes to condominium complexes west of the Necanicum River. Popular neighborhoods in Seaside include Ocean Cove Estates, Thompson Falls, Stillwater Heights, Sunset Hills, and Skyline.
Whether you decide to visit or you decide to move to Seaside, Oregon, permanently, you’ll find it offers something fun for just about everyone.
Living In Seaside
Those seeking a weekend home will want to be close to the fun and fine dining in downtown, and usually settle on a cottage in Northwest or Southwest Seaside. Located just outside of the busy downtown, these neighborhoods are close to the beach and allow a getaway from the Summer crowds while still being close to the action and walking distance to the beach.
A unit in one of the many Seaside Condominium complexes is also a popular choice, giving you a turn key vacation getaway with the annual maintenance that goes along with a beach cottage. There are many Condo’s to choose from including The Tides, Bridgeport Condos, The Seaside Beach Club, The Mirage, The Sand and Sea and the River Tide Suites.
Many fulltime residents like to be close to the beach and shopping, but often do choose to be in a more traditional residential setting. There’s several options here including the Stillwater Heights area, Summit and Elkridge Court and the Sunset Hills areas all located East of Hwy 101 in the foothills. The new developments of Vista Ridge and Thompson Falls have new homes available, and also vacant lots available for custom construction.
There’s also lots of outdoor recreation opportunities in Seaside, but for those seeking an inside activity for rainy days you’ll want to checkout the new Seaside library, the Sunset Recreation District Pool, Seaside Aquarium or perhaps the Funland Arcade.
The Seaside School District includes Seaside Heights Elementary, Broadway Middle School and the Seaside High School.