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Seaside Snapshots : Our town through your eyes |
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5/19/2013 |
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 If you love to visit Oregon’s favorite coastal resort town, come share your vacation photos with us! Do you love hitting the beach to get that perfect landscape shot? Are you a wildlife enthusiast with a knack for snapping a masterpiece on your coastal hikes? Do you document your family vacations like an over-caffeinated Ansel Adams armed with an iPhone? Well then, you’re just the type of photo-journalist we’re looking for!
Here at the Seaside Visitors Bureau, we have a deep affection for the beauty, fun, and excitement our town has to offer and we want to see it through your eyes. Anything is fair game: bonfires, epic surrey adventures, a colorful dining experience, karaoke duets. We want to use our social media platforms to sketch your experience. Capture a special moment and send it directly to us or post a pic on our Facebook page. We’ll choose a shot for the week and rebroadcast your image to our thousands of followers (we’d love to hear any back story you’d like to forward on to us as well). We can’t wait to see what your creative eye can capture! See you in Seaside!
Photo Credit: Pam Small
Editors Note: Post your photos on our Facebook page, mention @visitseasideor on Twitter or send them to us directly at info@seasideor.com. By tagging us or posting photos to our Facebook wall, we’ll take this as a sign you’re granting us permission to re-post your photo for the world to see. We greatly appreciate all of the creative skill out there from our followers and will be sure to always give you photo credit.
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Celebrating the moms in our life |
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5/12/2013 7:05:13 AM |
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Like many holidays we celebrate, it shouldn’t take just a single day to celebrate something. In fact, if anything, a holiday like Mother’s Day should be a reminder that we should celebrate that something (in this case mothers) even more.
 Chances are extremely good you’ve been impacted by motherhood. Whether it’s with your own mother, your child, a grandmother or a friend’s mother, that kinship relation is likely to have had grand effect on you. And today I dove into the Seaside Sunday photo archives for an image that sums up what a relationship between a mother and child means to me.
The swing represents the open invitation that a mother always has for the child in her life. Whether it’s through daily conversation, weekly contact or the occasional visit if distance separates the bond, that chair or phone call is closer than we sometimes realize. The bumps in the sand speak to the peaks and valleys during the life of the motherhood relationship. Some may be higher and lower than others but I believe they’ve all helped shaped the human beings we’ve become today.
I also love this photo and how it speaks to motherhood because of the ray of sunshine that sits at the top of the frame. No one is perfect, but I believe there is perfection in the sun, which to me is liken to the smile a mother can bring to our faces after a skinned knee, tough moment or celebration of success we’ve had.
I’m extremely thankful to all of the mothers in our world. Without them, we quite simply don’t exist. There would be no swings to be pushed on, no one to make us chicken noodle soup and no one to call during that moment of crisis – whether it truly was a crisis or not.
If you are a mother that brought her child to Seaside or a child that was brought to Seaside by your mother and created a lasting memory here, you’re in good company. It happens every day because our mothers operate 365 days a year, the same number of days in a year we should honor them. So whether it’s a holiday or not, thank the mother and women in your life that are devoted to motherhood. They deserve our thanks and praise. And to my mom, in case you read this: Happy Mother’s Day! I love you.
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Telling the Seaside Story through photos and words |
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5/5/2013 |
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 One year ago we set out on a mission to promote what living in Seaside is like through the eyes of a photograph on a week-to-week basis. The coastal visitor may come into the area for a few days several times a year or they may come for a week or two in the summer as their annual getaway. But the question we asked was how could we create a regular series of breathtaking and activity-based images that might inspire travel to Seaside – or at least keep our beach community top-of-mind with you, the visitor, or the local coastal resident that is looking for things to do.
The idea all along has been to take a picture and capture an adventure our staff takes part in sometime over the previous seven days. From walking Broadway to razor clamming or crabbing; from checking out one of the car shows to going on a hike or a long bike ride, there really always is something to do in Seaside. We’ve even featured food items from time to time (both crab and ice cream were popular images) and we’ll likely circle back to food from time to time.
For the first two months this project was strictly photo based and the imagery was only pushed out to our social media feeds. In July of last year we added a blogging component to the photo. We now attempt to find an activity that we can photograph and then tell a story behind that image. Now, nearly a year later, we have a collection of 50 images and 40 blog posts. Collectively, the images and posts tell a Seaside story that we hope will resonate with you, the prospective visitor. If this is your first time visiting the blog, I encourage you to take a trip back through our posts over the past ten months. You might find something you’ve never done before or you might discover we are lacking something you’d love to see. If the latter is the case, comment below and let us know an image you’d like to see. Or you can send an email to info@seasideor.com and give us your ideas for inspirations imagery there.
Thanks for stopping by. We’ll see you in Seaside!
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The Best Part of Waking Up |
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4/21/2013 |
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 On a bright Sunday morning, there is no better incentive to rise with the sun than the thought of an impending breakfast cooked with skill. A great breakfast has the ability to set the tone for the whole day, and there’s definitely a kind of treasure-hunting pleasure in discovering fantastic breakfast spots. If you’re venturing forth at the crack of dawn in downtown Seaside, there are plenty of places to get some amazing morning nourishment and fuel a day’s worth of coastal activities.
During a particularly fine Sunday morning, I walked down to the Gilbert District for an omelet and homemade biscuits at the Firehouse Grill. I sat at the counter that runs the perimeter of the open kitchen and watched the owner, Chef Bob, as he prepared hearty, colorful dishes using fresh local ingredients. Located in the same historic building that once housed the Seaside Fire Department in the 1950s, the Firehouse Grill is a dynamic love letter to the venue’s notable roots. It has a bright, open air feel with a preserved but polished interior. Photos of the old firehouse and Seaside firefighters adorn the walls along with vintage brass and memorabilia. A lively morning crowd fills the open scene with conversation and laughter as they banter with the chef and staff. The atmosphere is social and breezy, complimented by the ravishing aroma of homemade biscuits on the grill. The eclectic mix of families, couples, locals and visitors, offered a social morning experience where everyone is fresh and poised to start their Sunday adventures. While my breakfast was being expertly prepared before my eyes, I sipped on ginger peach iced tea (the beverage list offers incredible variety with items such as Arnold Palmers, saké bloody marys, and Sleepy Monk coffee). I ate my omelet (mushrooms, organic spinach, tomatoes, scallions, and feta) and biscuits with a mixture of awe and gratitude.
Seaside abounds with breakfast hot spots to enjoy before an active day at the beach. The classic diner, Pig ‘N Pancake, on downtown Broadway is a family favorite (I’ve been enjoying those tall stacks of golden pancakes since I was a kid). Patty’s Wicker Café overlooks the charming Necanicum River and offers some of the best home cooked hash browns in the area. Or stop by Auntie M’s on your way to the cove to pick up pastries fresh from the oven. There is of course Mckeown’s celebrated Sunday brunch (a vast, delicious spread: the waffle bar is a personal favorite); Riley’s, which offers an all-American dining experience with huge portions; and Finn’s (where you can get an omelet bursting with crab). Speaking of crab, you can also dine on Dungeness Crab Frittatas while watching the surf at the Boardwalk Restaurant on the promenade.
I left the Firehouse Grill with a renewed appreciation for the day’s first meal. The sun was climbing higher, birds were singing, and I was ready for a full day of fun at the beach. My only misgiving was that I couldn’t eat breakfast twice. But actually, a lot of these spots offer their breakfast menu through the lunch hour: a replay of the morning meal is definitely something to consider. See you in Seaside!
Editors Note: The Firehouse Grill is open Mon, Thur, Fri, Sat (8am - 3:00pm), Sun (8am - 2pm), and closed on Tues and Wed. For any questions, you can contact the restaurant at (503) 717-5502.
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The Columbia River Maritime Museum: On the Water’s Edge |
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4/14/2013 3:00:00 AM |
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 At the mouth of the Columbia River, millions of gallons of fresh water collide with the Pacific Ocean and can result in waves that reach a colossal 40 feet in height. Waves this size boggle the mind but it is unique conditions like this that make the history on display at the Columbia River Maritime Museum so compelling. Since the late 18th century, some 2,000 vessels have sunk at the Columbia River Bar. These dangers have earned this area the title “Graveyard of the Pacific”. The combination of high seas, a massive river, and shallow, shifting sand bars make this the one of the most dangerous bar crossings in the world.
A quote from Commander Wilkes, US Navy (ca. 1860) sums it up nicely: “Mere description can give but little idea of the terrors of the bar of the Columbia; all who have seen it have spoken of the wilderness of the ocean and the incessant roar of the waters, representing it as one of the most fearsome sites that can possibly meet the eye of a sailor.”
The exhibits on display at the Columbia River Maritime Museum seem to reflect Commander Wilkes’ awe inspired words. A feast for the eyes, the museum ushers you into a world of towering waves and charging vessels. Among my favorite experiences at the museum is standing under the 44-ft Coast Guard rescue boat as it surges up a makeshift giant wave. The story of the Columbia River has countless stories and the museum takes you on a tour of various chapters: Native tribal water craft, whaling at the mouth of the Columbia, shark fishing during World War II, even an exhibit on seasickness (I learned that the word nausea comes from the Greek word for ship: go figure!).
One new exhibit “Crossing the Bar: Perilous Passage” features video of insanely rough water passages shot by U.S. Coast Guard and Columbia River Bar Pilots during epic winter storms. Also, the Maritime Museum has recently opened their new 3D digital theater which is featuring Sharks 3D by Jean-Michael Cousteau. It’s an eye-popping, high-def approach to experiencing the ocean’s depths in some pretty amazing detail.
The Columbia River Maritime Museum honors the rich nautical traditions of Oregon’s North Coast and portrays a slice of history that’s not exactly familiar to everyone who visits the area. First-time visitors should prepare themselves for real treat: it’s the closest the average person can get to crossing the Columbia River Bar without actually getting wet.
Editors Note: The Columbia Maritime Museum is open daily from 9:30am – 5:00pm. Sharks 3D showings begin on the hour during regular Museum hours. Call (503) 325-2323 for further info.
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Celebrating Spring |
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4/7/2013 |
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 Preen, eat, and reproduce. While exploring Seaside’s enigmatic Mill Pond with local wildlife enthusiast Susan Boac, I received a lesson in the three vital obsessions that birds spend nearly all their time doing. Eating and reproduction are fairly obvious activities in the wildlife kingdom, but preening took me by surprise. Considering how much time human beings spend looking in the mirror, we have more in common with the feathered world than I first thought.
As we walked the trail that circles the wetlands, Susan explained that while birding, it’s often better to rely on your ears rather than your eyes. It seems like there is a parable buried somewhere in this statement. But sure enough, when I closed my eyes and opened my ears, I heard a cascade of tuneful little melodies coming from every direction. Mill Pond, and the North Oregon Coast in general, is a veritable wildlife playground and sanctuary for an unbelievable number of bird species. Our area is unique considering there are so many diverse environments including the ocean, old growth forest, and fresh water systems. The landscape advertises itself to our migrating friends like an attractive billboard and they sojourn in places like Mill Pond to rest their weary wings.
Spring has definitely sprung and the environment is bracingly alive. The air buzzes with busy humming birds and swallows, and great blue herons stroll through the shallows. The ospreys nesting in Broadway Park are expected to return during April and will get more than their 15 minutes of fame with the new osprey cam installed directly over their nest.
As a part of the upcoming Earth Day activities, Susan Boac has organized the North Oregon Coast Bird-a-thon. Open to all, the April 13 pledge-based event benefits the Wildlife Center of the North Coast in Astoria (our local bird rescue experts). A worthy cause, the Bird-a-thon gives a boost to the local preservation efforts as well as honors the enchanting and wild vitality of our area. It’s definitely worthy of celebration. Our stunning coastal environment is a feast for the eyes, but I’m happy to have learned that it’s also a banquet for the ears. See you in Seaside!
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Beach Bonfires – Under a Dome of Stars |
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3/31/2013 |
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 It’s the first remarkably warm day since spring finally arrived, and boy, what a feeling. In Seaside, the sun is out in brilliant force at a balmy 70 degrees. The wind is unusually still and the sky a flawless blue in every direction. Last night in my back yard, the frogs were croaking their first spring ballads, celebrating the return of deliciously long days and fresh melodic nights. Frogs and crickets chirping at dusk always remind me that the evenings are no longer for huddling inside and watching TV. The gorgeous evenings demand to be experienced firsthand and there’s no better way to than to host a classic bonfire on the beach.
I think the experience of sitting around a fire with friends and family, beneath a sparkling dome of stars, taps into a kind of primal joy that human beings can relate to. Ordinarily, in our modern age, it’s pretty much standard to retreat indoors when night comes. But it’s exhilarating to break this habit, get out on the beach at sunset, and watch the world transition to nighttime. Sprawled around a beach bonfire, you can feel the pull of a timeless tradition. Story-telling and conversation take on an enchanting glow and the fire seems to pull everyone together in a more intimate way (S ‘mores really have a knack for enhancing the experience as well).
These days, in the U.S.A., there aren’t a whole lot of places left that allow bonfires on the beach. Luckily, the tradition is preserved here in Seaside and has become an important part of coastal culture. You’ll find that most people who visit Seaside have a warm nostalgia for bonfire nights. If this is your first bonfire on Seaside’s beach, remember to use small pieces of wood only (large logs are prohibited). The fire must always be west of (and well away from) the beach grass and vegetation line. It’s also important to extinguish the fire with water (if a fire is merely buried, it will continue to smolder under the sand).
Now that winter is just a chilly memory, it’s time to get outside and reconnect with the rhythms of the outdoors. Grab your friends, pack up some snacks and firewood, and experience the coastal nights the way they were meant to be seen: around the dancing firelight and under the stars.
Do you have any special memories of bonfires on the beach? Share your stories with us here!
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Biking the N. Coast Mountain Range |
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3/24/2013 |
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 We talk a lot about the fact that Seaside is more than just a day at the beach. For many, coming to the beach is the main priority when visiting this 150-year old coastal community. But taking a microscope to the outlying area reveals there truly is a myriad of things to see and do.
On this Saturday, two colleagues and I set out to demonstrate this fact by meeting up at the Seaside Visitors Bureau parking lot (7 N. Roosevelt, Seaside, OR), jumping on our bikes and hitting the road to explore the ride we'll refer to as Clatsop Loop.
The route we set out on took us through nearly every terrain imaginable (paved road, rocky access roads, paved trails, dirt trails, sandy soil, gentle dunes and finally packed sand on the beach).
I would not recommend this entire trek to a beginner. We traveled a total of 29.3 miles and although I consider myself to be in good, physical shape, I was dead tired as we finished our ride – especially after wrapping the ride over a stretch of six plus miles on the beach. The exhausted feeling was met with a similar feeling of satisfaction but it was a ride I would classify as medium to expert on the skill-level meter. The great thing to keep in mind is that riding just a portion of this loop, or other trails and rides that found at SeasideNaturally.com, can expose you to a plethora of scenery, wildlife and sheer beauty.
Clatsop Loop Ride Detail
Starting out at the Visitors Bureau at an elevation of 23 feet, we climbed 410 feet between the 2.0 and 3.4-mile mark as we navigated the steep and slightly windy hills of Lewis and Clark Road. At the time I felt this would be the most taxing part of the ride. After spending the better portion of the next seven to eight miles on logging access roads (roads that are open for non-motorized recreational use), we entered Lewis & Clark National Park at about the 11-mile mark.
 The point of entrance to the Park at this point is Netul Landing and the Fort to Sea Trail. And while a parking lot is provided for those driving in from this point, it should be noted that the $3 daily usage fee (it’s just $10 for an annual access pass) should be paid at the Fort Clatsop Visitor Center (just another 1.5-miles ahead on a beautiful trail that was highlighted on this day by a bald eagle snatching a fish from Lewis and Clark River for lunch).
Once you’ve made it to the Visitor Center (there is a great spot to take a seat and have a light snack at this part of the journey) the next three miles represent another 270-foot gain in elevation but one of the most exciting parts of the ride. The Kwis Kwis Trail (a portion of this stretch) is classified as single-track riding that was a blast to navigate. I loved the endless array of curves, climbs and descents and the setting is extremely peaceful.
Eventually, once connected with Perkins Road, you’ll end up at the eastern edge of Highway 101 (slightly north of Camp Rilea). Be careful crossing the road. Navigating HWY 101 south to Sunset Beach Lane (1.95 miles) is your best bet. From there you’ll access the beach (check tides ahead of time) and enjoy a comfortable cruise (though not as easy as it looks) of about five miles on hard-packed sand until you get to Gearhart.
The 10th Street access in Gearhart will mark the end of your beach ride. While I thoroughly enjoyed this stretch, I likened this portion to riding a stationary bike with the resistance cranked up to seven or eight. Unlike a resistance bike though the setting can’t be changed, and after 20+ miles already ridden my thighs were on extreme burn alert.
The end of the journey takes you through the streets of Gearhart and eventually back to Highway 101. If you’ve made it this far, you’re just 1.8 miles from the Seaside Visitors Bureau and Information Center where a friendly smile or nearby restaurant or pub are waiting for you to recap your four-hour ride.
More two-wheeled adventures
For more on this ride and others throughout the North Coast Mountain Range, we encourage you to check out SeasideNaturally.com (a project developed by the Seaside Chamber of Commerce) or call or visit the Seaside Visitors Bureau for specific details and maps.
See you in Seaside!
Editor’s Note: As with any recreational journey, always carry a map, GPS device (if available) and give friends and relatives your travel intentions. It’s also important on this ride to check local tide charts and plan to enter the beach portion of the ride as the tide is on it’s way out. For information on biking through Camp Rilea and range activity times which could slightly alter beach riding, please visit the Camp’s website.
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Craft Beer Bonanza |
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3/17/2013 |
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 Most folks know that Oregon is ground zero for the current craft beer movement which has taken the country by storm. This past Saturday night reinforced this potent reputation with the fourth annual Pouring at the Coast Craft Beer Festival in Seaside. With over sixty-plus unique beers on tap, Pouring at the Coast was a gathering for twenty seven of the finest breweries in the state of Oregon. The celebrated Brewers Dinner at McKeown’s Restaurant & Bar kicked off the weekend with an Irish themed five-course feast paired with innovative brews (the bon vivants dined to the captivating spectacle of Irish step dancing). For the second year, the festival also hosted a “Home Brewers” contest which saw dozens of talented home brewers go head-to-head. For the professional brewing set, Seaside Brewing Company took home the People’s Choice Award for their bewitching little number called “Black Dynamite” (whole vanilla bean chocolate and bourbon stout).
Thankfully you don’t have to wait for next year’s Pouring at the Coast event (scheduled for March 14-15, 2014) to delight in the craft beer frenzy. You can “explore a trail full of hops” on the North Coast Craft Ale Trail which features eleven pit stops (visiting nine will net you a commemorative pint glass).
The Craft Beer movement is in full swing and, yes, everybody’s invited.
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Driving the Oregon Coast Highway |
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3/10/2013 |
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 Nearly every Sunday we document what life is like in Seaside. From biking to hiking to crabbing or razor clamming, all the way down to sweets and treats or a world-class meal, we attempt to give a perspective on what you can do when visiting Seaside.
What we haven’t done is focus on what’s great about the trek to Seaside. Whether you are coming from the north or the south, Highway 101 – also known as the Oregon Coast Highway – is as varied as the activities in Seaside. Many spots along all 363 miles of Highway 101 are steep and rugged. Others are the epitome of a drive through a farming community with wide-open fields featuring horses, cows, sheep and other animals roaming freely.
There’s also the aspect of rivers and streams flowing into the Pacific Ocean, which serves as the ultimate boundary to this world-renowned highway. On Friday, while returning from a meeting on the Central Oregon Coast, I stopped at the viewing area for Barview Jetty County Park – a place I’d never been before – which intersects the inlet of Tillamook Bay with the Pacific Ocean. One great thing about driving the coast is that exploring something new and interesting is as easy as pulling off onto a lookout or clearly marked area. And many times you can take these short excursions in the span of 15 or 20 minutes.
Barview Jetty is located just northwest of Garibaldi, and in addition to another unique lookout along the coast that I captured in the photo seen here, it’s also open to camping (with 315 year-round sites), exploring and plenty of fishing.
What’s your favorite place to stop while driving to Seaside? Do you have a favorite lookout or maybe a restaurant that is a must stop? Tell us by commenting below.
Editor's Note: As is always the case, please be cautious while exploring the waterways in the areas described above. Jetties also present rocks and boulders that can be dangerous so please be prepared with good shoes as you explore areas like this!
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