The New Year is here, and along with it your New Year’s resolutions. If being more mindful about your health and well-being is one of them, Seaside has all the activities you might need to keep you on track. Expect meditative sunset beach walks, challenging rainforest hikes, yoga and fitness classes and other healthy pursuits. Here are five easy ways to promote a healthy lifestyle in Seaside this coming year and beyond.
1. Get Your Steps In on Broadway
Walk into the heart of Seaside on the boutique-lined Broadway Avenue. First, pick up a map and chat with the friendly folks at the Seaside Visitors Center at its intersection with N. Roosevelt, also known as Highway 101. After a quick photo in the giant Adirondack chair outside the center, set out on the paved, flat, half-mile route. Rack up even more steps by popping into shops like Seaside Antique Mall, Fairweather House and Gallery and Beach Books. After you get to the historic Turnaround where the pavement meets the beach, gaze out at the Pacific Ocean then loop back the way you came for even more intriguing shopping and places to stop for a bite to eat. Once you’re back at the Visitors Center you’ll have walked over one mile.
2. Take in Sea Breezes Along the Prom
Whether you’re pedaling a bike, operating a wheelchair or pushing a stroller, you’ll enjoy Seaside’s 15-foot-wide, ADA-friendly Prom, with 1.5 miles of paved pathway. Breathe some fresh air and take in epic views of the Pacific as you go. Starting at either 12th Avenue on the north end of town or Avenue U to the south, you’ll feel yourself unwind as you pass by friendly joggers and people walking their dogs. Start your walk in the evening for panoramic sunset views. Look for families building campfires on the beach and readying their marshmallows.
3. Gaze Out Over the Ocean on Tillamook Head
To head to the heights, hike the Tillamook Head Trail. It winds through a forest filled with fragrant Sitka spruce trees and rewards your efforts with vistas of the Pacific and the offshore ruins of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse. The trailhead is located at the south end of Seaside at the top of Sunset Boulevard. The 6.3-mile each way hike starts with an uphill that tapers off into a mild incline with a maximum elevation of 1,248 feet. You’ll see markers along the trail that will tell you how many miles you’ve walked. Bring good hiking boots, prepare for mud, and pack water and snacks.
4. Drop In for Yoga and Wellness
Seasoned yogis and beginners alike are welcome to drop in for a class at Living Fit Yoga. This calming studio located on Roosevelt Drive combines three powerful tools that you can utilize for better health and well-being: Yoga, vibrational sound therapy and massage. Yoga classes are offered most weekdays and include sessions of several popular styles. If you want to work out some tension that’s been bugging you, deep-tissue massage is also available — or try a 60-minute sound therapy session, where you’ll lie down surrounded by Himalayan singing bowls while their healing vibrations bring you to a state of harmonic bliss.
5. Get Fit With a Cross-Training Class
If a well-equipped gym is more your style, North Seaside’s Sunset Family Fitness offers over 30 classes each week that you can join as a non-member for a small fee per class. Check out options like power cycling, core work, youth classes and a group gym circuit for seniors. If you really want to jumpstart your New Year’s resolution, drop into one of the cross-training classes and feel the burn while you’re walking around town later that night. Pro-tip: Call ahead to see if the gym’s supervised PlayCare area is open for the kiddos.
