Skip to content

Seaside Stories

Top Things to Do With Young Kids

February 22, 2018 | by Shellie Bailey-Shah

Seaside has long been a favorite family retreat, but it’s an especially good choice for families with young children. Why? Because Seaside has plenty to keep pint-sized beachgoers busy. After a day in Seaside, we promise that your little tykes will have no problem nodding off at night — for that matter, neither will you.

1. Search for treasure

What kid doesn’t love a treasure hunt? Plan to visit the beach at low tide for beachcombing. Scan the shore for whatever the ocean washes up that day. (The bull kelp can look pretty alien!) Learn how to read the tide tables here.

2. Pedal around town

After a few hours on the beach, rent a four-wheeled surrey from either Wheel Fun Rentals or Prom Bike Shop. Little ones will love riding through downtown while you do all the pedaling. Seaside’s city center is walkable, so explore on foot as well; don’t miss the iconic the 1.5-mile paved, beachfront Promenade.

3. Walk among towers of taffy

Now that you’ve burned off some calories, time to put them back on. Head to The Seaside Candyman, where you’ll be surrounded by a forest of taffy towers. While you’ll find 180 flavors of salt water taffy to choose from, I always go for the marionberry cheesecake.
 


 

4. Ride a pig

Take a spin on the indoor Seaside Carousel. Your kids can choose from 17 different animals. My personal favorite: the pig.

5. Blow through a roll of quarters

Funland Arcade is home to plenty of games that eat pocket change, but it also has an extra special surprise: one of the only Fascination parlors left in America. What is Fascination, you ask? Think skee ball meets bingo. For another nod to the past,walk on Broadway Street just west of Funland Arcade to Seaside Shootout, a classic, fully animated shooting gallery. Win your kid a prize!

6. Dig for dinner

Give your kid a shovel and bucket, and you’re in business. The best place to dig for razor clams is the south end of the Seaside beach, around two hours before peak low tide. Just make sure beaches are open for clamming (regular closures occur July 15 to September 30) and that you have purchased a license. For more information on how to clam, click here.
 


 

7. Be an amateur birdwatcher

A perfect hike for little legs, Mill Ponds Trail is just under 1 mile long. Part of the Neawanna Creek watershed, this nature area consists of two ponds: one freshwater and the other tidally-influenced. You’ll see a variety of birds, no matter the time of year. Please note: While not prohibited, dogs can startle birds, so consider leaving Fido at home for your birding excursion.

8. Feed the seals

One of the oldest on the West Coast, the Seaside Aquarium is small, but young kids will enjoy feeding the seals and touching such sea creatures as sea anemones, sea urchins and starfish. It’s also a good place to go on a rainy day.

and so much more!

Views of Tillamook Rock Lighthouse are well within your reach thanks to the adventure of the Tillamook Head Trail just south of Seaside.
How to Get Epic Tillamook Rock Lighthouse Views

Your quest to see Tillamook Rock begins on the south side of Seaside at the end of Sunset Boulevard.

Learn More
Color Now Bursting on the Coast

Pick up a colorful bouquet of summer dahlias at roadside stands along Highway 101 and other coast highways

Learn More
Bell Buoy of Seaside offers fresh seafood and features ready-to-eat items in an adjacent restaurant.
Can’t-Miss Dungeness Crab Eats

It’s a short journey from ocean to plate in Seaside, especially when it comes to Oregon’s official crustacean: the delectable ...

Learn More
Feel Like A Kid Again

Go ahead — take a vacation from adulthood with a trip to Seaside. We give you permission to feel like a kid again. Forgot how? H...

Learn More
Seaside’s History is an Honored Guest in Its Present

There are many local landmarks that celebrate the rich history of Seaside, a town that has been enjoyed as a popular beach getaway...

Learn More
The Succulent Season

Celebrating the arrival of the Oregon Coast

Learn More
Paddle Neawanna Creek
How To Paddle Seaside

Kayaking and paddle boarding options abound in Seaside, Oregon. Find out what you need to know to float the coast....

Learn More
Living with Cooler Temperatures

Analyzing the weather in Seaside

Learn More
Great Breakfast Spots in Seaside

Osprey Cafe Breakfast! It’s the most important meal of the day. And when you know where to go, it can also be the most delicious...

Learn More
Golden Age Arcade

Seaside's classic golden age arcade.

Learn More
Seaside Downtown Wine Walk
Seaside’s Spring Downtown Wine Walk

A deeper look inside an annual spring event in Seaside

Learn More
Beach Campfires – Under a Dome of Stars

A longstanding tradition is alive and well in Seaside

Learn More
Going for a Dip in the 1920s

Seaside ocean antics in the late 1920s

Learn More
Northwest Travel Magazine: The Fresh Side of Seaside, Oregon

Feature story on Seaside Oregon, highlighting top attractions in Seaside OR

Learn More
Gayway Park in the early 1960s

Gayway Park in the 1960s was a major family attraction in Seaside, Oregon

Learn More
A Seaside Jewel

Library in Seaside is a popular jewel for small community

Learn More
1st Generation Boardwalk: High Definition for the Old Guard

The Promenade started out as a wooden boardwalk that attracted visitors from far

Learn More
Seaside Art Scene

Seaside is well-known for its scenic coastline, color-drenched sunsets and abundant natural beauty, but this coastal town has an a...

Learn More