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Nature lovers come for the outdoor splendor to fly kites, surf the waves, watch birds from a kayak and hike through ancient rainforests.
Generations of families make memories by strolling the 1921 Promenade, digging razor clams, cycling around town, riding swan boats and building sandcastles – all made even easier with improvements in accessibility of the beach and waterways in recent years. And kids flock to bumper cars, mini-golf and every kind of arcade game.
Everyone is invited and there’s a Seaside for every season and every walk of life.
As you stroll through Seaside, gazing out at Tillamook Head in the distance, consider that legendary explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s Corps of Discovery (including Sacagawea and York) roamed this very beach during the damp and frigid winter of 1805-06. A statue at the Turnaround commemorates the expedition.
Just a block off the Prom on Lewis and Clark Way, you can view a replica of the Salt Works that three Corps members — Joseph Fields, William Bratten and George Gibson — established during the six weeks they camped here in Seaside.
To learn more about Seaside area history, visit the Seaside Museum and Historical Society and browse our history articles.
Before there was The Prom, there was the old Pacific Pier, which was built in 1904 and stretched straight out into the sea. Four years later, a long wooden boardwalk of planks was added along the then-rocky beach.
Alas, neither the pier nor boardwalk fared well during winter storms, and within a decade upkeep had become impossible.
In its place a grand Promenade was imagined, anchored by a majestic Turnaround, built of concrete to withstand the elements. City engineer L.C. Rogers designed and J.H. Tillman constructed what would become 8,000 feet of seawall stretching 1.5 miles and built at the expense of $150,000. Quite a handsome sum at the time.
The construction of the Promenade was completed in 1921. Hundreds of officials from across the state joined the throng to see The Prom officially christened by Martha Hagmeier, age 8, who broke a bottle of sea water on the concrete.
The Prom has since become one of the most iconic coastal landmarks in the Pacific Northwest, an Oregon nod to the great boardwalks and promenades of the world like Brighton Pier and San Sebastian.
Seaside is known for some coastal experiences you won’t find elsewhere.
You’ve seen them in coastal shops and on your social media feed — perfectly round sand dollars are the ultimate beachcombing prize. In Seaside, these treasures are easy to find.
Head to the shoreline about an hour before low tide. Maybe try starting at 12th Avenue and head north. Bring a bucket for collecting your treasures, as you’ll likely find quite a few. However, please be sure to leave some for others.
It’s important to know which ones to pick up. Sand dollars are actually the skeletons of a flat type of sea urchin. When they are purple or taupe-colored and fuzzy, they are living creatures, so please leave them on the beach. Those that are white are good to keep — they are no longer alive and they’ve faded in color from the sun. You may see just a crescent sticking out from the wet sand, so make sure to get your hands dirty and pluck them out.
You’ll likely see other treasures on the beach: all sorts of sea shells, bull kelp, “shows” from razor clams, and even entire Dungeness crab shells left from molting. Make sure to look up occasionally — you may just spot the spout of a migrating whale or the splash of a playful harbor seal.
Book a hotel, get out here quick and have a blast!