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Visitor
information for Seaside, OR.
Seaside,
Oregon is located on the Northern Oregon Coast on US Highway-101 on the
shore of the Pacific Ocean.
Seaside,
Oregon is located on the north coast of the State of Oregon facing the
Pacific Ocean beaches. Seaside has
been a favorite vacation spot of Oregons residents since the 1850s. Seaside, OR is approximately 79 miles
west of Portland, OR. Seaside has
wide sandy beaches and no-bank waterfront access. Seaside is famous for its 2 mile long
Promenade which runs along the beach in front of the beachfront hotels and
residences.
The History of
Seaside
Seasides history stretches clear back to the winter of 1805-06 when
the Lewis and Clark party had a salt works here and they spent that winter
here boiling seawater to make salt for their return trip. You will find the location of the salt
works at the south end of the beachfront promenade.
This wonderful stretch of Pacific Coast beach has been a tourist
attraction since the 1850s. In the
early years visitors traveled by steamer down the Columbia
River and then by train from the river to the beach. The main
attraction is the three miles of beautiful beach between Tillamook Head and
the mouth of the Necanicum River.
Sometime early in the 1920s a
beachfront promenade was constructed.
It stretches north and south from the auto circle turnaround on the
beach at the west end of Broadway
Street.
Seaside Today
Today Seaside is a quiet peaceful city on the edge of the Pacific
Ocean when the tourists are not there.
When it is tourist time and today that is every weekend all year
long, the
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City
is busy with lots of places to go and things to do. Dont arrive in this town during tourist
seasons without a reservation, the nearest motel with a room may be
Portland, 79 miles away. There is no
better beach on the Pacific Coast for sunbathing on a hot summer day and
for a walk on the beach during a winter storm.
There is more than oceanfront
Obviously, the focus is on the oceanfront with its wide
sandy beach and ocean breakers and beautiful sunsets in Seaside.
That is also the reason that the cost of lodging along the
oceanfront is more costly. Today
there is a new focus for lodging and other activities in Seaside
along the Necanicum River. Property is
more available along the river bringing building costs down for facilities
along the River. A couple of new
hotels have been build along the river.
They offer balconies facing the river and lower lodging costs than
the oceanfront hotels. For those on
a budget, a room along the river offers a longer stay than an oceanfront
room and you still have the peaceful effect of being by the water.
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Sunsets at the Ocean
The sunsets can be spectacular
at Seaside or anywhere else along the Pacific Coast. The lack of hills in the background and
the fog and clouds that often frequent the coast tend to provide these
breath-taking views. There is
nothing more peaceful that standing alone with Gods wonders and watching
the sun set in the west providing never repeated shows of color and light.
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The new skyline
The skyline took a
change for the taller and bigger look recently when Trendwest Resorts
opened their new condo resort in Seaside. This huge complex is oceanfront just to
the south of the Broadway Turnaround on the beach. This is by far the largest building in
the city and stands well above the previously existing buildings in the
city. As this facility is filled it
will add a large population of vacationers to the city and its economy.
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Lodging in Seaside
There is a wide variety of
Lodging in Seaside
with something for every budget and taste.
For over 150 years there have been beachfront accommodations at Seaside.
Today there are over 30
hotels, motels, and other accommodations offering over 1300 rooms. Visit our Lodging page.
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Broadway
Broadway is the main street through the downtown
area. It crosses US-101 and goes
through the downtown to the beach at the Broadway turnaround where there is
a statue of Lewis and Clark in the center of the Turnaround.
For Campers and RVers there are several private
campgrounds in the area with everything from primitive campsites to full RV
hookup sites.
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Lewis & Clarks salt works
The Lewis & Clark expedition spent the winter of
1805-1806 in the Astoria, OR area approximately 15 miles northeast of
Seaside. They ran out of salt near
the end of their westward journey.
They sent out a party to
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make an encampment near the
ocean to boil down salt from sea water and the party chose a location
located in what is now Seaside.
You can find a replica of the
Salt Works near the south end of the Prom near the intersection of Lewis
& Clark Way and Beach Street.
There are replicas of the 5 iron pots atop a rock oven that burned
24 hours a day until they had 5 bushels of salt for their return trip.
Also dont miss Fort Clatsop
just west of Astoria were the Lewis & Clark party spent the
winter. This National Park facility
as a great movie of the journey and a replica of the fort with actors in
period clothing. They were
demonstrating how they made candles the day we visited.
The National Park Service web site for the Salt Works
Visit their web site.
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The Prom
From the historic automobile
turnaround, built in the 1920s, at the west end of Broadway, Seasides Promenade (called the Prom locally)
stretches both north and south along Seasides
wide sandy ocean beach. The Prom
was originally built around 1908 as a boardwalk and that original boardwalk
was replaced with the cement structure you will see today. It has recently been restored to its
original beauty.
The City has installed a
beautiful bronze statue of Lewis & Clark in the center of the auto
turnaround to commemorate the journey of the first Americans to traverse
the Continent to reach the Pacific
Coast.
Many hotels and other
facilities face the Prom and the beach.
The Prom is a wide concrete sidewalk that separates the sandy
beach from the commercial establishments that face the beach. It is long, flat, and well lighted at
night.
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The Prom is a 2 mile long \promenade along the beach in
front of the Hotels, motels, and residences along the oceanfront. Here and there you will find benches
along the Prom where you can sit, rest, and watch the ocean and the people
walking along this unique part of the community. It has a restored old fashioned concrete
railing with light posts separating you from the sandy beach and a wide sidewalk
along its two miles. You will find
people walking this promenade at nearly any hour of the day or night.
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The
photo above is of the Lewis and Clark statue located in the beachfront
turnaround at the west end of Broadway Street.
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The Museum
There
is a Museum in Seaside
that has exhibits of the history of the region. Displays include information on the Lewis
and Clark Expeditions encampments in the area, Native American displays
and artifacts from local tribes, and displays of Seasides 150 year history. The museum is located at 570 Necanicum Drive
and is open 10am to 4pm (spring break to Nov. 30) and noon to 3pm (Dec. 1
to spring break). They charge a
small admission.
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The Aquarium
Just north of the auto turnaround on the Prom is Seasides
Aquarium. Outside is a display of a
skeleton of a 36 foot long gray whale.
Inside there are seals that you can feed, and octopus
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that you can see up close even though he tries to hide
and tanks with examples of many local species of sea life. This is a great attraction of children
and the facilitys displays are mainly aimed at children. There is a cover charge.
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Recommended Attractions
in Seaside, Oregon
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Listed
Attractions in Seaside, OR
We have not
necessarily visited or recommend listed businesses.
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Antiques
Cottage and Castle
Antiques 503-738-2195 - http://www.cottageandcastle.net/
501 South Holladay
Drive, Seaside, OR 97138
Seaside Antique
Mall 503-717-9312 - http://www.myantiquemall.com/
726 Broadway, Seaside,
OR 97138
Seaside Antiques
503-738-5554
1005 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Art Galleries
Artworks
503-738-8755
300 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Ernst & Ernst Collectors
Gallery 503-717-9000 - http://www.ernstgallery.com/
15 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Gilbert District
Gallery 503-738-4222 - http://www.davebartholet.com/
613 Broadway, Seaside, OR 97138
Shearwater Gallery
0 503-738-0328 - http://www.shearwatergallery.com/
111 Broadway, Seaside, OR 97138
Sunrose Gallery
503-738-7788
10 North Holladay
Drive #A, Seaside, OR 97138
Gift Shops
Above It All Kites
503-738-3333
19 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Aspirin Shop
503-738-9768
300 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
By the Sea
503-738-9219
300 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Camp 18
503-755-1818 - http://www.camp18restaurant.com/
42362 Highway 26,
Seaside, OR 97138
Great Northwest Candy
Store 503-717-8808
411 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Harry & David
503-717-9163 - http://www.harryanddavid.com/gifts/store/home___
1111 North
Roosevelt Drive #350, Seaside, OR 97138
Herons Nest
503-738-8854
405 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Knotty But Nice
Originals 503-738-0212 - http://www.knottybutnice.com/
111 Broadway #14,
Seaside, OR 97138
Old Crab
503-738-6579 - http://www.theoldcrab.com/
212 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Palapa Beach
503-738-6243
616 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
Phillips Candies
of Seaside 503-738-5402
217 Broadway,
Seaside, OR 97138
World of Gifts
503-738-3629
111 Broadway #17,
Seaside, OR 97138
Golf
Seaside Golf Course
503-738-5261
451 Avenue U,
Seaside, OR 97138
Horseback Riding
Faraway Farms
503-738-6336
84914 Highway 101,
Seaside, OR 97138
Museums
Parks/Gardens
Seaside Family Fun
Park 503-738-2076
85883 Highway 101,
Seaside, OR 97138
Quilting/Needlecrafts
Quick Quilt
503-738-6800
805 Avenue S,
Seaside, OR 97138
Scrapbooking/Crafts
Creative
Beginnings 503-738-9580
620 South Holladay
Drive, Seaside, OR 97138
Theatres
Cannes Cinema
503-738-0671 - http://www.bigscreen.com/Marquee.php?theater=4569
1026 12th
Avenue, Seaside, OR 97138
Kan Enterprises
503-738-9755
111 Broadway #5,
Seaside, OR 97138
Tours/Charters
Aviation Adventures 503-717-9393
817 3rd Avenue,
Seaside, OR 97138
Wine
French Hen Wine & Cheese Shop 503-717-0246
716 Broadway, Seaside, OR 97138
Wine Haus 503-738-0201
1111 North Roosevelt Drive #200, Seaside, OR 97138
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