When you next visit Seaside, you might wonder which beach to check out to take a pleasant stroll, watch local wildlife, or toss a football back and forth. It’s a deceptively simple question for one unique reason: Seaside is actually one big beachfront, with access points to the same shoreline all over town.
Seaside Beach, as it’s informally known, is a long, wide and flat stretch of sand that separates the city of Seaside from the Pacific Ocean. In all, the beach measures about 2.7 miles from near the base of Tillamook Head to where Seaside and Gearhart meet just north of the Necanicum River. It offers endless opportunities for recreation nearly anywhere within city limits, from storm-watching in winter to lingering over a sunset in summer. So as you get excited for your next getaway, here’s a guide to Seaside Beach — and what makes it so special.
Explore the History of Seaside Beach
Visitors have flocked to Seaside since the 1870s, and it’s easy to imagine that Seaside Beach looked then much as it does now — with long stretches of white sands extending north as far as the eye can see.
The reality is more nuanced, with natural events and man-made changes to the Oregon Coast landscape having a dramatic impact on the coastline at Seaside’s doorstep. In fact, Seaside is currently enjoying something of a golden age of sand — an era we’re lucky enough to live in while building sandcastles, finding sand dollars and beachcombing.
Between 1885 and 1939, a jetty system was constructed roughly 16 miles north of Seaside at the mouth of the Columbia River. The jetties were designed to improve safety for ships traveling through the channel, but they also had the effect of shifting currents and eventually depositing enough sand to add thousands of feet of shoreline to what we know today as Seaside Beach.
Then, in early 1987, a massive landslide on Tillamook Head — the citadel-like rock formation at the southern edge of Seaside — sent enough debris to fill 90 Olympic swimming pools into the ocean below. Within months that debris added up to 150 feet of shoreline to Seaside Beach near Avenue U.
Make the Most of a Visit to Seaside Beach Today
Part of what makes Seaside Beach so special is how convenient it is to access the shore from almost anywhere in town.
Perhaps the easiest place to access the beach is from the Turnaround, where vehicles turn around at the western edge of Broadway and where pedestrians can take a short staircase down to the sand. Public restrooms are available directly below the Turnaround and can be accessed from the shore.
Elsewhere, the historic Seaside Promenade is a paved path that runs north-south and parallel to the shore. Along the way, several informal trails head from the Prom, through the dunes and onto the beachfront.
Near the northern edge of Seaside, Necanicum Estuary Natural History Park sits where the Necanicum and Neawanna rivers empty into the Pacific Ocean. Beach access is limited, but the roadside park offers the chance to view the region’s resident elk, waterfowl and other wildlife.
Those with mobility differences or families bringing a stroller or beach wagon onto the sand, meanwhile, can access the shoreline via two Mobi-Mat beach-access points. The sturdy blue connected, recycled polyester mats makes a flat and stable path as it heads toward the shore. One can be accessed from the 12th Avenue beach entrance, which also includes public parking, accessible restrooms and ramps. A second Mobi-Mat is installed at Avenue U on the south side of town. (Both mats are adjusted for length depending on the weather and ocean conditions.)
Enjoy Sweeping Views From Your Oceanfront Room
Numerous oceanfront lodgings are situated right on Seaside Beach, so start planning your next getaway with these cozy lodging options.
The pet-friendly Seashore Inn hosts several cozy oceanfront rooms — including some with kitchenettes and others with private balconies — just across the Prom from Seaside Beach.
To the north, the three-story, pet-friendly Ebb Tide Oceanfront Inn hosts several comfortable rooms along the Prom that deliver wide-open views. A few rooms at the inn come with kitchenettes and gas fireplaces.
On the south end of town at the base of Tillamook Head, The Lanai at the Cove features studios with kitchenettes, perfect for a family stay. You’ll love watching surfers work the waves from your private patio or lanai situated right on the water, and the heated seasonal pool.
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