How to Have an Unforgettable Family Vacation in Seaside, Oregon

How to have the best family trip to Seaside on the Oregon Coast

I traveling to the Oregon Coast constantly in the summer months (and in the spring and fall, too!), and I’ve found some of the best places in Seaside to visit and explore, as well as where to stay and eat. Read on for some awesome ideas on how to bring some fun into your family vacation to Seaside, Oregon!

I’d also like to point out that I’m not getting any compensation for suggesting any of these places, I’m a family photographer who travels here a lot so these are just my experiences and opinions.

Visiting Seaside, Oregon with your family

Seaside is fast becoming my favorite place to stay at the Oregon Coast! The hotel prices are pretty low compared to a lot of other areas (especially compared to Cannon Beach, which is just 15-20 minutes away), and you can stay super close to the main strip for pretty cheap and walk everywhere you need to go.

Where to stay in Seaside

I have stayed at lots of hotels in Seaside and my favorite so far has been Ocean Front Motel. Every room has an ocean view and it’s amazing to stay on a vacation with kids because they have some rooms with a main area and also a separate bedroom, so you can have some privacy if needed. You can also reserve more than one room next to each other and open the connecting door. Another reason to stay here is that it’s just two streets from Broadway St. (the main area), and the beach and boardwalk are literally outside your window.

If I want a place with more room, I will look on VRBO or AirBnb and find a house that has a good balance of comfort and walkability. One time my family stayed with my friend and her family, and we found the most incredible house in Seaside with a large kids gaming room complete with a pinball machine and tons of gaming consoles. Perfect for all our teens to hang out in while the adults relaxed in the living room or out in the hot tub.

If you’re looking for something a bit farther from the busy downtown area, I really liked Coast River Inn by OYO. It was so bright and fun and the room was super spacious. It was much quieter here since it wasn’t right in the main area so that’s great if you have light sleepers, and the wakll to the ocean or to Broadway street is still short. There’s no ocean view here, but it is quieter. You can book a room with a huge jacuzzi tub in the bathroom, and they even have free bikes for you to borrow.

What to do with kids on vacation in Seaside, Oregon

There’s lots of fun things to do on a family vacation in Seaside with kids of all ages! Here are some of my favorite things to do:

• Bring sand toys and play on the large expanse of beach (that one is obvious but I felt like it should be included)
• Go to the arcade at Fascination Games! You can load money onto a card and have a blast. You can choose to play games just for fun, or you can play games that earn you tickets and redeem them for candy or toys at the end.

• Walk along the boardwalk and look for either the huge bubbles or someone making intricate sand castles. You can usually find at least one of these right where the boardwalk meets Broadway St.
• If you’re not from Oregon, check out the Oregon & More shop! Grab some marionberry jam, dried and candied fruit… all kinds of stacks to eat at the hotel. You can also find locally made soaps and other souvenirs.

• Check out the Seaside Aquarium. It’s small but adorable. Admission is reasonable and you can feed seals and even touch some sea stars and anemones. If you go early, that’s when the seals are hungriest, but you can purchase food any time of day to throw to them. They get pretty energetic and it’s very cute.

• Grab some ice cream at one of the many ice cream shops. Seriously, there are tons! My favorites are Sea Star Gelato for the delicious gelato, obviously, and also Zingers for their homemade ice cream and waffle cones!

• Buy some chocolate-covered seafoam. It’s so delicious, you will not regret this one bit! You can find it in Rascals, which is inside the Carousel Mall on the corner of Broadway and N Edgewood St.
• Grab a t-shirt or hoodie from the Carousel Mall, and then ride the Carousel! I found the cutest shirts in there and my son got a hoodie that was very comfy. There are lots of PNW and Oregon Coast shirts that make great souvenirs and aren’t too expensive.

• Ride a paddle boat shaped like a swan down the Necanicum river! You can get them from Wheel Fun Rentals.
• Play a round of mini golf right there on Broadway Street and N Columbia St. It’s not super fancy but it’s a great activity when the weather isn’t great because it’s inside. So if you end up with a rainy day during your trip, that’s a great way to stay dry and still have fun. There are also bumper cars next door!
• Park at Ruby’s Roadside Grill and go for a short hike around the little pond. It’s very pretty and won’t take all that long, so it’s perfect for kids who don’t have a lot of stamina. Afterward, get a pulled pork sandwich at Ruby’s because it’s amazing!

• Visit Inca’s Inc and go feel the alpaca fur stuffed animals. They’re the softest thing you will ever feel. My daughter is obsessed with this place and saves her money so she can buy one every year.
• Check out Heritage Square for the Salt Water Taffy at Seaside Candyman. So many flavors! They’ll give you a free sample and also let you spin a wheel to try and win a bag of candy or popcorn (and if you don’t win, you get a coupon).
• Buy supplies for a campfire at The Turnaround Market, the convenience store at the end of Broadway, and head out to the beach for a family campfire! Just be sure to read about the rules for fires on the beach first.

My favorite place to hike near Seaside, Oregon

If you happen to follow me on Instagram, you may have seen me post to my stories about this hike. I went with my husband and then I came back with my 13-year-old son and did it again. It’s not easy but it’s definitely worth the effort! The hike I’m talking about is Crescent Beach and it’s a great activity to do on your Seaside family vacation with older kids! (You can see it in the background of the photo above.) I call it the “secret beach” because the only way you can get to it is by hiking from the main Ecola State Park parking lot for 1.25 miles. So there are usually not many people there, especially if you head out before 10am. I suggest you bring a picnic along and plan to eat it there because you won’t want to leave right away. And bring water!

The start of the 1.25 mile hike to Crescent Beach is just to the left of the bathrooms at the main parking lot of Ecola State Park. Make sure to pay your $5 parking fee first, unless you have an Oregon State Parks pass.

You’ll hike up steps, along the road for a very short time, and then down into the forest where you’ll walk over lots of tree roots. It makes the hike more interesting for sure! Most of the hike is fairly easy, especially on the way there. And it’s truly beautiful down on the beach, with lots of rocks to climb and explore. There’s even a small waterfall! The hardest part is once you are all done exploring and you’re ready to walk back. The way back starts with a LOT of uphill climbing so be sure you have saved some water. But once you finish the initial climb back up, it’s smooth sailing from then on. Expect to sweat a lot on the way back, and feel a sense of accomplishment when you make it back up!

I saw some young kids hiking this trail, but I wouldn’t suggest it if they either like to run away (because there are some spots where there is a cliff right next to you), or if they complain about being tired. Because I guarantee you won’t want to carry them!

Once you’re done with the hike, be sure to walk to the viewpoint there at Ecola State Park (pictured above). You can look down at Crescent Beach and see where you just were. You can also drive a few minutes up the road to Indian Beach. It’s a short walk down some steps to that beach and it is stunningly beautiful, as well. Basically you can’t go wrong with any of the places in Ecola State Park. It’s best to go to Indian Beach at low tide because you can walk to the left, get around the rocks, and check out the tide pools. Just pay attention to the tide because people have literally gotten stuck out there before and had to be rescued by helicopter.

Best places to eat on your family vacation in Seaside

Ah, food! I just love it! At first glance, you may think that you’re stuck eating overly fried food on your Seaside family vacation. I know that’s what I thought when I first was searching. But if you look a bit harder, you’ll find some delicious hidden gems!

Finn’s Fish House

I’m starting with this one because it’s my favorite of all places in Seaside! You can eat here for all the meals and be a happy camper. Their breakfasts are fantastic (try the Eggs Benedict), and their seafood dinners are worth every penny. I’ve ordered the Salmon and the Crab Legs and still dream about them.

Tsunami Sandwich Company

If you’re heading out on that hike I mentioned earlier, you should come here first and grab sandwiches to take with you. Theirs are full of delicious meats and will not disappoint. The only drawback is that they’re closed Tuesday and Wednesday so plan accordingly.

Yellow Curry Cozy Thai

I love me some Thai food, more specifically Panang Curry. Mmmmm… delicious! I found this place on accident and am very glad I did because their Panang Curry is one of the best ever!

Ruby’s Roadside Grill

I mentioned this earlier but it deserves to be on this list, for sure! Come here if you’re in the mood for some yummy barbeque and a casual atmosphere. The building used to be an old gas station so the walls are all open in the front and back, giving you a great view of the water and greenery behind the building. My favorite is the pulled pork sandwich.

Beach N’ Brew

This is a total dive bar, so come here for a late night snack and drinks if you can get away from the kids for a while. Not only are their drinks cheap and strong, their bar food is actually good. The chicken wings are so crispy, just how I like it!

Osprey Cafe

Their breakfasts are so good! This place is located on the south end of Seaside, so you may need to drive here if you’re staying closer to Broadway but I promise it’s worth it. They make delicious lattes and use fresh ingredients for their meals. They lave lots of options for different food allergies, as well. My favorite thing there is the Ocean Vista Breakfast Hash, but I add some meat to it. They only have real maple syrup so if you have picky kids when it comes to syrup like I do, then they may want to order something that doesn’t require syrup, haha. They’re closed Tues/Wed, so keep this in mind.

Have a family photo session near Seaside

Okay, okay, you knew I had to add this in here! Come on, I’m a family photographer, it was bound to happen 😉. But what better way to remember your family vacation to Seaside than getting it documented forever?

I’m not the boring photographer who has you stand and smile at the camera, though. I’ll have you play little games that will get everyone feeling comfortable and having fun together. You’ll cuddle, play in the sand, and laugh together all while creating beautiful memories for you to hang on your walls.

If you want to capture the beauty and nature of the area, my suggestion is to get your photos taken at Ecola State Park or in the dunes at Cannon Beach because you’ll find beaches there with much more interesting landscapes and its easier to not have people in the background of your photos. I schedule family sessions close to sunset for the best light.

Another option is to have me document either an early morning or later evening family stroll along Broadway Street in Seaside. You can grab ice cream cones and walk along the river or boardwalk, sit on a bench and cuddle, whatever a family day looks like to you. You could even end with swinging on the swings at the beach with the ocean behind you.

To book a session during your family vacation to Seaside, contact me and let me know the dates of your vacation. You can also check my pricing page for more info.

That’s it for my list of what to do on a family vacation to Seaside on the Oregon Coast! Tell me what your favorite places are there, did I miss anything amazing?