In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Seaside
Seaside, Oregon
Go for 1–2 nights as a family beach stop, not a scenic highlight: the Prom and Broadway are walkable, Cannon Beach is 15 min south for the postcard.
Seaside is the Oregon Coast's most built-up resort town, about 80 mi (2 h) from Portland by US-26 and US-101. It trades scenery for convenience: a 2 mi oceanfront Prom, a walkable Broadway strip of arcades, taffy and pizza, and the state's easiest beach access from the city. Two nights covers it; one is enough if you only want the sand and a chowder bowl.
- Country
- United States
- Local name
- Seaside, Oregon
- Best months
- Jun–Sep for warm, dry beach days; late Sep–Oct for quieter streets and lower rates
- Avoid
- Nov–Mar (rain, wind, many seasonal closures); holiday weekends year-round for traffic and parking
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $90–140 excl. bed · Mid $150–230 excl. bed · High $250+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police, fire, ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | $3–6 |
| Clam chowder bowl | $10–18 |
| Pizza slice or counter-service meal | $8–15 |
| Ice cream or gelato cone | $5–8 |
| Arcade or ride credits (Funland, Skooters) | $5 per ride or game |
| Carousel ride / laser tag | $5 / $11–18 |
| Parking downtown | Free at the Convention Center and 12th Ave lots |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PDX · Portland International
- Nearest airport with scheduled service; about 80 mi by US-26 to US-101, roughly 2 h by car
Typical fares
- Amtrak Thruway bus, Portland to Seaside
- about $18 one way, 2.5–3 h (check)
- Drive, Portland to Seaside
- about 80 mi via US-26 and US-101, roughly 2 h
- Seaside Aquarium, adult
- $12 (check)
Get around
Park once and walk: downtown, the Prom and Broadway are compact, with free parking at the Convention Center lot (1st and Columbia) and at 12th Ave. US-101 runs through town; US-26 links to Portland. No local bus network worth planning around — a car or the twice-daily Amtrak Thruway bus is how you arrive.
See and do
Known for
- Seaside Prom and Turnaround
- Lewis and Clark Salt Works
- Seaside Aquarium
- Broadway arcades and salt water taffy
- Family beach access from Portland
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Cannon Beach | US-101 south about 9 mi by car | 15–20 min |
| Astoria | US-101 north about 17 mi by car | 25–30 min |
| Warrenton | US-101 north, past the junction with US-26 | 20–25 min |
| Tillamook | US-101 south via Cannon Beach and Nehalem | 1–1.25 h |
| Garibaldi | US-101 south past Tillamook | 1.25–1.5 h |
| Pacific City | US-101 south, then Brooten Rd / Sandlake Rd | 1.5–1.75 h |
Sleep
- Broadway and the Prom
- Steps from the beach, arcades and restaurants; noisiest and priciest in summer.
- North Prom / 12th Ave
- Quieter beach, free lot at 12th Ave; a 10–15 min walk to Broadway.
- Necanicum River / Holladay Dr
- Riverside hotels and the hostel; 3–5 blocks inland, cheaper, still walkable.
- South Roosevelt Dr (US-101)
- Motels and RV parks along the highway; car needed for everything.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Where is the beach access? | Where is the beach access? |
| Is this lot free overnight? | Is this lot free overnight? |
| Can we get a table for two? | Can we get a table for two? |
| Is the water safe to swim in? | Is the water safe to swim in? |
| Do you take card? | Do you take card? |
| Where is the nearest restroom? | Where is the nearest restroom? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Summer weekends and holidays fill the Convention Center and 12th Ave lots; no overnight parking there.
- Some businesses close or cut hours from November to March — check before booking winter.
- Ocean water stays cold year-round and rip currents are real: watch kids, and never turn your back on the surf.
- US-26 can be slow with Portland weekend traffic; add an hour on Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.
Seaside is a small, low-crime resort town (population about 5,900) and is safe for tourists. The real risks are cold water and rip currents, US-101 traffic through town, and leaving valuables visible in a parked car at beach lots.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Seaside yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Seaside Prom and Turnaround
- Lewis and Clark Salt Works
- Seaside Aquarium
- Broadway arcades and salt water taffy
- Family beach access from Portland
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Amtrak: www.amtrak.com/home.html
- Seaside Aquarium: www.seasideaquarium.com/
- Lewis and Clark Salt Works, National Park Service: www.nps.gov/places/the-salt-works.htm
- Wikivoyage: Seaside (Oregon), revision 5258145 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5258145
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
SeasideSeaside, Oregon
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
No embassies in Seaside; consulates are in Portland and Seattle. US visitors: your own country's consulate is the nearest point of contact.
Public restrooms under the Turnaround, at Quatat Park by the Convention Center (493 Oceanway) and at Seaside Cove in South Seaside (Sunset Blvd).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/seaside-oregon). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.