Seaside Oregon

Biking/Kayaking/Hiking
Long described as a beach playground for residents and tourists alike, what many people are recently discovering is a playground of recreation that extends beyond the Seaside Beach. The “City within a Park” boasts a selection of natural amenities, flora and fauna to please, educate and entertain everyone from serious naturalists to the oldest or youngest family member.

Biking: The beauty and panorama of the Necanicum Watershed that nurtures Seaside is easy to enjoy on two wheels. The bike routes displayed for the entire area offer options for choosing roads and trails to best suit your travel style and equipment. They range from easy sightseeing to strenuous challenges along old Timber roads. Identify your trail of choice, pack a picnic lunch, strap on your helmet and peddle your way through bikeways of our forests and flatlands.

Kayaking: A smooth, quiet paddle along Seaside’s rivers and ponds provides expanded opportunities to view wildlife, shoreline plants and birds in their natural habitat. A blue heron may give you a curious look as you pass him spearing fish beneath a bridge on the Necanicum River. A bald eagle may dive through the air to grab a fish as you enter the estuary or a family of ducks floats by in line. For experts there is the challenge of ocean kayaking and the thrill of moving from the mouth of one of the rivers through the breaking surf of the Pacific Ocean.

Hiking: From a stroll or brisk walk along the ocean Promenade, a short easy family hike at the estuary through Gateway Park, to the challenge of Saddle Mountain and other trails of varying difficulty and length provide options for every age and ability.

Birding
Open space, the ocean, an estuary draining two rivers, fresh and saltwater ponds, wetlands, grassy dunes and stands of spruce and alder provide rich and varied habitats for the more than 250 varieties of birds that make Seaside a year-round or seasonal home. In addition, spring and autumn offer opportunities for sightings of unusual visitors who travel the Pacific Flyway migratory route.

The North Oregon Coast is an excellent birding area year-round with great biodiversity present in varied ecosystems to explore. 377 species of birds have been documented in Clatsop County land (expanding to the north and south of Seaside proper), watershed, and ocean areas to include shorebirds, waterfowl, songbirds, raptors, and neo-tropical migrants. Winter affords viewing of waterfowl, raptors, shorebirds, songbirds, and occasionally seabirds seeking refuge from storms, such as Northern Fulmar and Red Phalarope. Spring brings colorful neo-tropical migrants traveling along the Pacific Flyway. Tufted Puffins nest on Haystack Rock between March and August. The fall Pacific Coast shorebird migration actually begins in June, running through summer, and continues usually well after the autumnal equinox.

Some of the species you could encounter include the following. Full checklists and seasonal frequency chart available at http://seasidenaturally.com/Birding/birding.html.

-Shorebirds: Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, Greater Yellowlegs, Sanderlings
-Waterfowl: Harlequin Duck, Cinnamon Teal, Wood Duck, Surf Scoter
-Raptors: Perequine Falcon, Bald Eagle, Osprey, Northern Harrier, Snowy Owl
-Songbirds and Neo-Tropical Migrants: Wrentit, Orange-crowned Warbler, Hutton’s Vireo, Hermit Warbler, Rufous Hummingbird

Lodging/Ales/Dining
After a day of recreating or lounging at the beach, everyone needs a place to sleep. Seaside offers a multitude of options. Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, Vacation Rentals, RV Parks and Campgrounds are all in the cards in Seaside - offering more than 2,000 rooms.

Dining is also varied in Seaside offering family fare, fine dining and sweet treats to please all ages. Catch-of-the-day can sometimes translate to catch of the hour if you time it right but for those seeking a simple pizza for the kids, that’s also well within reach in Seaside. And if ice cream or taffy is your craving, you won’t lack for options along Broadway.

Need a cool, frosty beverage to cap your afternoon on the trail? Look no further than a pub off of Broadway or the famous Wine Haus located just off of Highway 101. With more than 300 beers and wines to choose from, the Wine Haus also boasts a “Wall of Foam” for those who have purchased take out or drank 100 beers from the store (not in one sitting). The North Coast Craft Beer Trail is also a great way to expose your buds to some of the best beer in Oregon. From Astoria to Seaside and Cannon Beach, the Beer Trail is a dedicated collection of seven beermasters that share their liquid bounty

Event Guide
In addition to monthly events like the First Saturday Art Walks (held rain or shine on the first Saturday of every month), Seaside boasts a wide array of events that coincide with many vacations and beach visits. Here is a sampling of some key events with upcoming dates (when known). Check back often for updates to this schedule.

**January – Barbershop Cabaret Show, (last weekend)
**February – Seaside Jazz Festival, (last weekend)
**March – Pouring at the Coast, (third Saturday)
**May – Downtown Wine Walk (second Saturday); Trails End Marathon (last weekend & Boston Qualifier)
**June – Beach Soccer Tournament (first weekend); Muscle & Chrome Car Show (third weekend); Sou’wester Garden Club Marketplace (third weekend).
**July – Independence Day Celebration (July 4); Beach Clean Up (July 5); 45th Annual Seaside Beach Run (third Saturday); Downtown Garden Tour (third Sunday)
**August – 30th Annual Beach Volleyball Tournament (second weekend); Salt Makers Return (third weekend); Gem, Mineral and Jewelry Show (third weekend); 30th Annual Hood to Coast Relay (final weekend).
**September – Wheels & Waves Car Show (second weekend); SOLV Beach and Riverside Cleanup (third Saturday).
**October – Sunset Empire Orchid Society Show (first weekend); Sashay Square Dance Festival (last weekend).
**November – Downtown Wine Walk (second Saturday); Pacific Power Parade of Lights (last Saturday); Holiday Gift Fair (last weekend).