Seaside, OR

Seaside is a small, family-friendly coastal city in Clatsop County, on the northern edge of the Oregon Coast. With a year-round population of roughly 6,500, it has the laid-back feel of a classic Pacific Northwest beach town, drawing crowds in summer for its wide, walkable strand and turning quieter in the shoulder seasons without ever fully shutting down. The town is one of the most-visited destinations on the Oregon Coast and serves as a natural gateway to the broader North Coast region, including Cannon Beach, Astoria, and the mouth of the Columbia River. It sits approximately 80 miles northwest of Portland, reached by way of US-26 in roughly two hours, making it an easy weekend escape for Portland metro residents and out-of-state road-trippers traveling between Seattle and the Bay Area.

The defining feature of Seaside is the historic Promenade, a 1.5-mile oceanfront walkway that runs along the town's broad sandy beach. Lined with a paved path, beachfront homes, and small public access points, the Prom is where visitors come to fly kites, walk dogs, watch the sunset, or simply take in the wide Pacific horizon. It is a short stroll from the downtown core, which is filled with saltwater taffy shops, seafood restaurants, and arcades that give the area a nostalgic, mid-century seaside resort feel.

Just a few miles south of Sealong, Fort Clatsop, the reconstructed winter encampment of the Lewis and Clark expedition from 1805 to 1806, anchors the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park. The visitor center and surrounding trails sit along the Lewis and Clark River and offer an easy, well-marked introduction to the Corps of Discovery's journey to the Pacific. The site is roughly a 15-minute drive southwest of Seaside.

A short drive farther down the coast brings visitors to Cannon Beach, one of Oregon's most photographed small towns, known for its art galleries, coastal shops, and the towering Haystack Rock rising from the surf. The neighboring Ecola State Park features dramatic cliffside viewpoints, forested trails, and frequent whale-watching from its headlands. Cannon Beach is about 7 miles south of Seaside, and the combined Ecola-to-Cannon-Beach drive rarely takes more than 20 minutes.

To the north, the historic port town of Astoria sits at the mouth of the Columbia River, about 20 minutes from Seaside. Its riverfront, Victorian-era homes, the Astoria Column, and connections to the filming of "The Goonies" make it a frequent day-trip addition for visitors staying in Seaside.

Together, these offerings make Seaside a strong base for short-term rentals. Visitors can return each evening to a compact, walkable beachfront town while spending their days exploring lighthouses, state parks, historic forts, and one of the most scenic stretches of the Pacific Coast.