Looking for a way to escape this brutal summer heat? I have just the place for you!
Instead of dealing with temps in the 100’s…..you could be enjoying highs in the 60s! That’s right! Can you believe that?? Highs in the 60s-70s and lows in the 50s! Sounds heavenly? Well wait until you see the scenery that goes with these magical temps!
Located a couple of hours west of Seattle, Seabrook is an urban oasis seamlessly woven into nature on the Washington Coast with a similar feel to Seaside, FL. Filled with 275 beautiful, vacation homes of all sizes available for rent on the beachfront, in the town center or in the serene farm district. No matter what your party requires, there is a home for everyone. Guests will find everything from small cabins and cottages that sleep two, to homes suitable for up to 22. They vary in size and style, and include amenities such as private hot tubs, pet friendly lodging, fire pits, and extended outdoor spaces.
Speaking of outdoor spaces, you cannot beat the views! I was fortunate enough to stay at one of the homes with an ocean view and it did not disappoint. It’s amazing the calm that the sounds and sights of the ocean can bring. I immediately felt relaxed as soon as I arrived.
As soon as I unpacked, I headed ‘downtown’. The walk took all of about 5 minutes!I wanted to check out the shops and grab a bite to eat. I headed over to Koko’s Restaurant & Tequila Bar for some amazing food. While I am normally disappointed with Mexican food when I travel, this was not the case this trip. The Tamarind Habanero Prawns and the Tortilla Soup went perfectly with my delicious Mojito! I loved this place so much, I ate there twice!
Koko’s Restaurant & Tequila Bar
What’s so great about the town is that it has everything you need. Since I was going to be there for a few days, I headed over to the fresh market to pick up a few things, so I didn’t have to eat out every meal. I picked up a few staples, water, fruit, hummus, crackers, cheese, yogurt, wine, nuts and the best Cider I’ve ever tasted. I discovered that this cute little market was going to be moving to its new 13,000 sq ft home later this year! Then they really will have EVERYTHING you need to stock up – great convenience!
And if you are looking for convenience, they have you covered. Seabrook is home to 18 parks, an event space, boutique spa, fitness center, hundreds of acres of mountain bike and hiking trails, central amphitheater, sports and pickle ball courts, indoor pool, award winning restaurants, and plenty of shopping options – it’s an ideal getaway for all ages. Seabrook’s resident concierge can assist guests with everything from in-home grocery and chef services, to specialized outings and experiences. Since I was only there for a few days, I had to plan my time wisely to maximize everything I wanted to take in while I was there.
First on my bucket list – Whale Watching
While I am from Florida and have spent a large block of my life in & on the water, I have NEVER seen a whale in the wild. It has been on my list for many years, but my travels have always just missed the migration season! Not this year, though!! I caught the tail end of the season and made arrangements to head out to the open waters and cross my fingers I’d get lucky.
So day 2 of my trip, I jumped in the rental and headed to Westport, about an hour away to Ocean Sportfishing. Captain Eric & crew were patiently awaiting my arrival and we headed out with the understanding that we may or may not get lucky. While that thought was still rolling around my brain, the Captain shouted he thought he saw something and gunned the engine. Within 10 minutes of leaving the dock, we were watching not one, but two whales swimming right off the front of the boat! They rolled around, played and sprayed for a good 30 minutes and it was AMAZING! Another check on my bucket list!
Ocean Sportfishing, Westport, WA
I headed back to grab a bite and check out more of the shops. Seabrook is home to some of the state’s most celebrated restaurants, as well as an expansive wine bar, a juice and salad bar, and a classic ice cream and candy shop, so I had great options. While I did not eat at the ice cream and candy shop, I did pop in. It reminded me of Dylan’s Candy Shop, just not as big. Everything looked fun and delicious! By the looks of the customers, it was quite popular!
Brooklets Toys, Seabrook
A curated group of merchants includes Magnolia’s Clothing Boutique, Red Cedar Surf Co., Brooklets Toys, Joie Des Livres book store, The Salty Dog, Seaworthy Home and Tides by Seabrook kept me busy for the afternoon. I scored a yummy pair of suede joggers at Magnolia’s, a cozy Seabrook Sweatshirt from Tides, a watercolor travel set (my new obsession) from the toy store and cards from the bookstore! All in all, a quite lovely afternoon.
Head to the Outdoors!
The next day, I headed over to Bucks Northwest rentals to get some kayaking in. I was fortunate enough to warrant a one on one tour with the local owner who gave me a complete history of this beautiful area as we kayaked down the Humps and Tulips River. Although it was a little cooler than I would have liked, the beauty of the river and the foliage was quite breathtaking and well worth enduring the cold!
If Kayaking isn’t your thing, surfing is a year-round sport on the northern Washington Coast. Outdoor enthusiasts will find it doesn’t always need to be warm and sunny to catch great waves. Buck’s NW offers rentals of surf gear, lessons, and guided surfing. Buck’s also offers skimboarding rentals, and guided SUP tours through the Copalis and Humptulips Rivers and the legendary Ghost Forest. Additional adventures include fishing, hiking, and biking options (mountain, beach, gravel forestry paths, and in-town) on your own or with a guide. Lots of options for outdoor enthusiasts!
Bucks Northwest Rentals, HumpTulips River
After a few hours on the river, I needed a little relaxing so I headed over to Spa Elizabeth Boutique for a massage. The atmosphere was lovely and my masseuse could not have been better! Just what my sore muscles needed!
Spa Elizabeth Boutique, Seabrook
To keep the self-love theme for the day, I wanted to check out Lorraine’s Candle Studio – where they offer a “make-your-own-candle” experience. You choose a mixture of scents that speak to you and then a vessel to place them into. Whether you like woodsy or fruity, floral or foody, there was ample to choose from. I couldn’t make up my mind, so I made two candles! It was so much fun and smelled absolutely divine!
Lorraine’s Candle Studio, Seabrook
While I was not able to partake in any local events while I was there, events are scheduled throughout the year, ranging from an outdoor summer concert series and
oceanfront yoga sessions to wine tastings, wellness classes, expert speakers, spring and fall festivals, and holiday celebrations. In May this year, Seabrook launched its first annual Beachside Author Series, featuring best-selling and award-winning authors monthly through October 2023, which sounds like a blast.
Seabrook, WA (Pacific Beach)
Explore Beyond
Just under three hours from Seattle and Portland, Seabrook provides the perfect launch pad for day trip excursions to Olympic National Park, Lake Quinault, Ruby Beach, and the Hoh Rain Forest. Fishing enthusiasts will find prime steelhead fishing opportunities on four local rivers, and deep-sea fishing experiences off the coast.
Coming Summer 2023
Fresh Foods expanded market, a 13,000 square foot gourmet grocery, will be completed this spring
along with a new Fitness Center, 25-yard heated outdoor pool, large hot tub, and sauna in the South Farm District neighborhood. A retro-style arcade with a focus on all the favorite games of the 80’s is set to open in summer 2023 on Front Street, along with a barber shop, men’s wear boutique, and kitchen and bath retailer in the town center.
If you’d like to make this place your permanent home, you can. While I was walking through town I met someone from West U who made the move a few years ago. When I asked if he was pleased with his decision to migrate to the Northwest, his smile said it all!
House/Real Estate details
500+ homes
o 75+ lived in year-round
o 275 in the rental program
Fernwood Neighborhood: Seabrook’s newest neighborhood is located east of the South Farm
District. It will feature new bike trails, a bike café, pickleball courts, Fernwood Square and
Meadowview Park, along with a wide variety of home and lot sizes, including garden lots, with
possibilities for property add-ons from carriage homes to private pools.
Seabrook will break ground summer of 2023 on Pacific Landing, home to ocean view town
homes, condos, and live-works, along with retail and an oceanfront restaurant.
Additional unique outdoor activities
Razor clam digging:
Winter and Spring in Washington State provides one of the most unique and popular activities you’ll find – razor clam digging! People come from across the state and country for the opportunity to harvestm fresh clams right off the beach. First time clam digging? Buck’s Northwest offers guided digs at Mocrocks and Copalis beach. They also offer all you’ll need to get started on your own or with a guide.
Glass float finding:
A little known but favorite PNW winter beach activity is searching for – and finding – Japanese glassfishing floats. The earliest evidence of glass floats being used by fishermen comes from Norway in 1844,and today most of those remaining in the ocean are stuck in a circular pattern of ocean currents in the North Pacific. The high season for finding glass floats on the Washington Coast (based on tides andweather patterns) is December – May.
Mushroom Foraging:
Seabrook has partnered with local Pacific Northwest foraging experts to provide mushroom foraging trips every Saturday through the fall harvest. The two-hour experience provides a fun and educational orientation on mushroom foraging complete with hikes through the beautiful forests of Seabrook in search of several varieties of mushrooms including fresh golden-brown chanterelles. These guided sessions will return in the fall of 2023 – timing based on the mushroom season.
Fishing:
Wintertime on the coast brings terrific steelhead fishing. Seabrook is just a short drive away from popular river fishing sites for steelhead fishing December through March including:
Wynoochee River (1-hour drive)
Lower Quinault River (1-hour, 20 minute drive)
Hoh River (2 hour drive)
Queets River (1-hour, 45 minute drive)
Olympic National Park
Hiking: (Seabrook has several of its own hikes ranging from easy to advanced, below are a selection for great day trips)
Olympic National Park
The Hoh River Trail (located in the temperate Hoh Rain Forest, it receives over 12 feet of rain per year, mostly during the months between October and April.)
The Enchanted Valley (via East Fork Quinault River at Graves Creek Trailhead is a primitive, old-growth forest high above the Quinault River Valley.)
Ozette Triangle Loop Trail (combines the beauty of a forest hike and the openness of the rugged beachscape.)
Marymere Falls (Along the shores of Lake Crescent, takes you through the old-growth forest to Marymere Falls themselves – 90 feet high plummeting from Falls Creek above.)
Ruby Beach, Forks, WA
Nearby Beaches + lakes:
Lake Quinault
Rialto Beach
Ruby Beach
Roosevelt Beach
Kalaloch Beach Root Tree
So if you are looking for a great escape this summer, head to the Northwest and visit Seabrook, Washington for a trip your whole family can enjoy. Travel with friends or extended family. There will be something for everyone to do and at the end of the day, you can take a nice stroll along the beach, light a bonfire and share stories of the adventures of your day. Sounds like heaven to me.
