Family Fun in Seabrook Washington

Seabrook Washington.

Cutest. Little. Town. Ever.

Found this gem of a place when I was trying to find an extra something for us to do during our spring break this year.  After camping for three nights in the rain in a 29 foot trailer with three kids, a puppy, and my husband, a house in Seabrook sounded heavenly!

About Seabrook, Washington

Seabrook, Washington is only two and a half hours from Seattle and about three hours from Portland. This fairly new resort town has preserved almost a mile of oceanfront along Washington’s southwestern coast.

First words out of my husband’s mouth when we were walking around exploring: “Remember that movie The Truman Show?  That is exactly what this town reminds me of…” And low and behold I found this when researching the development of Seabrook…

Using design principles of New Urbanism, “depicted famously in the movie The Truman Show”, developers broke ground on Seabrook in 2005.  The homes are close together and designed “with an emphasis on communal space.” 

So he was right.

This picturesque community was designed around the idea that everything is within a 5 minute walk and centrally located.  Cape-cod style homes line the small neighborhoods which have cute names such as the Farm District, South of Market, Mill District, and Pacific Glen just to name a few.  Trails wind through the neighborhoods, and numerous parks and green spaces provide community gathering areas.

The small “downtown” area is lined with boutiques, restaurants, a bookstore, and other quaint shops.  As of our visit, construction of condos and additional storefronts was still ongoing.

Seabrook house rentals

There is basically one game in town when it comes to renting homes in Seabrook, Washington.  With so many rentals available you are bound to find something that fits for your family, or for multiple families if renting together.  Our house had everything we needed to keep our kids occupied for days.  Mountains of board games, a ping pong table, scooters, beach toys, a fire pit, and a hot tub.  It also had an outdoor shower as well as numerous adirondack chairs on the decks to sit back, relax, and enjoy the views.

Many of the homes are pet friendly if you have a well behaved furry friend.  Upon arrival to our rental house, we even found a doggie care package on the counter for our doodle!

Other highlights of the community include neighborhood gathering areas (many with fire pits) in every neighborhood, a dog park, playground, barn with ducks and horses, community indoor swimming pool (an outdoor one is in the works as well), beach access via trails, tennis and pickleball courts, basketball courts, and a park with outdoor games.

Each beach house also has a fun name like Into the Mystic, Life’s A Beach, Otterly Relaxed, Hook Wine and Sinker, and Shore to Please, just to name a few.

Where to Eat

Frontager’s Pizza Company

My kids were ready to run through the doors of this cute, rustic space the second we walked by.  Serving up Italian brick oven pizzas with Northwest ingredients, everyone in your family is sure to be happy with Frontager’s menu.  Not feeling like a piece of pizza?  Salads, antipasti boards, stromboli, calzones, and PNW beers and wine round out the rest of the menu.

Growler’s Alley

Operated by Frontager’s Pizza Company, Growler’s Alley is open during the summer.  This outdoor tented seating area serves up beer and live music.  During our visit it looked like food trucks would soon be opening onsite as well.  Growler’s Alley also has a family friendly seating section and well behaved dogs are welcome.  A perfect spot to relax on a summer night!

The Stowaway Wine Bar

Walking past this cute little wine bar made me long for a girls’ weekend!  The Stowaway Wine Bar offers a rotating selection of wines by the glass and bottle, wine flights, and draft beers.  Charcuterie boards and flatbreads grace the menu at this cozy spot, which includes indoor and outdoor seating. The Stowaway also offers to-go orders as well as a wine club.

Koko’s Restaurant and Tequila Bar

Seabrook has a tequila bar? Why yes. Yes it does. Koko’s Latin cuisine menu includes small bites, soups, salads, and main dishes made from scratch with fresh ingredients.  A kids menu as well as a drink menu round out their offerings.

Red Velvet Bakery by the Sea

The Red Velvet Bakery by the Sea was our go-to spot for coffee every morning.  Unfortunately I recently learned that the owners of the bakery have left Seabrook and moved their business elsewhere.  Look for Vista Bakeshop to open in July of 2021!  Vista tries to use locally sourced ingredients whenever possible.  Their menu includes croissants, donuts, cinnamon rolls, coffee, Italian sodas and more!

The Sweet Life

Of course this was a must do on our trip to Seabrook.  Whenever we explore a new place, my three kids are always hunting down the local ice cream/candy shop.  I’m happy to report that they were not disappointed!

The Sweet Life serves up small batch ice cream with handpicked ingredients from local farmers. In addition to some of the usual favorites, they also have more unique flavors. On this particular visit they were scooping up Girl Scout Cookie flavors like Thin Mint and Tagalong.   Candies, local chocolates, and homemade ice cream sandwiches are also available for purchase.

Front Street Market

Front Street Market is a family owned and operated grocery store in Seabrook, Washington.  This small grocer stocks a small selection of produce and groceries, as well as deli and breakfast sandwiches, coffees to go, fresh caught seafood, and some locally sourced items. If you plan on doing a fair amount of cooking in your rental home, I would recommend stocking up on groceries before you arrive in town.

Staying Busy In Seabrook

Seabrook really does have something for the whole family.  My kids stayed busy the entire time we were there! During our stay we only drove one time, and that was because it was dumping outside.  We were headed to the bakery for coffee and pastries and couldn’t have them getting all wet on the walk home!

Walking/Hiking

Simply strolling around town looking at all the cute houses every day made me happy!  Walking trails run along the perimeter of the town and down to the beach.  There is even a fun little section with hidden fairy and gnome houses, which kept my five year old occupied for a good chunk of time.

Seabrook is definitely a community where I feel safe letting my older kids (12 and 15) venture out on their own.  Like most teens and pre-teens, they loved having the freedom to explore on their own.

Looking for a little more adventure?  Lake Quinault, in the southwest corner of Olympic National Park, is only 45 minutes away. The area is home to several scenic trails from easy to challenging so you are bound to find something for your family to explore!

Biking in Seabrook

In addition to cruising around town on your bike, Seabrook also has miles of off-road mountain biking trails ranging in difficulty level.  We didn’t get to explore them on this visit, but plan on checking them out next time.

If you don’t have your own bike, try Buck’s NW in Seabrook.  Not only do they have bike rentals, but also have surfboards, paddleboards, kayaks and more.

Playground/Dog Park

For the younger set (or young at heart), Seabrook has a darling playground located in the Farm District. Swings, slides, bars and even a zipline will keep your kids occupied. If your five year old is anything like mine, you could spend half of a day just hanging out at this fun little park.

Right across the street from the playground is a small dog park where your pup can romp off leash and make some new furry friends.

Beach

You can’t visit Seabrook without multiple trips to the beach.  Looking in either direction, the beach appears to be endless! You could spend a good chunk of the day strolling on the water’s edge, making sandcastles, surfing, skimboarding, searching for seashells, or flying a kite.

On the trail to the beach we found a tree swing that my youngest didn’t want to leave.  Once down on the beach we also discovered this cute fort!

Swimming Pool/Fields/Courts

Seabrook currently has an indoor swimming pool, but plans are in the works to build an outdoor pool.  A pickleball court, tennis courts and basketball courts are scattered throughout the town.  Badminton matches can also be played in Crescent Park, next to the indoor pool.

Racquet rentals are available at Buck’s NW if your house is not equipped with extras.

Seasonal activities

Seabrook, Washington also has many seasonal activities to keep you occupied.  As the weather begins to perk up in the spring, the town comes alive with outdoor activities. My youngest two kept busy searching for glass floats each day of our stay.  Clues were sent out via Seabrook’s Instagram stories each morning, and we’d be off racing through town trying to find the float.  We came up empty handed, but had fun trying to solve the clues.

Other spring break activities included Sunday scavenger hunts, Monday magician shows, outdoor yoga, spring concerts, and bonfires in the community fire pits on Wednesday nights.  S’mores and campfires stories included!

Friday nights in the summer, Seabrook hosts sunset concerts with free, live music in Amphitheater Park.  Bring your blanket and lawn chairs and listen to music with a view of the ocean. Saturday markets run every Saturday where you can find art, beauty and wellness products, handcrafted items, produce, and other foods.  And on Saturday mornings you can attend a yoga class in Kucera Park. Downward dog listening to the Pacific Ocean in the background? Yes, please!

Where to Shop

For such a small community, Seabrook, Washington is full of darling boutiques to explore.  Construction is still ongoing in the main area of town, so I expect more shops will pop up soon!

The Red Cedar Surf Co.

The Red Cedar Surf Co. is Seabrook Washington’s own surf shop.  They sell quality brands such as Patagonia, prAna and more.  Boards, wetsuits, swimwear, long boards, rain jackets and sunglasses are just some of what you will find inside.

Brooklets Toys

Brooklets Toys is jam packed full of fun and creative toys for kids of all ages.  My youngest could have spent hours exploring everything in this toy store.  It is a great place to search for gifts too!  My five year old bought the sweetest matching neckleces for her and her bestie back home.

Joie Des Livres: The Joy of Books

This is such a darling bookstore.  Definitely one of my favorites!  In fact I loved it so much I popped in twice in the three days we were there.  Joie Des Livres has maximized its space to the fullest. The first floor is not only packed with books, but also well curated gifts and puzzles.  In the back of the shop is a super cute and cozy kids section for the youngest readers.  Upstairs you will find a great variety of fiction books including lots of fun beach reads.

The owner was super helpful with our questions and very knowledgable about books.  We ended up having a good chat about boys and books, and she told me a little bit about her process for finding good fit books for kids.  My son does not love to read and within 5 minutes of being in her shop had found two books he was asking me to buy.  That NEVER happens!

Seaworthy Home

Seaworthy was one of my favorite shops to browse in Seabrook.  This cute shop on South Meriweather Street sources and sells everything from art to candles to furniture to chandeliers.   You will find just a little bit of everything for your home, and find it hard not to leave with something!

Other shops worth checking out when strolling the streets of Seabrook, Washington:

• Spa Elizabeth  Body treatments, massages, facials and more. Spa Elizabeth also sells natural, organic, beauty products and gifts.
• The Salty Dog  The Salty Dog is filled with fun toys and accessories for dogs, and also stocks food, treats, collars, and leashes. In addition, they sell specialized products you won’t find in most dog stores, like dog treats made locally in Washington state.
• Seabrook Kids Seabrook’s premier colorful logo wear for kids which includes cups, backpacks, t-shirts, and hats.
• Magnolias  This trendy boutique sells clothing, shoes, and accessories for women. Magnolias even allows well behaved pups to shop with their owner.  My daughter took our 5 month old puppy inside when I was still in the bookstore next door.  While I wouldn’t consider him well behaved yet, he managed to shop with her without incident!
• Tides by Seabrook  Similar to Seabrook Kids, but for grownups!  The shelves in Tides by Seabrook are stocked with Seabrook logo wear including women and men’s clothing and accessories, hats, mugs, candles, and sweatshirts.

Are you ready to book your Seabrook, Washington escape yet?  We will definitely be planning a trip back soon.  With the town still expanding and adding new stores and restaurants, I am excited to see what has changed the next time we return!

Where is your favorite beach town?  My family always loves exploring new places!