Oregon

Seaside

Seventeen miles down the coast from Astoria, SEASIDE is an endearingly tacky family resort, with a long sandy beach paralleled by a concrete walkway known as The Prom. It was here that every member of the Lewis and Clark expedition had to take a tedious turn boiling down seawater to make salt – vital to preserve meat for the return journey. The reconstructed salt works – a few boulders and pans – are located near the south end of the Prom and there’s a commemorative statue of Lewis and Clark halfway along The Prom at the Turnaround traffic circle.
The most expensive places to stay are those along The Prom, such as the Shilo Inn Oceanfront, 30 N Prom (tel 503/738-9571 or 1-800/222-2244; $80–100). Further from the ocean, the Riverside Inn, 430 S Holladay Drive (tel 503/738-8254 or 1-800/826-6151; $45–60), officially a B&B, is a good cut above the average motel; the Mariner Motel, 429 S Holladay Drive (tel 503/738-3690; $30–45), next door, is less expensive. There’s also the HI-Seaside Hostel, 930 N Holladay Drive (tel 503/738-7911; up to $30), just four blocks from the ocean. Places to shop and eat are concentrated along Broadway, which meets The Prom at the Turnaround. Seaside is on the once-daily Pierce Pacific Stages (tel 503/338-6757) bus route south from Astoria. The visitor center is at 7 N Roosevelt Ave (tel 503/738-6391 or 1-800/444-6740).