Seaside, Oregon is a great spot for a family weekend getaway. Just a 90 minute scenic drive from Portland, Seaside really has something for everyone. Of course the beach is probably the biggest draw for kids young and old, but one of Seaside’s “charming” characteristics is the tendency for rain to find its way there at any time of the year.
Most summer mornings have dense fog with at least a little drizzle. This makes the beach a little less appealing as visitors search for things to do inside. Luckily, there are plenty of indoor activities for families to enjoy in Seaside, Oregon. Don’t let the threat of rain keep you from enjoying this fun spot on the Oregon coast.
Here are just a few indoor family activities that make Seaside, Oregon the perfect place for families to visit in rain or shine.
Funland
Funland is the arcade, located on the corner of Broadway and South Columbia. Funland has plenty of pinball, a wall full of skee ball, a huge selection of arcade games, and even lots of fun quarter ride on machines like a small carousel, a galloping horse and racing car. There is also one carnival-type race game where players compete against each other for cheap stuffed animals.
Lots of the games give out tickets based on points earned, and the tickets can be turned in for the most exciting, junky prizes. Funland is a natural draw for kids, but parents can have fun too playing against each other on the free throw basketball game or Dance Dance Revolution.
Funland includes a pizza restaurant so if your kids just don’t want to leave, you can get lunch or dinner with out having to leave.
Seaside Carousel
Seaside has a fun, indoor carousel, conveniently located inside the Carousel Mall on Broadway. The completely indoor carousel allows riders to stay dry in all kinds of weather. The cost of the ride recently rose from one to two dollars, but the ride is long enough to be worth it. The full-sized carousel was made by the Barango company and each animal is a careful reproduction of original carousel animals from the San Francisco Carousel museum.
Under the Big Top Toys
The line is usually not too long and it moves pretty quickly. However, if the line gets too long, simply head over to Under the Big Top Toys, a fabulous toy store with a great variety toys for every age. Kids will have fun playing with the wooden train display or simply browsing everything from puppets and games to educational toys and books.
Bumper Cars
The Bumper Cars will offer a little more action than the serene carousel and are also located indoors. The Bumper Cars are also located on Broadway, less than half a block from the beach. Kids will love jamming into their parents, and maybe a few parents will enjoy bumping into their kids on the Seaside bumper cars.
Mini Golf
Next to the bumper cars is a pretty small scale mini golf course. Although it’s small, it is completely indoors and may be another great activity to stay busy while waiting for the rain to stop. Finally, there is also a Tilt-a-Whirl in the same area. Each of these activities hardly ever has long lines, even in the busy summer months and is a fun family activity in Seaside, Oregon.
True Oregonians are hardly bothered by a little rain and it takes more than a drizzle to ruin a day at the beach. But on the occasions where the rain comes down a little more seriously, Seaside has plenty of entertaining ways to stay dry. So don’t let a rainy forecast keep you from the beach.
