Looking for a beach town near Seattle for a weekend getaway?
If you want to be surrounded by nature while also having access to restaurants and other amenities, you may want to check out Seabrook. A planned town founded in 2004, Seabrook describes itself as “a walkable beach town seamlessly woven into nature.” The town’s walkability is definitely a big selling point for Seattleites who are tired of sitting in traffic, as well as for families with young children. We recently explored Seabrook on an early spring weekend and came back with some tips for making the most of your visit there.
Read on for everything you need to know about visiting Seabrook, WA!
Getting there
Seabrook is an easy drive from Seattle. You can typically get there in under three hours on I-5, depending on traffic. You’ll definitely want to plan for the weekend traffic situation when going out of or into the Seattle-Tacoma area.
If you’re flying into the area, there is now an airport shuttle that can take you from Sea-Tac Airport directly to Seabrook and back. Since Seabrook is so walkable, you won’t need to rent a car for your stay.
Where to stay
Although there are full-time residents living in the town, Seabrook is known for having over 250 vacation rentals available year-round. You can filter your search to find rentals that are dog-friendly, that have a hot tub, are close to the beach, and other preferences. Hot tip: Weekend rentals are the most expensive, so know that you’ll get a lower rate if you book Sunday through Thursday.
Where to eat
Seabrook has a wide variety of dining options, from a pizza joint to a wine bar. If you’re looking for the best place to have dinner in Seabrook, our top restaurant recommendation is Koko’s Restaurant. Koko’s is a casual Mexican restaurant with a gorgeous ocean view from the patio and extremely friendly, welcoming service. The food at Koko’s was also the best we had while in town. (Luckily, they also have a Seattle location in Capitol Hill!) Hot tip: be sure to make a reservation in advance.
There are dessert spots and coffee shops in Seabrook as well. Sweet Life serves up ice cream as well as candy and other sweet treats every day starting at noon. We also recommend Vista Bakeshop for your latte and pastry fix in the morning.
If you prefer to do your own cooking or just need to stock up on some vacation snacks, Seabrook also has a large two-story grocery store in the town center. The Fresh Foods Market is open from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. every day.
Things to do
There is a surprising amount of things to do in the small town of Seabrook.
One of the best things Seabrook has to offer is a wide variety of outdoor recreation. The town sits right on the Washington coast, so you can easily walk or bike from your house for a stroll along the sandy beach. The Pacific Ocean may be a tad frigid, but the rugged beauty of the PNW coastline is unmatched. And when you’ve had enough beach time, Seabrook has an entire network of easy to moderate forest trails for hikes and even mountain biking. Plus you can make use of the heated community pools and the outdoor courts for basketball, pickleball, and tennis.
If it’s raining during your stay, you’ll find things to do indoors as well. Seabrook has some cute boutiques for shopping. You could pick up a beach read at the family-owned Joie Des Livres bookstore, make a custom candle at Lorraine’s Candle Studio, or browse one of the town’s home goods or clothing boutiques. There is also a spa and a fitness center so you can focus on self-care.
If you’re looking for kid-friendly things to do in Seabrook, you’ll find that the town is very family-centered. There’s a toy store, an 80s-style arcade, two playgrounds, and whimsical activities such as building gnome houses along the town’s Gnome Trail.
Finally, the town regularly organizes community events. Year-round events include a regular town tour and a visiting author series. They also have annual events such as Halloweekend, a Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, Springfest with Easter bunny photos, a Mother’s Day tea, a summer concert series, and the Seabrook Pride Celebration. To see what’s happening during your visit, check out upcoming town events here.
About Seabrook’s history
Seabrook was founded in 2004 by Laura and Casey Roloff. It was inspired by towns like Seaside, FL. Both towns are examples of new urbanism, which places a strong emphasis on walkable neighborhoods and environmental sustainability.
You can visit the town website for more information, including vacation rental listings, or follow along on Instagram for updates.