If you’re looking for the best things to do in Seabrook, WA, you’ve come to the right place. I’ve been three times now, and I’m already trying to figure out when we can go back.
Seabrook is a planned beach town on the central Washington coast, about 2.5 hours from Seattle. It was designed and built from scratch over the last two decades, which means everything looks intentional in a way that’s almost startling the first time you see it. The houses look like they belong on a movie set, the streets are made for walking, and the whole place is built around a beach you can actually use. Half the people I’ve talked to in town make a Truman Show joke within their first hour there. They’re not wrong.
The thing that keeps pulling me back is how easy everything is, especially with kids. They ride their bikes through the neighborhoods without me hovering. The grocery store actually has the things I’d want for a weeknight dinner at the rental. The kitchens in the vacation homes are nice enough that we end up eating in most nights and still feeling like we’re on vacation. And the bonfires on the bluff turn into something I never expected, where you walk between different fire pits and end up meeting other families because everyone’s doing the same thing.
This guide is everything I keep coming back to in Seabrook, across spring, summer, and fall trips. Most of it works for families, but plenty of it works for a couple’s weekend or a girls’ trip too.
If you’re planning a longer Washington coast trip, this pairs well with my things to do in Ocean Shores and things to do in Long Beach guides, too.
1. Walk the Beach
The beach is the whole reason Seabrook exists, and it doesn’t disappoint. The town sits on a small cliff above Pacific Beach, so you have to take a set of stairs (or one of the longer trails) down to the sand, and once you’re down there, it stretches in both directions for as far as you can see. It makes for a perfect Seattle weekend getaway.
I’ve spent entire afternoons here flying kites with the kids, looking for shells, building sandcastles, or just watching them run themselves out. Bring more than you think you need. Chairs, towels, a wagon if you’re hauling kid gear, and layers. Even on warmer summer days, the wind off the Pacific picks up out of nowhere, and you’ll be glad you brought a jacket.
A couple of practical notes worth knowing before you go: the stairs mean it’s not wheelchair accessible. The easiest beach access is from the Town Center bluff or off Gnome Trail, and dogs are welcome.
Seabrook’s beach pairs well with the rest of the Washington coast if you’re road tripping. The Pacific Coast scenic drive connects most of the major beach towns in one stretch.
2. Ride Bikes Around the Town
This is the first thing my kids ask about before every Seabrook trip. The streets are quiet, the bike paths are separate from cars in most places, and the whole town is small enough that they can ride around without me hovering or white-knuckling it.
Most rentals come with bikes for guests, so check with your host before you pack your own. If yours doesn’t, ask the Seabrook concierge at check-in for current rental options. We always grab a town map at check-in, and the kids turn it into a scavenger hunt to find the playgrounds in different districts. That alone has filled up entire afternoons.
The whole town is small enough that you can bike from one end to the other in 10 to 15 minutes, including a stop at the Town Center for ice cream or coffee.
3. Hike the Gnome Trail and Forest Paths
The Gnome Trail is one of the things that makes Seabrook feel like a slightly enchanted version of a beach town. It’s a short forest trail in the Mill District, where we’ve stayed twice (basically out our front door), and locals have placed dozens of tiny painted gnomes throughout the trees and along the path. The kids spend the whole hike spotting them and getting weirdly competitive about who saw which one first.
Past the Gnome Trail, there are several easy forest paths that wind through the Sitka spruce on the inland side of town and connect to the beach access points. None of them are difficult. They’re more for stretching your legs after a big rental-house breakfast than serious hiking. If you want a real hike, head 45 minutes north to the Quinault Rainforest, which I’ve covered at #14.
Closed-toe shoes are a good call. The trails get muddy after rain, which on the Washington coast is most of the time.
Where to Stay in Seabrook
Seabrook is built around vacation rentals rather than hotels, and most of the homes are bookable directly through SeabrookWA.com or on VRBO. We’ve stayed at this cozy home on our first trip, and on a later trip with my parents, we booked this larger home that fit the whole family. You can also browse all Seabrook rentals on VRBO to compare.
4. Roast Marshmallows at a Beach Bonfire
The fire pits are my favorite part of Seabrook. The town has 15 community fire pits scattered through the neighborhoods, all stocked with complimentary firewood, and they get lit most evenings when the weather cooperates. We always bring marshmallows and skewers, and the kids run between different fire pits, meeting other families.
The unspoken rule is that everyone shares. If you walk up to a fire pit with kids, you’re going to get pulled into a conversation with another family within five minutes. It’s the most community-feeling thing about Seabrook, and on a clear evening with the sun setting over the Pacific, I’m reminded why we keep coming back.
If you want a fire actually on the beach, that’s allowed too, with a few rules (100 feet from dune grass, attended at all times, fully out before you leave). Seabrook also offers a Sunset Bonfire package mid-May through September that includes chairs, a Solo Stove, and firewood at the Elk Creek access if you want it set up for you.
5. Catch a Friday Night Summer Concert
Seabrook hosts a Sunset Concert Series every Friday night from May through September in the Town Center, and even though I haven’t made it to one yet, I’ve walked past them on summer evenings, and the energy is exactly what you’d hope for. People bring blankets, picnic dinners, and full charcuterie setups. The kids run around in the grass while the adults actually get to relax with a glass of wine.
If you’re visiting in June through August, plan your trip around a Friday so you don’t miss it. The Town Center pulls in a real crowd for these, but Seabrook’s small enough that “crowded” still means you can find a spot on the lawn.
I’m finally putting it on the must-do list for my next visit.
6. Swim at the Indoor and Outdoor Pools
Seabrook has both indoor and outdoor heated pools, which are included with most rental stays, and this is one of the reasons we book Seabrook over other Washington coast towns. On a rainy spring afternoon, the indoor pool has saved more than one from a total trip into stir-craziness. On a sunny day, the outdoor pool is exactly what you want after a windy beach morning. My kids look forward to the pools every trip, and we tend to go every day we’re there.
Both pools are clean, well-maintained, and rarely crowded enough to feel like a public pool, which I don’t say lightly. Bring goggles for the kids if they like to dive for things, and pool toys if your rental doesn’t have any.
7. Make Candles at Lorraine’s Candle Studio
I didn’t expect candle-making to be a highlight, but I picked my own scents, poured my own wax, and walked out later with candles I actually wanted to bring home. The studio is small and hands-on, and the staff walks you through every step.
Reservations book up fast in summer, so book as soon as you finalize your trip dates. Each session takes about 60 to 90 minutes, depending on how indecisive everyone in your group is about scent combinations. The cost is reasonable for the experience, and you walk away with something you actually use.
8. Play Games at the Seabrook Arcade
The arcade on Front Street is one of those places I assumed we’d pop into for 15 minutes and leave. Instead, my kids have dragged us back twice. It’s an 80s-retro setup with classic arcade games, ski-ball, basketball, and the whole vibe. We always end up playing ski-ball as a family.
My favorite memory from this place is when my oldest challenged my dad to a game of basketball during one of our trips. I loved watching them be competitive with each other.
You can buy a game card at the front. The arcade is open most days, but check current hours, especially in shoulder season when things scale back.
9. Shop the Town Center
Seabrook’s Town Center is small, but we end up there most days. A few of our regular stops:
Seabrook Goods is the spot for branded gear. I’ve bought Seabrook sweatshirts for the whole family, and we still wear them constantly, even when we’re not in town. They’re soft, well-made, and they last.
Brooklets Toys is dangerous if you’re traveling with kids. My kids have walked out with everything from picture books to a small garbage truck that’s somehow still in heavy rotation at home. The owners curate it well, so you don’t get a wall of plastic junk; you get actually nice toys.
There’s also a clothing boutique with coastal-style women’s pieces, and a few rotating shops. Joie Des Livres (the bookstore) deserves its own entry below. The stores here reminded me of the ones in Poulsbo – small, local ones where the owners are often there to chat with you.
10. Buy a Book at Joie Des Livres
If you only stop in one shop in Seabrook, make it Joie Des Livres. It’s a small but well-stocked bookstore in the Town Center with everything from new fiction and travel writing to a really thoughtful kids’ section. We always buy at least one good-quality kids’ book on each trip to encourage the kids to keep reading at home, and I’ve never left empty-handed myself. My kids love the little reading nook, as shown above.
The owners curate it like they actually read the books, which sounds obvious but isn’t always true at small bookstores. Recommendations on the shelves are handwritten. The kids’ section is at kid-eye-level, which means my kids actually browse instead of waiting for me.
11. Grab Coffee and Pastries at Vista Bakeshop
Vista Bakeshop is our morning spot. There’s a sit-down area we’ve used on rainy mornings, especially during our first November trip when we needed somewhere warm and slow to start the day. But the walk-up window is more our speed. You order, you walk around the Town Center while you wait, and by the time you’ve made it back, the coffee and pastries are ready.
I don’t remember everything we’ve ordered there, but the bagels are good, the pastries rotate seasonally, and the coffee actually tastes like coffee, which is a low bar that surprisingly many small-town bakeries fail to clear.
Get there early in summer. The line gets long after 9 am.
12. Order Margaritas and Enchiladas at Koko’s
Koko’s is the restaurant to go to in Seabrook. It’s such a popular spot that it got an upgraded, larger location this year, which says everything you need to know about how much locals and visitors love it.
My order is locked in: jalapeño margarita and the poblano-cashew enchiladas. The margarita has actual jalapeño heat, not just a sad jalapeño slice as garnish, and the enchiladas are rich and creamy in a way that ruins other enchiladas for you. They also have a more traditional vegetarian enchilada with bell peppers, corn, and mozzarella if cashew sauce isn’t your thing.
Make a reservation. I cannot stress this enough. We learned this the hard way on our first trip, when we walked up at 5 pm on a Friday, assuming a small-town restaurant would have a table, only to find they had no openings for the rest of the night. On weekends and in summer, book as soon as you finalize your trip dates. The patio is the move on a clear evening.
13. Cool Off with Ice Cream at The Sweet Life
My kids were thrilled to see an ice cream stop right when we checked into town. The Sweet Life sits in the Town Center, and we’ve made it part of pretty much every trip since. My kids go straight for the vanilla every time (they’re loyalists), and I always get mint chocolate chip.
We usually walk out with cones and eat them while watching the kids run around the green space across from the shop. The line forms around the corner on summer evenings, but it moves fast, and the portions are exactly right for kids without turning into a sugar disaster. They also have tons of candy, so I always make sure to get some chocolate to take home.
14. Drive to the Quinault Rainforest for the Day
If you have a day to spare, drive 45 minutes north to the Quinault Rainforest. It’s one of the four temperate rainforests in Washington and the closest one to Seabrook by a long shot. I did the Hall of Mosses trail for the first time on a rainy fall day, and it was as otherworldly as everyone says. Mossy trees, soft light filtering through the canopy, and a quiet you don’t get on most Washington trails.
It doesn’t hurt that you’re not too far from Forks, the town the Twilight series is based on, which adds to the moody atmosphere.
Lake Quinault Lodge is a worthwhile stop even if you’re not staying there. Get a coffee, sit on the lawn looking out at the lake, and pretend you live there for an hour.
Wear waterproof layers and shoes. It’s a rainforest. It rains.
If you have more than a day, the Quinault Rainforest also makes a great stop on a longer Olympic Peninsula road trip or a day trip to Olympic National Park from Seattle.
Things to Do in Seabrook FAQ
How far is Seabrook from Seattle?
Seabrook is about a 2.5-hour drive from Seattle, depending on traffic getting through Tacoma and Olympia. Take I-5 south to Olympia, then Highway 8 west, and follow Highway 109 up the coast. The drive is part of the experience once you hit the coastal stretch.
What is the best time of year to visit Seabrook?
Summer (June through September) is the most popular and the warmest, with the Friday night concert series and the lowest chance of rain. But I’ve had great trips in spring and fall too. Spring brings flowers and quieter beaches. Fall has dramatic Pacific weather and razor clam digging season starts. Winter is for storm watching and rentals are cheaper.
Is Seabrook good for families with kids?
Seabrook is one of the best family-friendly beach towns I’ve been to in Washington. The streets are quiet enough that kids can ride bikes without you hovering, the rentals have full kitchens, the beach is safe and uncrowded, and there are pools, playgrounds, an arcade, and candle-making for rainy days. We’ve taken our kids three times and they ask to come back every time.
How long should you stay in Seabrook?
Three to four nights is the sweet spot. Two nights feels rushed because you don’t really settle in. Four nights gives you time for a Quinault Rainforest day trip, a few beach mornings, and at least one truly lazy day at the rental.
Are there restaurants in Seabrook?
Yes, more than you’d expect for a town this size. Koko’s is the standout for sit-down dinner. Vista Bakeshop covers breakfast and coffee. The Sweet Life handles ice cream. There are a handful of other casual spots in the Town Center, but most rentals also have full kitchens, and the grocery store stocks enough that we end up cooking in most nights.
What is there to do in Seabrook when it rains?
Plenty. Make candles at Lorraine’s Candle Studio, grab a book at Joie Des Livres and read by the fire at your rental, swim at the indoor heated pool, play games at the Seabrook Arcade, or take a moody rainforest day trip to Quinault. Rain is part of the Washington coast experience, and Seabrook is built for it.
Is Seabrook worth visiting?
If you’re looking for a relaxed, family-friendly Washington beach town with good food, walkable streets, and a beach you can actually use, yes. Seabrook is worth visiting. I’ve been three times and I’m already planning the next one.
Ready to Book Your Seabrook Trip?
Seabrook only has vacation rentals (no hotels), and they book out fast for summer weekends and holidays. The two homes I’ve personally stayed in are this cozy home from our first trip and this larger home that fit the whole family from a later trip with my parents. You can also book directly through SeabrookWA.com or browse all Seabrook rentals on VRBO to compare prices and dates.
That’s everything I’d put on the list of best things to do in Seabrook, WA. After three trips with my family, I’m already trying to figure out when we can go back. If you want to expand the trip into a longer Washington coast itinerary, this guide pairs well with my small towns in Washington roundup, since Seabrook is one of my favorites on that list.
