A road trip along the Oregon Coast provides ample opportunity to explore coastal towns, walk the beaches in search of that perfect sand dollar or sunset, and hike through one of the state parks located along Highway 101. The Thousand Trails Seaside RV Resort provides tent camping along the Oregon Coast within close proximity to the Pacific Ocean in the small, historic town of Seaside, Oregon.
Tent Camping in Seaside, Oregon
Tent Camping in Seaside, OregonWhen my husband and I visited Oregon a few weeks ago, I wanted to spend as much time as possible near the beach. While I don’t really enjoy swimming in the water, since I was a little girl I’ve found the sound of the waves against the shore and feel of the sand beneath my toes soothing. We wouldn’t be in Oregon long, as we were passing through on our way to California, but I made the most of it and booked two nights at Thousand Trails RV resorts.
The first, Seaside RV Resort, is located a short distance from Cannon Beach Oregon, filming site of the Goonies, one of my favorite childhood movies, and location for one of a handful of haystack rocks located in Oregon.
Seaside is exactly how I imagined it to be and I could not wait to pitch our tent and head out to explore. I had already regretted my decision to reserve another campsite several hours south of Seaside for the following evening. I knew I wouldn’t have enough time to give Seaside the attention it deserved.
We were greeted at the gated entrance of the Seaside RV Resort, a Thousand Trails campground, by Ranger Tom. He was extremely friendly and his warm demeanor and welcome reminded me what I liked about camping- the people. He made us feel right at home as he explained the campground procedures, went over the map with us and directed us to the tent camping area. Yep. That’s right. We had our own area.
We quickly drove to the north side of the park, which is divided from the south side by a public road, and followed the map to the tent sites which are located near the basketball courts and building that houses the indoor pool and recreation center. There were only two other tents set up so we had plenty of spots to choose from. I was a bit disappointed that we weren’t real close to a bath house, but there were port-a-pots directly across from the tent sites if needed. And showers and restrooms really weren’t a far walk away.
Exploring the Beach in Seaside, Oregon
We pitched our Coleman pop-up tent in ten seconds flat, set up our cook stove and ate a hasty dinner before cleaning up our site and heading directly to the beach. We were only about 3 miles from the beach and easily found public parking.
When we stepped out of the car, we felt the chill of dropping temperatures combined with the waves coming off the ocean. I was glad that we hadn’t unpacked our clothes as both my husband and I found sweatshirts to slip on before slipping off our shoes and beginning down the trail to the beach.
The beach was large and uncrowded. I breathed in the ocean air and gazed down the horizon and reveled in the moment. Thinking it had been too long since I’d walked on a beach (when in reality, it had only been a few months’ time). My husband soon tired and suggested we return to the campground and call it a day. I agreed after he promised we would return for a sunrise walk along the shore before heading further down the Oregon Coast.
Back at Thousand Trails Campground
Back at the campsite, we parked in the parking area by the basketball court and walked the short distance to our tent before climbing inside and zipping up for the night. While we could park at our site while we were loading and unloading, vehicles are not permitted at the tent site. Neither my husband or I liked this, as there has been more than one occasion in the past when we’ve been forced to exit the tent to sleep in our vehicle due to weather or pesky critters. The campground was pleasantly quiet and after falling asleep, I awoke only to snuggle closer to my husband as the night chill crept into the tent.
We were awakened by the sound of a ball thumping against the pavement and realized that someone had gotten up early to play tennis. Wasting no time, we made our way to the bath house to shower and get ready for the day. The Thousand Trails showers were extremely clean, which I appreciated and the hot shower felt good against my slight aches and pains. Sleeping on an air mattress is not as comfortable in my 40’s as it was in my 30’s.
The Thousand Trails Seaside RV Resort offers plenty of activities for families. With the indoor pool, game room, clubhouse with TV and free Wi-Fi access, a playground, horseshoe pit, fire pit, bike trail or walking trail and planned activities, you’ll find plenty to keep the kids (and adults) of all ages occupied. Seaside offers beach access, fishing, clamming, roadside attractions and plenty of history as the end of the trail for Lewis and Clark.
The Seaside RV Resort provides space for tent camping and RV’s. A limited number of cabins are available for those that like the idea of camping, but don’t have an RV or want to sleep in a tent.
The Seaside RV Resort is located at 1703 12th Avenue Seaside, Oregon.
About Thousand Trails
Thousand Trails members purchase memberships that entitle them to stay at RV resorts that participate in the Thousand Trails network.. The US is broken down into five different zones- Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Northwest and Southwest. Each Zone includes 13-23 Thousand Trails campgrounds that provide year-round access to some of the best camping destinations in the U.S. and British Columbia. Each zone is sold as a separate membership. The memberships offers 30 days of camping per year at no charge and after that, guests pay the low daily usage fee of $3. Guests are permitted to stay at the same campground for up to 14 consecutive days at a time. This membership is ideal for full-time RVers or families, couples, and individuals who camp frequently. Learn more about Thousand Trails and their membership opportunities at the website.
Do you tent camp? What is the most memorable place you’ve ever pitched a tent?
