Quaint Victorian Inn Steps from Pacific Ocean
In 1892, an enterprising Frenchman named Alexandre Gilbert built a charming Queen Anne–style Victorian house just 300 feet from the ocean in Seaside, Oregon. Constructed from old-growth timber harvested from the area's douglas firs, the building served as the home for a man whose life had included a wide range of professions: saloon owner, hotelier, real-estate developer, and even town mayor. Today, his former home is known as The Gilbert Inn, and several of his belongings are still on display. Visitors can step onto Gilbert’s collection of Persian rugs at the entrance and listen for the chimes from his antique clock that sits on the mantel.
Every afternoon, the scent of freshly baked cookies wafts from the kitchen. You're welcome to enjoy as many as you'd like while hanging out in the living room or on the enclosed sun porch. The inn's no-children policy encourages a calmness that suits its antique character, allowing adults to construct elaborate pillow forts in peace.
Guest rooms are decorated in Victorian fashion, but free WiFi, flat-screen TVs, and other modern flourishes are here too. In Andrew's room, a pair of lace-draped end tables bookend an iron- and brass-framed queen bed. Emma's room houses a cherry-wood four-poster bed surrounded by walls of douglas fir.
Seaside, Oregon: Coastal Beauty Surrounding Historic Village
A block away from the hotel, a bronze Lewis and Clark statue faces the Pacific Ocean at the historic Seaside Turnaround—the place where the duo are thought to have turned back for home at the end of their epic westward trek. Today, there’s a 1.5-mile oceanfront promenade stretching along the beach, dotted with shops and restaurants.
The Seaside Aquarium, accessible from the promenade, has been in continuous operation for 75 years. Among its residents are a crowd-pleasing group of gregarious seals. A few miles south of town lies the rainforest-covered Tillamook Head, a promontory point that towers over the ocean breakers, drawing hikers to its summit for views of the craggy coastline.
Read the Fine Print for important info on travel dates and other restrictions.
