When it’s time to hit the road and head for the salty ocean air, the scenic drive to Seabrook will feel like it has taken no time at all with our Seabrook road trip essentials! Take a look at the must-haves and must-dos we’ve put together from Seabrook’s homeowners, concierge, team members, and guests!

Picking The Perfect Beachtime Audio

Once everyone is in the car, set the mood with a fun and lively playlist or your favorite podcasts to pass the time in no time! Here are just some of the songs we recommend when you’re on the road to the coast. For the full playlist, check out our Road Trip playlist on Spotify.

• I Wish by Stevie Wonder
• Don’t Go Breaking My Heart by Elton John and Kiki Dee
• Island In The Sun by Weezer
• Everything by Michael Bublé
• Wouldn’t It Be Nice by The Beach Boys

For those with young children, Meredith M., a homeowner, recommends picking up a Toniebox for a screen-free experience that keeps the little ones engaged with stories and songs.

“We love our Toniebox (also great with headphones) for hours of screen-free entertainment on the road,” Meredith says. “Some of our favorites include the National Geographic tonies. You can try out the Toniebox next time you visit Brooklets Toys!”

Other homeowners recommend downloading your preferred music since cell coverage may go down at some points along the drive to Seabrook. Another fun option recommended by Sharyn M., a homeowner, is tuning into the local Grays Harbor radio.

“We always tune in to Sunny 102.1 when we get to Aberdeen,” Sharyn says. “All the songs are familiar to someone and we sing along.”

Plan A Stop For Snacks Or A Tasty Meal

The best part about a vacation is the freedom to meander and shop at your leisure as you head toward your destination. No matter which direction you’re coming from to Seabrook, there are plenty of great pit stops to make along the way to make the most of your drive.

“Trader Joe’s in Olympia is our go-to for each trip,” says Rhonda S., homeowner. “Then I drag Bill [her husband] kicking and screaming to Home Goods for things we don’t need, turn on Sirius XM sports to soothe his nerves, then a stop at Humdinger’s for a burger, fries with fry sauce, and a peanut butter/vanilla milkshake.”

After Rhonda and Bill stop at Humdinger, they have a fun game to play as they hit the home stretch for the beach!

“Before we make a left on Ocean Beach Road, we each choose a number of how many cars will pass us going south on Ocean Beach Road,” Rhonda says. “The person closest to the number of cars wins…the loser has to bring everything into the house by themselves.”

If you want to make it a straight shot for the beach, the Fresh Foods Popup has all of the snacks and fixing for a great getaway menu, from fresh produce to prepared foods and an assortment of beverages.

Seabrookers Restaurant Recommendations On The Way 

• Talking Cedar Brewery in Rochester
• Big Bubba’s Burgers in Allyn
• Encore Chocolates & Tea in Olympia
• Smokehouse BBQ in Olympia
• The Oyster House in Olympia
• Gene’s Stop & Go in Montesano
• Nancy’s Bakery in Hoquiam
• Al’s Hum-Dinger in Hoquiam
• Brunch 101 in Hoquiam
• Deidre’s Deli in Hoquiam

Time Your Arrival Just Right

Seabrook fans time their arrival in a few ways, all with the goal of avoiding the heavy traffic in the metropolitan areas.

For those with young children, Seabrookers recommend waiting out the Friday evening traffic.

“Driving without kids is essentially the best,” jokes Thanh T., homeowner. “But, if you must, it is better to feed kids dinner on Fridays and wait until after traffic. The drive is much faster if you don’t have to stop. For some reason all the fast food drive-throughs have super long waits!”

Another great way to beat the traffic is to spend a long weekend and plan an arrival in Seabrook on a Thursday instead of a Friday and make sure to use the new carpool lanes through Tacoma.

Play Road Trip Games

Road trip games are fun for all party sizes and pass the time quickly. Seabrook’s concierge team has assembled this “Are We There Yet?” questionnaire that you and your whole family can enjoy answering during your drive to the beach.

The Best Seabrook Departure Plans

When the morning comes and it’s sadly time to pack up and go, you can still enjoy a few more hours of time in Seabrook before checkout (or better yet, stay through the day and head home in the evening!).

We recommend stopping by Seabrook Goods & Apparel on Market Street to outfit the family in cozy gear to ride home in, from hoodies to sweatpants or beanies. Consider packing up first thing in the morning and then stopping at Rising Tide or Koko’s for a hearty breakfast. If you’re sticking around a little longer, stop by The Sweet Life one last time for a sweet treat before hopping in the car.

If you need a break to stretch your legs, here are a few recommended stops.

• The Polson Museum in Hoquiam
• The Olympia Farmers Market in Olympia
• Museum of Glass in Tacoma

We’ll See You At The Beach

The road trip to Seabrook is all part of making lasting memories with those you enjoy spending time with the most! Start browsing more than 280 unique vacation rentals and dream up your next stay in Washington’s Beach Town.

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