30 Apr Wanderings: Seabrook, Washington

Set on a bluff above the Pacific Ocean, Seabrookfeels so magical people say it resembles a Hollywood movie set. The Washington beach town brims with cottages awash in robin’s egg blue, minty green, and butter yellow hues. Retreats dubbed “Whim-Sea” and “Tide Together” greet guests as they meander paths laden with crushed oyster shells. It is a world of wraparound porches and Adirondack chairs. Lots and lots of Adirondack chairs.

Ironically, as charming as Seabrook is, less than five percent of Washington residents have ever visited, and the destination is over 20 years old.

Guests can razor clam, paddle board, and surf at Mocrocks Beach. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

Casey Roloff, Seabrook founder and CEO, surmises that the lack of recognition could be due to image. “Even people living in Seattle have been driving past this exit for 100 years to go to Cannon Beach, Oregon. It’s hard to change travel patterns,” he explains. “Once we get them coming here, they return. Over 80 percent of them do.”

The resort community, two hours and 25 minutes west of Sea-Tac International Airport, seems to be Washington’s best-kept secret.

Come nightfall, stroll through Town Center and peer into boutique windows. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

In 2004, husband-and-wife developers Casey and Laura Roloff ceremonially broke ground on a neglected clearcut forest in Grays Harbor County, one of the most economically depressed regions in the state. They started with 250 acres, and with expansion in mind, now own 730 which is larger than Carmel-by-the-Sea, California. Approximately 60 percent of the property is set aside permanently, conserved as green space so trees and wildlife can thrive.

Today, the dream of creating their own town where they could live and raise four daughters is coming true. More than 600 residences and 30-plus parks have been completed with more to come. Most dwellings are vacation rentals with fewer than 15 percent occupied by full-time residents. Like a proud father, Casey says, beaming, “Every little house looks like it could be on a postcard.”

At the Gnome Trail you can deposit a gift at a gnome dwelling found beneath tree roots. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

Seabrook’s nine “micro-neighborhoods” feature distinct landmarks such as gazebos and ancient tree stumps. Its architectural style, Pacific Northwest vernacular, embraces cedar shingles that will gray out, Victorian verandas, and Craftsmen-style tapered columns. Seabrook was designed for human connection that is accomplished, Roloff explains, through details such as front porches with garages in the back to make the streetscape more engaging for pedestrians and cyclists.

Observe sea critters up close during low tide. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

Seabrook links urban and natural environments as seamlessly as possible. Alleys, unexpected staircases, and forest paths weave in and out of neighborhoods. Of note is the Gnome Trail where little explorers contribute pine cones and bird feathers to the teensy abodes nestled among tree roots.

Back in the late ’90s, the Roloffs embarked on a research trip to determine what type of coastal town they could build. They fell in love with Seaside, Florida, one of the first master-planned communities adopting New Urbanism ideals emphasizing walkability to shopping, dining, and everyday services. It made complete sense.

A pink sunset blankets Seabrook, connecting nature with urban living. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

Today, Seabrook is the first beach town on the West Coast adhering to the New Urbanism principles. Every nook and cranny is pedestrian friendly. Streets are narrow, causing cars to slow way, way down. Amenities are within a five- or 10-minute walk: Amble to Fresh Foods Market. Stroll to Koko’s Mexican Restaurant and Tequila Bar. Skip to Joie des Livres bookstore.

As Casey the visionary sees it, Seabrook is one big living canvas, and the town is the artwork, which is as massive as you can get. “Urban planning is the highest form of art there is,” he proclaims while leading a neighborhood tour. “You think about Paris or any great city. It starts with a beautiful city before you have the artists and the museums and places to show off the art.”

Artist Kathleen Adams Olsen leads fiber and dye workshops at her Seabrook home studio. Photo courtesy of Kathleen Olsen

From selecting the Seabrook typeface to vetting restaurants and retailers, each decision is a deliberate choice to maximize an experience people will relish. At the Town Center, sidewalks are extra wide with foliage and blooms clustered in small plots. Brooklets Toys, Pondr men’s clothing, and Stowaway Wine Bar post attractive signage. Benches and the ever-present Adirondack chair invite folks to pause.   

At the apex of Market Street, community events are held at Town Hall, most recognizable for its bell tower and church-like facade.

Meanwhile, Seabrook hospitality experts ensure plenty of activities are afoot. Concierge service includes everything from pickleball reservations to group mushroom foraging. In the summer, musicians perform weekly. Autumn brings forth pumpkin carving contests. During holidays, all hunt for glass floats during the Winter Glass Float Find.

Receive a free Seabrook baseball cap and absorb the tenets of New Urbanism during the official Seabrook Town Tour held several times a week. Docents also tell how the Roloffs started off painting houses and building custom properties before curating the coastal empire.

The Roloffs are developing two adjacent communities: Maker’s Village with experiential retail and Pacific Grove Village with an upscale hotel and Michelin-starred dining. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

This year the Roloffs’ Seabrook Land Company will sell residences in the new Makers Village, another phase of the development. The goal is to provide a base of experiential retail with glass blowing, jewelry-making, pottery throwing, and more.

Meanwhile, art lovers can come to Seabrook to acquire new skills. Learn how to use plants and flowers as natural dyes at Water’s Edge Fiber & Dye. Textile artist and resident Kathleen Adams Olsen offers classes from her home studio. One workshop has students gathering fauna and flora on a trail just outside.

At nearby Mocrocks Beach, adventurers can go razor clamming with a guide from Pacific Edge Adventures. Razor clams are unique to the Pacific Northwest. Once you capture your allotment, you can cook them right on the sand.

On a rainy day, pour your own scented candle at Lorraine’s Candle Studio. And, don’t feel guilty if you want to hunker down inside your rental. Relaxing in one of these dwellings is like luxuriating in a model home. At “Play Among the Stars,” the décor features galaxies, toy astronauts, and books about the cosmos. The three-story home comes with a heated deck for sunset viewing and an elevator to haul up groceries and luggage.

The three-story “Play Among the Stars” rental includes an elevator to help with luggage and groceries, a motorized desk, and deck heaters so visitors can comfortably view the ocean. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

In this slice of Americana, the park mural with face cutouts is truly corny, but folks still huddle in for photos. Blocks away, crowds queue up for selfies on the giant Adirondack chair. And yes, kids ride their bikes unchaperoned as parents grab a fresh Vista Bakeshop croissant.

Critics charge that Seabrook feels too scripted and lacks authenticity. Others call it artificial. Recent tourists, however, share positive reviews. “Walking around, there were plenty of people sitting on their front porch talking, drinking coffee, and just enjoying the ocean air,” says Steve Chinn of Millbrae, California. “It’s truly a self-contained community. Once you get there, the next time you drive would be to head home.”

The majority of full-timers were Seabrook vacationers. Textile artist Olsen has no regrets about becoming a resident. Being close to nature is worth making long drives to the nearest Costco. Says Olsen, “We just make a day of it when we have to run our errands.”

The negatives and the positives, Roloff has heard it all. “Every town once had a beginning and started with one house, one shop, one restaurant. When Monterey, California, began more than 100 years ago, people also criticized and had all sorts of questions.” One affirming note is the fact that in 2023, Seabrook won the Urban Guild Award from the Congress for New Urbanism. It was hailed as a stellar example of walkable, mixed-use, sustainable design that preserves the character of the coast.

Ten cottages in the Beach Camp enclave all face the community fire pit. Photo courtesy of Seabrook

Stephen Poulakos, director of town planning, adds that prior to building, the executive team scoured waterfront destinations such as Port Townsend and Friday Harbor. They incorporated classic features such as enclosed glass porches that hearken to regional history. “What we have seen in Washington is a lot of downtrodden towns that have seen better days,” Poulakos says. “That is why Seabrook is really changing everyone’s mindset.”   

Passing a community garden, Roloff waves and chats with residents. And stopping on Meriweather Street, he shares one more thought: “Another thing we hear from visitors all the time: ‘How come everybody’s smiling? How come everybody seems so happy?’ Well, we are a product of our built environment. When you’re surrounded by buildings and blocks and public spaces that are beautiful, you feel good. We wouldn’t have gotten into this business if we didn’t want to make people happy.”

Kathy Chin Leong is an award-winning journalist with works published in The New York Times, National Geographic Books, and many other publications. She lives in Sunnyvale, California with her husband Frank and daughter Gwen.

If you go…

Activities

Lorraine’s Candle Studio
360.276.6588; lorrainescandles.com

Seabrook Town Tour
360.276.0265; seabrookwa.com

Pacific Edge Adventures
360.276.1060; pacificedgeadventures.com

Water’s Edge Fiber & Dye
805.403.9556; watersedgefiberanddye.com

Food

Koko’s Restaurant & Tequila Bar
360.276.1090; kokos-restaurant.com

Stowaway Wine Bar
360.276.1091; stowawaywinebar.com

Vista Bakeshop
vistabakeshop.com

Lodging

Seabrook Vacation Rentals
877.779.9990; seabrookwa.com

Retail

Brooklets Toys
360.276.6120; seabrookwa.com

Fresh Foods Market
360.276.6842; freshfoodsmarketplace.com

Joie des Livres Books
206.940.8681; seabrookwa.com

Pondr
360.402.4506; pondrpnw.com