A lovely white-sand beach begins just south of Seaside at the foot of imposing Tillamook Head and stretches north to the mouth of the Columbia River. You can access the beach right below the Turnaround at the end of Broadway in central Seaside or via one of the many paths that lead through the dunes alongside the Prom. This wide, flat, easily walkable stretch of beach is the biggest reason why Seaside is so popular with families. The water’s too cold for swimming, but on warm, sunny days it’s perfect for splashing in up to your knees and the surf rolls in with less force than elsewhere on the coast, so kids can play close to the water. Kite flying and beach cycling are popular pastimes. All over town you’ll find places that rent four-wheeled bicycles, called surreys, and three-wheeled cycles called funcycles for pedaling on the hard-packed sand when the tide is out. Funcycles cost between $10 and $20 an hour to rent; expect to pay between $20 and $30 an hour for multipassenger surreys. One reliable rental shop is Wheel Fun Rentals, Shiloh Inn Waterfront, 30 N. Prom (www.wheelfunrentals.com; [tel] 503/738-8447). They have three other locations around Seaside.