First of all, let me say that most people seem to love Seaside so you probably will too. Unfortunately we happened to be in the minority. I gave Seaside two balls because for us this was a below-average vacation experience.

My husband and I stayed a week in one of the East beachfront cottages in September. First, I'll try to focus on the positives. The cottage was pleasant inside, came with daily maid service, and the deck had a great view and plenty of shade. The beach had lovely white sand and the water was calm and crystal clear. The little grocery had a good deli with items like crab cakes (they really were good) and fancy pastries.
The restaurant Bud and Alley's had a fun upstairs bar. Most guests at Seaside were friendly and well-mannered.

Now for the not so positive. When we first arrived, we were dismayed at the congestion and crowds. In fact, Seaside was the most congested area along Highway 30-A. This is not compatible with quiet and relaxation as touted in Seaside's advertising. Yes, parking was at times an issue (Friday and Saturday). The cottages have assigned parking but it is not always respected. The beachfront and beachside cottages are built on tiny lots and crammed between the dune and 30-A like sardines. This setup felt claustrophobic and was often quite noisy if our neighbors and their children decided to dine outside.

There are numerous restaurants and shops on both sides of 30-A which really give Seaside a tourist trap feel. At no time did I feel that Seaside was a real community with fulltime residents. The residential areas of Seaside seemed to be mostly empty.

The A&E junk fee on all purchases, including rental fees, should be abolished. It's just another tacky way of gouging the tourist. There was a "free" public concert on Saturday night, but I guess it's only free if you're not staying in Seaside. It was a reggae band and no adults were dancing..sigh...

The kitchenette in the beachfront cottage was miserably small, there was nowhere even to put a loaf of bread (no exaggeration). I felt like Barney Fife with his hot plate. This would not have been much of an issue over a weekend, but an entire week of trying to cook with no oven and no counter space got old. It did occur to me that they made the kitchenette like that so tourists would eat out more. Well it worked.

The reason we didn't like Seaside in a nutshell is that it was more noisy and crowded and touristy than we expected.

For the past several years my family has been going to Seaside for spring break. This is definetly not your typical beach town--there are no fast food joints, no high-rises, and no cheap airbrush T-shirts. In fact, you won't find too much in Seaside, which is part of its allure.
The whole town is pretty much self-sustained, even having its own school, post office, local market, and doctor's office all within walking distance of each other. It really is a utopian community, with brick-lined streets, white picket fences, and beautiful, brightly-painted houses. Probably the worst thing about Seaside is the fact that hardly any of the town is waterfront; everyone usually bikes or walks to the beach. However, this short stroll is pleasant, and I certainly prefer having to bike a few minutes to the beach than be swallowed up by ugly, tower-like highrises. I would recommend Seaside to the stylish vacationer who is looking for something different and unique.