Ahhh the seashore! The sand in your toes, and your pockets, and your hair, and your naughty bits! The smell of the fresh sea air and dead seagulls! The brisk tide and the chill wind! The sunset on Sunset Beach! Hoorah hooray, there is nothing better than a tiny trip to the Oregon Coast. I mean, c’mon, when the roads aren’t under snow or washed out by disastrous mudslides, it’s only two hours awa. That’s pretty darn close, buddy.

But, ohhh yes, you are a Barfly and you must have drink. So, here's some places to drink in our most easily accessible coastal community- Seaside.

I stumbled on (into) these joints over a much needed trip over New Year’s. I was expecting this generally seasonal town to be flat dead over the holiday, but the place was surprisingly active. It was no spring break, but it was plenty raucous, what with the fireworks, drunken idiots running into the sea, champagne on the beach- and that was just me!

My lovely fiancée and found some fine bars. I would highly recommend the lounge at the hilariously named Pudgy’s Broiler and Bar. It’s a cozy hang, with a central, round fireplace, jukebox and great booths. It’s inexpensive as far as booze goes, but I found most drinks in Seaside  reasonably priced compared to Portland. The bartenders at Pudgy’s are very friendly and they don’t mind making an honest to god blended daiquiri. Now, I wouldn’t drink crap like that but, to each their own. Pudgy’s has a kind of mid-seventies coke vibe that is wonderfully enhanced by the locals who drop by when all the other bars in Seaside close. You might get a sidelong glance or two, but that’s what you get for wearing that dumb hairdo, you freaky city slicker.

Next, check out Dundee’s Bar and Grill. This is a fine, down to earth bar and I’m sure it gets insane over spring break, but in the off season, kind bartenders serve stiff drinks to whomever stumbles in from the cold. Shuffleboard, pool, gambling, personal flat screens in your wood booth and pub grub. What more do you need?

Also on this short list: The Beach Club. This place is a wicked dive for serious local pool players. If you are feeling particularly adventurous and don’t mind crashing a local scene, the Beach Club is a nice little smoky place with plenty of beer (to go even). It is not on the radar in any way and, in fact, the only way I can suggest to get to this place is to walk towards the beach on the main street and turn right, at some point, after the river. They were friendly folks and I was mostly ignored by the salty types roughing each other up, good naturedly, around one of the three pool tables crammed into this watering hole. Good times.

There are plenty more bars in Seaside but I was too drunk to get to them- or see them in any reasonable way once I got there.

Take the trip, it’s nice by the sea.