Beach town reopens for reservations with new rules

SEABROOK, Wash. — The charming oceanfront town of Seabrook is once again open for travel.

"We've got a lot of space, it's really just people following the guidelines,” said Casey Roloff, Seabrook owner and CEO.

Travel restrictions closed the small coastal community for months. Sidewalks have been empty, and many shops are still shut down.

"It was something unexpected, and it just changed overnight,” said Gibran Moreno, the owner of Koko's Restaurant & Tequila Bar.

Koko's Restaurant is known for scratch-made modern Latin cuisine. The owners are eager to see fresh faces again.

"It will help with business a lot, but also, you know, we need to be careful of not overwhelming and try to keep social distance,” said Moreno.

Seabrook is stepping up safety.

Masks must be worn inside restaurants.

The town has posted some social distancing signs, and more are on the way. They'll also have safety ambassadors walking the streets.

“If they see crowds or groups they'll just respectfully say, ‘Hey, do you guys mind giving other people space?’" said Roloff.

Every rental will be sanitized with an industrial fogger, cleaned and then sanitized again.

Existing reservations will be honored, but new bookings are a seven-night-minimum stay. Roloff said it helps limit the number of people coming in and out of town.

"It also allows our staff to slowly get back into a rhythm because you can't just start and go zero to 100 when you're bringing operations back,” he said.

Community members are excited to welcome guests back to their quaint town again as long as everyone is smart and safe.

"I don't have a problem with 90 percent and above occupancy if our owners and guests are following the guidelines,” said Roloff.

Some areas, like playgrounds and pools, won’t open until phase three of the town’s plan.

For more information on Seabrook’s safety and four phase plan visit their website: https://www.seabrookwa.com/updates-alerts.

© 2020 Cox Media Group