The Maine Beaches

Up and down Maine’s southern coast are quintessential beach communities and 30 miles of dazzling white sand. Lighthouses dot the shore; luxury resorts and inns share stunning views with beachfront cottages and lobster shacks. And recreation abounds, from swimming, surfing and sailing, to kayaking, hiking, biking and golf. Bird watchers, art lovers and seafood connoisseurs find many reasons to return, year after year.

Kittery, Maine’s oldest settlement, offers shoppers more than 120 outlets along Route 1. But don’t miss old Kittery’s cobblestone streets, historic architecture, quaint pubs and antique shops. Enjoy the beautiful sandy beaches and stunning Atlantic Ocean views.

York is America’s oldest chartered city. Enjoy miles of beautiful beaches, food, shopping and outdoor fun. Leave time for the Museums of Old York and the Old Gaol—the nation’s oldest jailhouse—and picturesque Cape Neddick “Nubble” Light.

South Berwick on the Piscataqua River is home to historic homes such as the Sarah Orne Jewett House. Try the local wine from Salmon Falls Winery or hike in Vaughn Woods State Park. Nearby is Mt. Agamenticus Conservation Region with hiking and biking trails.

Ogunquit, an early 20th-century art colony, is a year-round resort town. Stroll along Marginal Way, visit the Ogunquit Museum of American Art, enjoy the boutiques, galleries and cafes in Perkins Cove, and along Shore Road and Main Street, and relax on Ogunquit Beach, named “best beach in New England” by New England Cable News.

Wells has four sandy beaches and stunning natural conservation areas. Bird watch along the salt marshes of the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. Hike in the Wells Reserve at Laudholm. Enjoy four seasons of outdoor recreation, shopping and fine dining.

The Kennebunks—Kennebunk, Kennebunkport, Arundel and Cape Porpoise—offer arts, entertainment and pristine beaches. Visit historic homes like the Nott House. Drive by the Bush presidential retreat at Walker’s Point. Shop, dine and gallery hop in Dock Square.

Biddeford and Saco are sister cities. Investigate the Dyer Library/Saco Museum. Shop along Main Street and visit the brewpub on Saco Island. Canoe the Saco River or discover the beaches at Biddeford Pool, Fortunes Rocks, Camp Ellis and Ferry Beach State Park.

Old Orchard Beach has seven miles of sandy beach, Palace Playland oceanfront amusement park, a century-old Pier, weekly reworks and nightly entertainment. Add shopping, dining, golf, fishing, campgrounds and saltwater marsh canoeing.

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"Don't Miss" Fairs & Festivals

• Strawberry Festival - South Berwick - June
• La Kermesse Franco-American Festival - Biddeford - June
• York Days & Lighting of the Nubble - August
• Celebrate Maine Festival - Eliot - August
• Family Jamboree - Wells - September
• Annual Classic Car Show - Old Orchard Beach - September
• Pumpkin Harvest Festival - Saco - October
• OgunquitFest - Ogunquit - October
• Christmas Prelude - Kennebunkport - December

So Much More to Do...

• Enjoy a summer show at the Ogunquit Playhouse, the Arundel Barn Theater, Hackmatack Playhouse in Berwick, and Biddeford City Theater.
• Bring the kids to Funtown Splashtown USA, Aquaboggan Water Park, both in Saco and Fun-O-Rama in York.
• Step back in time at 19th Century Willowbrook Village, a restored country village in Newfield.
• Go antiquing along Route 1 from York to the Kennbunks, a 30-mile stretch boasting the largest concentration of antique shops in Maine.
• Discover the Saco Bay Trails hiking trail network or bike along the Eastern Trail, from Kittery to Casco Bay.