BEACHES > MAINE

Crescent Beach State Park
Rte 77, Cape Elizabeth ME (map)
207.799.5871
http://www.state.me.us/cgi-bin/doc/parks/find_one_name.pl?park_id=4

A classic saltwater beach park. Located south of Portland, it features clean, sudsy surf. There's a picnic area with tables and grills, playground, snack bar, and cold showers. Open daily from sunrise to sunset. Admission fee.

Ferry Beach State Park
Off Rte 9, Saco, ME (map)
207.287.3261
tom.miragliuolo@maine.gov
http://www.state.me.us/spo/lmf/projects/project_detail.php?project=1535

This 117-acre park of white sand between the Saco River and Pine Point gets its name from the ferries that once lined the beach. Some black gum trees, rare at this latitude, grow here as well. Nature trails accompanied by a listening guide explain this phenomenon. The rest of the park's facilities are fairly primitive, offering only a drinking fountain and pit toilet. Open from sunrise to sunset. Admission $3, $1 for seniors and children five to 11. Open through Sept.

Kennebunk
Rte 9, Kennebunk ME (map)
207.985.2102 x 1335
info@kennebunkport.org
http://www.kennebunkport.org/beaches.htm

Kennebunk beaches can be accessed via Rte 9, which hooks up with the infamously congested Rte 1. Beach permits for non-residents are available at the Kennebunk police station and cost $5 per day, $15 per week, and $30 for a season pass. Parking available only from 9 am to 5 pm.
- Colony Beach, on Beach Ave, is a soft, sandy beach at the mouth of the Kennebunk River. It's a short walk from Gooch's Beach and easily accessible from hotels and inns, but it has limited parking and no facilities or lifeguard supervision.
- Gooch's Beach, on Beach Ave, links up with Mother's Beach and Middle Beach, both on Kennebunk's ocean shoreline. This is a beach with fine sands but lots of noise from the crashing waves and the hovering seagulls. Ideal surfing waves. Lifeguards on duty and portable toilets available.
- Goose Rocks Beach, Rte 9. This is a quiet, secluded beach with soft sand. Popular with wind surfers. No facilities or lifeguard on duty, but the general store is only a short walk away.

Lamoine State Park
23 State Park Rd, Ellsworth ME (map)
207.667.4778
http://www.stateparks.com/lamoine.html

Outdoor activities such as fishing, camping, and boating tend to be more popular than swimming here. No lifeguards on duty. Facilities include restrooms, a playground area, a bathhouse, and a boat-launching ramp. Open until Oct 15. Admission fee $3, $1 for children ages five through 11.

Ogunquit
Rte 1, Ogunquit ME (map)
(207) 646-2939.
http://www.ogunquit.org/

Ogunquit is known for its art galleries and restaurants. Beaches are near Rte 1.
- Footbridge Beach, on Ocean St, boasts white sands along the Atlantic oceanside. North of the village center, this is a relatively uncrowded area. Restrooms available. Public parking available, as well as trolley service.
- Ogunquit Beach, Beach St. More than three miles of soft sand. The water's cold, but you can't find a better place to watch the waves fall. Lockers, changing rooms, and restrooms available. Not far from markets and restaurants. Lifeguards on duty. Accessible by trolley.

Old Orchard Beach
(map)
207.934.2500
info@oldorchardbeachmaine.com
http://oldorchardbeachmaine.com

Two hours north of Boston at Exit 5 on the Maine Tpk, this seven-mile stretch of beach offers amusement-park rides, a mini-golf course, arcade games, nightly entertainment, and a boardwalk chock full of shops and restaurants. For the ocean savvy, canoe and kayak tours and rentals are available, as well as lobster-boat tours and deep-sea fishing. If nothing suits you here, Old Orchard Beach is only a short drive from Funtown, USA. Garage parking available $4 per hour.

Roque Bluffs State Park
145 Schoppee Point Rd, Roque Bluffs ME (map)
207.255.3475
http://www.maine.gov/

Located six miles off Rte 1, this versatile beach offers a pebble shore on one side and a freshwater pond on the other. Picnic tables, grills, a bathhouse, restrooms, and a playground area available. Open until Sept 30. Admission fee.

Scarborough
Rte 1, Scarborough, ME (map)
207.883.2416
support@ci.scarborough.me.us
http://www.scarborough.me.us/

Scarborough is home to some of the most famous surf in the world, thanks to painter Winslow Homer, but there are also a few sunbathing spots within the rocky coastline.
- Higgins Beach, off Rte 77, is a flat sand beach with large waves and a rocky coast. Attracts mostly surfers and teenagers. No lifeguards or facilities, but you can walk to Scarborough Beach. Little public parking available.
- Scarborough Beach, off Rte 207, is a long sandy beach with dunes, marshes, and warm ocean surf. Popular with locals. Lifeguards on duty, with changing rooms and toilets. Parking for about 500 cars; rates vary. Admission $3.50 for adults, $1.50 for children five to 11, $2 for seniors.

Thomas Point Beach
Brunswick, ME (map)
207.725.6009
http://www.thomaspointbeach.com/

Off Rte 24 in Brunswick. Camp grounds and playground area. Thomas Point also offers arcade games, a gift shop, and a snack bar. Open daily from 9 am to sunset. No pets allowed. $3.50 admission charge, $2 for children under 12, $2 for seniors on weekdays. Free parking.

Wells
Rte 1, Wells, ME (map)
207.646.5113
http://www.wellschamber.org/

Take Exit 2 off I-95, and follow signs for Rte 1.
- Drake's Island Beach, Drake's Island Rd, is the home of the Wildlife bird sanctuary, which makes it more quiet and significantly less crowded than Wells Beach. Good fishing toward the end of the beach. Lifeguards on duty and restrooms available. Limited parking, $6 per day.
- Wells Beach is nearly swallowed by the high tide, but it's a great place for tide pools and rocky ridges at low tide. Near plenty of restaurants and motels. Lifeguards on duty and restrooms available. Parking $6 between 8:30 am and 4 pm. Ten-visit punch cards can be purchased at the town hall for $35.

York
(map)
207.363.4422
info@yorkme.org
http://www.gatewaytomaine.org/

York is an old colonial town, rich in Victorian culture and architecture. Beaches are off Rte 1A. Take Exit 4 from I-95.
- Cape Neddick Beach (a & k & a Passaconaway Beach) is located at the mouth of the York River where it meets with the Atlantic. This is a small, relatively uncrowded tidal beach offering deep-sea fishing, boating, camping, kayaking, golfing, and shopping. Parking meters near the beach.
- Long Sands Beach. A very popular beach with two miles of sand and a designated surfing area. Food is available at the nearby shops and restaurants. Lifeguards on duty. Changing area and restrooms available. Parking meters near the beach.
- Short Sands Beach. A family-oriented beach with gentle surf, large bathhouse, and outdoor shower. Playground area, arcade games, bowling alley, and basketball courts available. Regular nightly entertainment. Lifeguards on duty. Metered parking along the beach.