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Biddeford
Address: Rte 1, Biddeford ME
Phone: 207.283.0841
Both of Biddeford's public beaches offer lifeguards on duty, ample public parking, and bath facilities. Parking permits are required and can be obtained from Biddeford City Hall.
— Biddeford Pool Beach boasts two miles of sand and gentle surf.
— Fortunes Rocks Beach is ideal for those seeking a smaller beach.
Crescent Beach State Park
Address: Rte 77, Cape Elizabeth, ME
Phone: 207.799.5871
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.
Crescent Beach State Park
Address: Rte 77, Cape Elizabeth ME
Phone: 207.799.5871
Eight miles south of Portland, sandy oceanfront beaches, saltwater coves, wooded areas, and rock ledges provide seashore recreation for beachgoers, fishing and watersports enthusiasts, and nature observers. Open through Columbus Day. Varied fees.
Ferry Beach State Park
Address: Off Rte 9, Saco, ME
Phone: 207.283.0067
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
Address: Rte 9, Kennebunk, ME
Phone: 207.985.2102 x 1335
Email: info@kennebunkport.org
Kennebunk beaches can be accessed via Rte 9, which hooks up with infamously congested Rte 1. Beach permits for nonresidents are available at the Kennebunk police station and cost $10 per day, $20 per week, and $50 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, gentle waves, and tidal pools. No facilities or lifeguard on duty, but the general store is only a short walk away.
Kittery
Address: Rte 103, Kittery ME
Phone: 207.439.3800
— Owls Head's Crescent Beach is 625 yards long and backed by marsh. There are no facilities and limited parking.
— Seapoint Beach is a few miles south of York Harbor with 550 yards of gentle surf backed by marsh. Great area for bird watching. There are no facilities and limited parking.
— Fort Foster Park is south of Seapoint and Crescent Beaches with several swimming areas, picnic areas, pavilion, changing area, and toilets. No lifeguards. Open daily through Labor Day from 10 am to 8 pm.
Ogunquit
Address: Rte 1, Ogunquit, ME
Phone: 207.646.2939
Email: Info@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 ocean side. One mile north of the village center, this is a relatively uncrowded area. Restrooms available. Public parking available, as well as trolley service.
— Ogunquit Beach, on Beach St., offers more than three miles of soft sand. The water’s cold, but you can’t find a better place to watch the waves. Lockers, changing rooms, and restrooms are available, and you can rent beach chairs, umbrellas, and floats. Not far from markets and restaurants. Lifeguards on duty. Accessible by trolley.
Old Orchard Beach
Address:
Phone: 207.934.2500
Email: info@oldorchardbeachmaine.com
Two hours north of Boston at Exit 36 on the Maine Turnpike (I-95), 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.
Old Orchard Beach
Address: Rte 1, Old Orchard Beach ME
Phone: 207.934.2500
Email: info@oldorchardbeachmaine.com
Seven miles of soft and white sand along Rte 1. The carnival atmosphere, pier, bars, and take-out food attract mostly tourists. Throughout the summer, enjoy amusement-park rides, free concerts, street dances, weekly fireworks, arcades, and beach sports. For the ocean savvy, canoe and kayak tours and rentals are available, as well as lobster-boat tours and deep-sea fishing. Lifeguards on duty, with a bath house with showers and changing area. Street parking is available in varied locations. Private lots range from $5 to $10.
Portland
Address: Portland ME
Phone: 207.874.8793
East End Beach, Eastern Promenade. Portland's only public beach. It's pebbly and lacks lifeguards and food, but great views of Casco Bay make this beach worth visiting. Changing rooms, toilets, picnic tables, a small boat ramp, and parking for 70 cars available.
Scarborough
Address: Rte 1, Scarborough, ME
Phone: 207.883.2416
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 sandy 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, changing rooms and toilets available. Parking for about 400 cars; rates vary. Admission $4 for adults, $2 for children five to 11, free for seniors.
Scarborough
Address: Scarborough ME
Phone: 207.730.4000
Email: lnadea@ci.scarborough.me.us
Scarborough is home to some of the most famous surf areas 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. Large waves make this beach popular with surfers and teenagers. Limited parking and no lifeguards or facilities, but you can get to Scarborough Beach on foot.
— Pine Point Beach, East Grand Ave. At the northern end of Old Orchard Beach, Pine Point has white sand, dunes, and dune grasses. It also offers a snack bar, toilets, and ample parking, for $10 per day or a season-long pass ($65) for both Pine Point and Ferry beaches.
— Scarborough Beach, Black Point Road (Rte 207) near Prout's Neck. White sand beach with low sand dunes, changing rooms, toilets, lifeguards, and 285 on-site parking spaces. Parking fills quickly on weekends.
— Ferry Beach, Black Point Road (Rte 207). Long, wide beach with toilets and some parking (see above, Pine Point Beach, for fees). No lifeguards.
South Portland
Address: Willow St, South Portland ME
Phone: 207.767.7670
Willard Beach has one mile of fine sand and gentle surf. Willard also offers views of Spring Point Lighthouse and Fort Preble. Restrooms, lifeguards, showers, a snack bar, and 75 parking spaces are provided. Dogs are allowed from 7 to 9 am and 7 to 9 pm through the summer season.
Thomas Point Beach
Address: Brunswick, ME
Phone: 207.725.6009
Email: summer@thomaspointbeach.com
Off Rte 24 in Brunswick, Thomas Point offers campgrounds, a playground area, arcade games, a gift shop, and a snack bar, in addition to the beach on Thomas Bay. Open daily from 9 am to sunset. No pets allowed. Admission $3.50, $2 for children under 12, $2 for seniors on weekdays. Free parking.
Wells
Address: Rte 1, Wells, ME
Phone: 207.646.5113
Take Exit 2 off I-95 and follow signs for Rte 1. Parking $15 between 8:30 am and 4 pm. Ten-visit punch cards can be purchased at the town hall for $50. Lifeguards on duty during weekends until July 1, and then daily until Labor Day.
— Drake’s Island Beach, on 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. Restrooms available. Limited parking.
— 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. Restrooms available.
Wells
Address: Rte 1, Wells ME
Phone: 207.646.2451
The town of Wells boasts seven miles of oceanfront, much of it sandy and picturesque. Public restrooms are available and lifeguards are on duty daily, June through September. Parking is $15 per day for automobiles; overnight parking is prohibited.
— Wells Beach. Parking is available at the end of Mile Road and at the end of Atlantic Avenue.
— Drake's Island Beach. A long, sandy beach that tends to be less crowded than Wells Beach. Limited parking in lot at the eastern end of Drake Island Road.
— Crescent Beach. A lesser-known section of beach located between Wells and privately owned Moody Beach. Parking at Gold Ribbon Ave lot, from Webhannet Dr.
York
Address:
Phone: 207.363.4422
Email: info@yorkme.org
York is an old colonial town, rich in Victorian culture and architecture. Beaches are off Rte 1A. Take Exit 7 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 rocky beach with no facilities, but it's good for beachcombing. Parking meters near the beach.
— Long Sands Beach is a very popular beach with more than a mile of white sand and a designated surfing area. Food is available at the nearby shops and restaurants. Lifeguards on duty. Changing area and restrooms available. Metered parking along the beach.
— Short Sands Beach is a family-oriented beach with gentle surf, a large bathhouse, and outdoor showers. A playground, arcade, bowling alley, and basketball courts are available; a zoo and amusement park is also nearby. Regular nightly entertainment. Lifeguards on duty. Metered parking lots near the beach.
York
Address: Rte 1, York ME
Phone: 207.363.1040
Email: parks-rec@yorkmaine.org
York is an old, colonial town, rich in Victorian culture and architecture.
— 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 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. 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 from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm. Metered parking along the beach.
