Maine vacation on the ocean
The state of Maine is the perfect place to go on a summer vacation. With its lush green forests and rocky coastlines, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped into another world. What’s more, we’re so close to Boston that it won’t take long to get here from wherever you are! So pack your bags and come visit our beautiful state!
You can hike in Acadia National Park, explore the mountains at Mount Katahdin, or spend a day sailing on Casco Bay. If you’d rather stay close to home, there are plenty of charming towns where you can get lost in antique shops and small-town charm.
Maine’s got great food and drink options too! From lobster rolls to clam chowder (and everything in between), we have something that will satisfy every taste bud out there. And if beer isn’t your thing… well… we have those too!
Maine vacation on the ocean
1. Sand Beach — Bar Harbor
Sand Beach
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
(207) 707-2057
Located in Acadia National Park, Sand Beach is a 290-yard vibrant sandy coastline nestled between the mountains.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Sand Beach is one of Maine’s hidden gems, a particularly ideal destination if you’re looking for peace and quiet among Maine beaches.
Expert Tip
For the best endless views of the ocean, head toward the far end of Sand Beach and hike the Great Head Trail.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Bar Harbor Inn and Spa
2. Old Orchard Beach
2 Old Orchard Street
Old Orchard Beach, ME 04064
(207) 934-3595
Stretching for about seven miles, Old Orchard Beach ranks among the most popular beaches in Maine.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Old Orchard Beach offers more than just swimming and relaxing.
Its pier features amazing restaurants, bars, and activities for everyone to explore.
Expert Tip
Old Orchard Beach is also near Palace Playland, a thrilling park that offers amusement park rides, a Ferris wheel, roller-coasters, arcade games, and many other enjoyable rides fit for guests of all ages.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: The Edgewater
3. Long Sands Beach — York
189 Long Beach Avenue
York, ME 03909
(207) 363-1040
Long Sands Beach, located halfway between the villages of York Harbor and York Beach, may not be as popular as Short Sands Beach but it is equally just as beautiful and more serene.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Love surfing?
Consider paying Long Sands Beach a visit.
Other than being a top surfing destination, Long Sands also offers you activities like kayaking and rafting, as well as shops and restaurants.
Expert Tip
Should you visit Long Beach in any other season, aside from summer, you should know that the water temperature can get quite cold.
If you’re not coming in the summer, wear wetsuits instead of typical swimsuits.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Cutty Sark Motel
4. Goose Rocks Beach — Kennebunkport
Cape Porpoise
Kennebunkport, ME 04046
(207) 967-4243
If you’re looking for the top beach to go to in Maine, Goose Rocks Beach is highly touted as the top of the prettiest beaches in Maine.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Get ready to lay under the sun on Goose Rocks’ powdery white sand and swim in the gentle waters protected by barrier reefs.
As you wade in the waters and take in the sweeping views, you may even see seals coming up to the shore to rest.
Expert Tip
Goose Rocks Beach features a nearby parking lot, making it easy for you to unpack and pack, and a grocery store where you can buy yummy snacks.
With Kennebunkport’s beginnings as a sleepy fishing village, the seaside town’s seafood is also worth mentioning!
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Kennebunkport Inn
5. Willard Beach, South Portland
1 Fisherman Lane
South Portland, ME 04106
(207) 799-5602
Willard Beach stretches for four acres between Fisherman’s Point and the campus of Southern Maine Community College.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Visitors and locals frequent Willard Beach for a refreshing swim, the signature buoys, the ferries, the lobster boats, and wildlife-filled tidal pools.
Expert Tip
After a fun-filled day at the beach, combine your beach walk with a hike along the Spring Point Shoreway to explore Fort Preble and Spring Point Light.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: The Francis
6. Scarborough Beach State Park — Scarborough
418 Black Point Road
Scarborough, ME 04074
(207) 883-2416
American artist Winslow Homer had always painted the beauty that is Scarborough Beach in the 1800s, one of the highly famous beach destinations in Maine since.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Summers attract beach bums to Scarborough’s long stretch of sand and waters, which reach the high 60s from July to August.
Around the beach food trucks abound, offering ice cream, burgers, sandwiches, and salads.
Expert Tip
Do note that rip currents occur on its waters on a daily basis, so we strongly recommend swimming in the designated lifeguard area only.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Portland Harbor Hotel
7. Short Sands Beach — York
Ocean Avenue – Route 1A
York, ME 03910
(207) 363-1040
Short Sands Beach, the most well-known in the town of York, is a local favorite because it’s easily accessible and is close to many restaurants, stores, and hotels.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Short Sands Beach features powdery sand, a large grass lawn area perfect for a lovely picnic, a basketball court, and a huge playground, and attentive lifeguards.
Expert Tip
Although there may be a lot of people visiting Short Sands Beach during peak seasons, this is a good time to visit because there are free concerts at the on-site gazebo and occasional firework displays.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Cliff House Maine
8. Crescent Beach State Park — Cape Elizabeth
109 Bowery Beach Road
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
(207) 799-5871
Aptly named for its crescent shape, Crescent Beach State Park is a charming coastline facing a protected cove that keeps the shoreline safe from strong waves.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Crescent Beach State Park is actually the safest beach for kids in this list.
Because of its ideal location, barely a wave forms here, and attentive lifeguards who are well-equipped watch over swimmers.
Expert Tip
To make traveling more convenient, Crescent Beach State Park features snack bars, picnic tables, and charcoal grills.
During peak seasons, food trucks stop by too, offering yummy treats.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: AC Hotel by Marriott Portland Downtown/Waterfront, ME
9. Popham Beach State Park — Phippsburg
711 Popham Road
Phippsburg, ME 04562
(207) 389-1335
Popham Beach, one of the busiest coastlines in Maine, offers picturesque views of the Fox and Wood islands offshore.
Why We Recommend This Beach
One of the underrated clear water beaches in Maine, Popham Beach has water adventures you can enjoy in peace, such as surfing, boogie boarding, stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, and kayaking.
Expert Tip
If you have pets and want to take them along, you may bring them to Popham Beach during off-seasons from October 1 to March 31.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Spruce Point Inn Resort and Spa
10. Ogunquit Beach — Ogunquit
Ogunquit Beach
Ogunquit, ME 03907
(207) 361-8100
Spanning 3.5 miles of sandy shoreline, Ogunquit Beach is a bustling beach steeped in history and well loved by visitors since ancient times.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Ogunquit Beach is constantly ranked as one of the best Maine beach places to visit and in the entire country!
Native Americans called it Ogunquit, meaning “beautiful place by the sea,” while landscape painters in the 19th century loved the sheer majesty of this beach.
Expert Tip
You don’t have to worry about preparing meals or snacks ahead.
Ogunquit is close to numerous eateries and ice cream shops that’ll keep you and your travel buddies satisfied.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Abalonia Inn
11. Gooch’s Beach — Kennebunk
Beach Avenue
Kennebunk, ME 04043
(207) 985-2102
Kennebunk has a string of nice beaches along Beach Avenue, one of which is Gooch’s Beach, with sand as soft as talcum powder.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Low tides bring together fur parents, families, beachcombers, joggers, sunbathers, and surfers to Gooch’s Beach, especially when festivals are in full swing.
Expert Tip
Make sure to check the calendar for different activities and festivals taking place throughout the year.
Fireworks and lights surround the beach on July 4, for example.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: The Seaside Inn
12. Laudholm Beach — Wells
342 Laudholm Farm Road
Wells, Maine 04090
(207) 646-1555
The 2,250-acre Wells Reserve is home to a lush protected ecosystem and scenic saltwater farm and beach called Laudholm.
Why We Recommend This Beach
This private reserve beach not only offers a pleasant beach scene; forests, marshland, shellfish, shorebirds, and mud flats also thrive in the Wells National Estuarine Reserve, making it one of the perfect beach spots for nature lovers.
Expert Tip
Hike through forests on boardwalks or take the Beach Barrier Trail for a nature adventure leading you to a beach you can have all to yourself!
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Village By The Sea
13. Wells Beach — Wells
Atlantic Avenue
Wells, ME 04090
Discovered by wealthy businessmen in the late 1840s, Wells Town’s main beach stretches over a mile and a half, bordering Crescent Beach and extending to the Wells Beach Jetty to the north.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Wells Beach is a wonderland of seagrass, dunes, tidal pools, and marshes.
Adventurous visitors can try out kayaking and boating, while intrepid teens can drop by the arcade.
Expert Tip
If you come early in the morning to the beach and don’t know what to do after lunch, there are several golf courses nearby, as well as lighthouse boat tours.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Hampton Inn & Suites Wells-Ogunquit
14. Higgins Beach — Scarborough
Scarborough, ME 04070
Located in the town of Scarborough, Higgins Beach sits between Old Orchard Beach and Crescent Beach State Park.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Higgins Beach lures curious wanderers and peace-loving families for its family-oriented oceanside neighborhood, striped bass fishing, and the interesting shipwreck embedded in the beach’s soft sand.
Expert Tip
Public parking is very limited, so do come as early as you can to snag a spot.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks
15. Half-Mile Beach — Georgetown
375 Seguinland Road
Georgetown, ME 04548
(207) 371-2303
Half-Mile Beach is one of the two coastlines located in Reid State Park at the south end of Georgetown Island.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Half-Mile Beach fronts the Atlantic on a 770-acre park replete with sand dunes, tidepools, salt marshes, and tidal lagoons.
Expert Tip
If you’re a thrill seeker who needs a stronger surf with rocks to climb, visit the neighbouring Mile Beach for excitement.
Recommended Hotel Nearby: Ocean Gate Resort
16. Birch Point State Park Beach — Camden
280 Belfast Road
Camden, Maine 04843
(207) 941-4014
Birch Point State Park Beach is a secluded crescent-shaped beach boasting views of Penobscot Bay.
Why We Recommend This Beach
If you’re looking forward to trying your luck at fishing after having a blast in the water, then good news.
Birch Point State Park Beach is the best beach for swimming in Maine due to its calm and quiet waters and soft, safe sand.
It’s one of the best beaches in Maine for anglers too!
Expert Tip
Make sure to pack all the necessities your family will need, particularly food and drinks, because there are no shops nearby.
That means if you’re planning to go fishing, bring your own gear.