Facing the sparkling Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, Maine is surrounded by some of the most beautiful coastlines in the country.
Pine Tree State has more than 3,400 miles of sandy beaches, most appreciated by local Thalasso enthusiasts and overseas hikers.
History buffs will also appreciate important discoveries made at sea, including shipwrecks, lighthouses, settlements, and centuries-old cities.
Dig your toes into the sand and get ready to dive into the lukewarm water. Here are the best of the Maine beaches for your next vacation.
- Sandy Beach – Bar Harbor
Located in Acadia National Park, Sand Beach is an 800-foot stretch of bright, sandy coastline surrounded by mountains.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Sand Beach is one of Maine’s hidden gems and an ideal destination, especially if you’re looking for peace on Maine’s beaches.
You can be freed from the hustle and bustle of the city and have the perfect hot water temperature all to yourself.
Expert Tips
For the best endless ocean views, walk to the other side of Sand Beach and hike the Great Head Trail.
- Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach stretches for seven miles and is one of Maine’s most popular beaches.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Old Orchard Beach is more than just swimming and relaxing.
Its pier has great restaurants, bars, and activities for everyone to explore. You will not get bored.
Expert Tips
Old Orchard Beach is also close to Palace Playland, an exciting park offering amusement park rides, Ferris wheels, roller coasters, arcade games, and many other fun rides for guests of all ages.
- Long Sands Beach – York
Located halfway between York Harbor and York Beach, Long Sands Beach may not be as popular as Short Sands Beach, but it’s just as beautiful and tranquil.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Do you like surfing?
Consider a visit to Long Sands Beach.
Long Sands is not only a popular spot for surfing but also offers activities such as kayaking and rafting.
It also has shops and restaurants.
Expert Tips
If you’re visiting Long Beach outside of the summer, be aware that the water can get quite chilly. If you’re not coming in the summer, wear a wetsuit instead of your regular bathing suit.
- Goose Rock Beach – Kennebunkport
If you’re looking for the best beaches in Maine, Goose Rocks Beach is touted as one of Maine’s most beautiful beaches.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Whether you want to Sunbathe on the powdery white sands of Goose Rocks or swim in calm waters protected by barrier reefs, this is your perfect destination.
You can even see seals come ashore to rest as you walk through the water and enjoy the stunning scenery.
Expert Tips
Goose Rocks Beach has a nearby car park for convenient drop-off and a grocery store where you can purchase delicious snacks. Along with Kennebunkport’s beginnings as a quiet fishing village, the seaside town’s seafood is also worth noting!
- Willard Beach, South Portland
Willard Beach stretches over four acres between Fisherman’s Point and the Southern Maine Community College campus.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Tourists and locals alike frequent Willard Beach for its refreshing swims, famous buoys, ferries, lobster boats, and tidal pools teeming with wildlife.
Expert Tips
After a fun-filled day at the Beach, combine a beach walk with a hike along the Spring Point Shoreway to explore Fort Preble and Spring Point Light.
- Scarborough Beach State Park – Scarborough
18th-century American artist Winslow Homer has always painted the beauty of Scarborough Beach. Since then, it has become one of Maine’s most famous beach destinations.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Summer draws beachgoers to Scarborough’s long stretch of sand and water, which hits the ’60s through July and August.
Around the Beach, there are many food trucks serving ice cream, burgers, sandwiches, and salads. You are sure to get something for everyone in your family.
Expert Tips
Note that there is a daily flow in that water. We therefore strongly recommend that you only swim in designated lifeguard areas.
- Short Sands Beach – York
York City’s most famous Short Sands Beach is a local favorite due to its easy access and proximity to many restaurants, shops, and hotels.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Short Sands Beach has a large lawn perfect for a nice picnic, a basketball court, and large playground, fine sand, and attentive lifeguards.
Expert Tips
Despite Short Sands Beach being overcrowded during the high season, it is also the best time to visit. The on-site pavilion hosts free concerts and the occasional fireworks display, which will make your family enjoy the vacation.
- Crescent Beach Provincial Park – Cape Elizabeth
Named for its crescent shape, Crescent Beach State Park is a charming coastline overlooking a protected bay that protects the shoreline from strong waves.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Crescent Beach State Park is the safest Beach for kids on this list.
Due to its ideal location, there are few waves here. It also has well-equipped and attentive lifeguards keeping an eye on swimmers.
Expert Tips
To make your trip more convenient, Crescent Beach State Park has snack bars, picnic tables, and charcoal grills.
Food trucks also stop by during the high season and offer delicious sweets.
- Popham Beach State Park – Phippsburg
One of Maine’s most vibrant coastlines, Popham Beach offers beautiful views of the offshore Fox and Wood Islands.
Why We Recommend This Beach
One of Maine’s underrated clear-water beaches, Popham Beach offers leisurely water adventures, including surfing, boogie boarding, stand-up paddle boarding, fishing, and kayaking.
Expert Tips
If you’d like to bring your pet, you can bring your pet to Popham Beach out of season from October 1st to March 31st.
- Ogunquit Beach — Ogunquit
Stretching for 3.5 miles of sand, Ogunquit Beach is a bustling beach steeped in history that has long been a tourist favorite.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Ogunquit Beach is consistently ranked as one of the top beach spots in Maine and across the country.
Native Americans called this Beach Ogunquit, which means “beautiful place by the sea,” and 19th-century landscape painters loved the Beach’s grandeur.
Expert Tips
No need to prepare meals or snacks in advance.
There are many restaurants and ice cream parlors near Ogunquit to satisfy any traveler.
- Gooch’s Beach – Kennebunk
Kennebunk has many beautiful beaches along Beach Avenue, including Gooch’s Beach, which has sand as soft as talcum powder.
Why We Recommend This Beach
At low tide, fur parents, families, sandpipers, joggers, sunbathers, and surfers flock to Gooch Beach and especially when the festival is in full swing.
Expert Tips
Plan and check the calendar for a variety of activities and festivals held throughout the year.
For example, fireworks and lights surround the Beach on July 4th.
- Loudholm Beach – Wells
The 2,250-acre Wells Reserve includes a lush, protected ecosystem, scenic saltwater farms, and a beach called Laudholm.
Why We Recommend This Beach
This is one of the perfect beach spots for nature lovers.
This private reserve beach does more than just offer a cozy beach scene. Forests, wetlands, crustaceans, shorebirds, and tidal flats also thrive in Wells National Estuarine Reserve.
Expert Tips
Hike the boardwalk through the woods, walk the beach barrier trail for nature adventures, take a tour of this Beach, and have it all to yourself!
- Fountain Beach – Fountain
Discovered by wealthy businessmen in the late 1840s, Wells Town’s main Beach stretches for 1.5 miles, bordering Crescent Beach and extending north to Wells Beach Pier.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Wells Beach is a wonderland of dunes, sea grass, tide pools, and swamps.
Adventurous visitors can try kayaking and boating, while intrepid teens can head to the arcade.
Expert Tips
If you get to the Beach early in the morning and don’t know what to do after lunch, there are several golf courses and lighthouse boat tours nearby.
- Higgins Beach – Scarborough
Higgins Beach is located in the town of Scarborough between Old Orchard Beach and Crescent Beach State Park.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Higgins Beach attracts curious walkers and peace-loving families. There are family-friendly oceanfront neighborhoods, striped bass fishing, and interesting shipwrecks nestled in the soft sands of the Beach.
Expert Tips
Public parking is very limited, so arrive early to secure a spot.
- Half Mile Beach – Georgetown
Half Mile Beach is one of the two beaches within Reed State Park on the southern tip of Georgetown Island.
Why We Recommend This Beach
Half Mile Beach is located on a 770-acre park that faces the Atlantic Ocean and is filled with dunes, tide pools, salt marshes, and mudflats.
Expert Tips
If you’re looking for the thrill of rock climbing that calls for stronger waves, head to nearby Mile Beach for excitement.
- Birchpoint State Park Beach – Camden
Birch Point State Park Beach is a secluded crescent beach overlooking Penobscot Bay.
Why We Recommend This Beach
If you’re looking forward to trying your hand at fishing after a fun day at sea, there’s good news.
Birch Point State Park Beach is one of the best beaches in Maine for swimming due to its calm, calm waters and soft, safe sand. It’s also one of the best beaches in Maine for fishing.
Expert Tips
There are no shops nearby, so be sure to pack the essentials your family might need, especially food and drinks.
If you plan to go fishing, bring your gear.
