Southern Maine Coast Beaches
People know of Maine’s rocky coastline and picturesque lighthouses, but Southern Maine is also home to some of the world’s prettiest beaches.
And Maine’s first 30 miles of coast just over an hour north of Boston is like the Riviera of New England with long stretchs of sand beach. Southern Maine is home to 90% of Maine’s Sandy Beaches.
Famous sandy beaches in Southern Maine like Old Orchard Beach, Ogunquit Beach, York, Kennebunk Beach and Wells are great family friendly beaches.
Grab your pail and shovel, your sunscreen and boogie board and check out these Southern Maine beaches.
York Maine Beaches
Harbor Beach – Scenic sandy beach with gentle surf in York Harbor–the first public beach in Southern Maine. Parking is free but limited for this small beach off Route 1A at the entrance to Harbor Park. Portable restrooms are available at Harbor Beach Road. Lifeguards on duty end of June to Labor Day.
Long Sands Beach – As the name implies this is a long sandy beach with a designated surfing area. Metered parking is available along Route 1A for the entire length of beach. Restrooms available at the Bathhouse near Oceanside Ave. Lifeguards on duty end of June to Labor Day.
Short Sands Beach – Sandy beach with gentle surf. Metered parking in the lot off Rt 1A. Showers, changing area and toilets. Easy to walk to shops and amusements adjacent to beach. Lifeguards on duty end of June to Labor Day.
Ogunquit Maine Beaches
Ogunquit Beach – With soft white sand and warm surf, Ogunquit Beach is among the most beautiful beaches in Southern Maine. Popular with families. Accessible by trolley and several parking areas. Restrooms and snack bars. Considered one of the prettiest 3.5 miles of peninsula beach in the country. Lifeguards.
Footbridge Beach – Beachgoers walk over footbridge to get to this less crowded section of beach. Snack bar and restrooms. Lifeguard patrolled.
Moody Beach – Bourne Avenue in Moody. Parking $7 per day.
Wells Beaches:
Drake’s Island Beach – Limited parking at lot on eastern end of Drakes Island Road. Toilet facilities and lifeguards.
Wells Beach – Parking stickers available at Town Hall. Wonderful, long, sandy beach in Southern Maine. Toilet facilities and lifeguards.
Crescent Beach – Lesser-known section of beach in Southern Maine located between Wells and Moody. Parking at Gold Ribbon Avenue lot, from Webhannet Drive. Lifeguards.
Kennebunk and Kennebunkport Maine Beaches
Mother’s Beach – Short sandy section of perfect sand beach which is well protected. Among the few beaches in Southern Maine accommodating children with a playground. Stickers required, available at Town Hall. No facilities. Lifeguard on duty.
Gooch’s Beach – Largest part of Kennebunk Beach, along Beach Avenue with talcum powder sand. Parking sticker required, available at Town Hall. No snack bar. Portable toilets. Lifeguards.
Middle Beach – Rocky section of Kennebunk Beach between Mother’s and Gooch’s with pretty black stones. Sticker also required.
Colony Beach – At the mouth of the Kennebunk River lies this 150-foot beach. Limited parking. No lifeguard.
Cleaves Cove Beach – Secluded and scenic beach off Ocean Avenue. No parking. No facilities. No lifeguards. This is not a well known beach in Southern Maine.
Goose Rocks Beach – Very soft sand, great for walking. Scenic and beautiful. Parking sticker required or trolley access. No facilities or lifeguard.
Kennebunkport Beach Parking Stickers available at Chamber of Commerce, Town Hall and Police Station.
Biddeford and Saco Maine Beaches
Biddeford Pool Beach – Two mile sandy beach with gentle surf. Sticker required from Biddeford Town Hall. Bathhouse and Lifeguard.
Fortune’s Rocks Beach – Small sandy beach. Lifeguards. Parking Fee.
Ferry Beach State Park – Sheltered from wind, natural sand dunes. Facilities, picnic area and nature trails.
Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach – Voted Maine’s #1 beach every year by Maine’s largest newspaper. Seven miles of great sand, amusement parks, food and games next to beach. Metered street parking and several lots. Lifeguards.
Scarborough Beaches:
Pine Point Beach – The northern section of Old Orchard Beach, crosses over into the town of Scarborough. This section of beach is very wide in all tides, quiet and offers a huge of public parking area for a reasonable fee.
Scarborough Beach State Park – Off Rt 207 a large stretch of sand on Prouts Neck.
Crescent Beach State Park – 8 miles south of Portland in Cape Elizabeth. 1-mile of beautiful sand.
Higgins Beach – Off Rt 77 a large stretch of sand with little parking.
Freeport Maine Beach
Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park – One of the few beaches in Southern Maine that is quiet and uncrowded. Wolfes Neck Road, Freeport.
