Maine's coast doesn’t shout — it sighs. It wraps you in mist, hands you a tide chart, and invites you to slow all the way down. I wandered along beaches where fog moved like a living thing, where the sand was cool even in July, and the sound of gulls was sometimes the loudest thing around.
These were places that didn’t ask to be photographed. They just were. Beautiful, sometimes dramatically so, but always with that sturdy, understated New England charm. And between driftwood walks and wave-watching? There was plenty of fried seafood eaten out of paper baskets, the kind you cradle in your lap while watching the tide come in.
Best Beaches in Maine:
Biddeford Pool Beach -30 minutes south of Portland, ME
Biddeford Pool Beach felt like something out of a memory — the kind of beach you imagine when someone says "Maine." Wind-streaked grasses, soft gray sand, and a horizon so flat it looked painted. I arrived in the morning with a sweater on and kept it on. The breeze never quit.
I walked the long curve of the beach, watched a dog chase seagulls, and thought, “This place isn’t trying to entertain me. It’s just letting me be.”
Afterward, I stopped at Pool Lobster Company for a hot buttered lobster roll. The bun was toasted just right, the lobster sweet and briny, and the smell of the ocean seemed to follow me to the picnic table.
Biddeford Pool Beach At a Glance
- Location: Biddeford, south of Portland
- Best Time to Visit: Mornings for low crowds and gentle light
- Vibe: Quiet, local, timeless
- Facilities: Limited; bring your own gear
- Food Nearby: Pool Lobster Co., Goldthwaite’s
Birch Point Beach State Park - 15 minutes south of Rockland, ME
I wasn’t expecting the pine trees. Birch Point Beach State Park felt like it had one foot in the forest and one in the sea. The beach was a gentle crescent, hugged by trees and scattered with smooth stones. A little wild, but welcoming.
I sat on a rock, shoes off, and listened to the rustling branches overhead and the tide pulling at seaweed. “It smells like earth and salt at the same time,” I thought, and closed my eyes.
I picnicked on sourdough bread with local cheddar and crisp apples from a roadside stand. The cheese had that perfect salty sharpness, and the apple skin snapped when I bit in. It was simple, and exactly right.
Birch Point Beach State Park At a Glance
- Location: Owls Head, midcoast Maine
- Best Time to Visit: Midday for sun through the trees
- Vibe: Woodsy, intimate, low-key
- Facilities: Bathrooms, picnic area
- Food Nearby: Owls Head General Store, home-packed picnics
Cleaves Cove Beach - minutes south of downtown Kennebunkport
Cleaves Cove felt like a secret. I parked on a side road, followed a narrow path past scrub brush and thistle, and then suddenly — there it was. Tucked into cliffs and nearly empty. Waves rolled in hard, flattening into glassy sheets before breaking at the shore.
“I don’t think I’ve heard my own thoughts this clearly in weeks,” I said out loud, to no one.
No cafes nearby, so I brought a thermos of tomato soup and a crusty chunk of bread. The soup was still hot, rich and tangy, and the wind made every bite feel earned. I sat with the cliffs at my back and ate like I had nowhere else to be.
Cleaves Cove Beach At a Glance
- Location: Near Kennebunkport
- Best Time to Visit: Low tide for more sand to explore
- Vibe: Secluded, dramatic, contemplative
- Facilities: None
- Food Nearby: Pack it in — nothing close by
Colony Beach - just minutes from downtown Kennebunkport
Colony Beach wasn’t big, but it made up for it with charm. Right at the mouth of the Kennebunk River, it had a kind of understated elegance — the kind that comes from knowing your strengths and staying small anyway.
I watched boats pass into the harbor, their wakes fanning out like lazy brushstrokes. Families collected shells. A couple walked by holding iced coffees and smiling like it was their first date. “This is the kind of place people come back to year after year,” I thought.
I walked to Mornings in Paris afterward for a chocolate croissant and a hot chai. The croissant was flaky and warm, the chai spicy and milky. I ate at a table outside, watching the town slowly start its day.
Colony Beach At a Glance
- Location: Kennebunkport
- Best Time to Visit: Early morning or late afternoon
- Vibe: Cozy, picturesque, neighborly
- Facilities: Limited parking, no restrooms
- Food Nearby: Mornings in Paris, Dock Square eateries
Crescent Beach State Park - 20 minutes from Portland, ME
Crescent Beach lives up to its name — a long, graceful curve of soft sand that invites strolling more than sunbathing. It’s one of those beaches where you keep walking just to see what’s around the next bend.
I watched seabirds dive, found a perfect skipping stone, and thought, “This beach feels like it was designed for daydreaming.”
Lunch was a picnic: cold roast chicken, olive bread, and cucumbers sliced into quarters. The chicken was garlicky and still juicy. The cucumbers snapped like twigs. I sat under the shade of a beach umbrella, pages of a paperback fluttering in the breeze.
Crescent Beach State Park At a Glance
- Location: Cape Elizabeth
- Best Time to Visit: Weekdays for quieter walks
- Vibe: Strolling, spacious, peaceful
- Facilities: Restrooms, parking, picnic tables
- Food Nearby: Bring lunch, or try nearby Lobster Shack at Two Lights
Drake's Island Beach - 35 minutes from Portland, ME
Drake’s Island Beach had a postcard feel — not flashy, just beautifully balanced. Wide sand, gentle dunes, and families setting up umbrellas like they’d done it every summer for years. It felt like the kind of place where beach chairs have stories and coolers are packed with tradition.
I found a spot near a dune, kicked off my shoes, and thought, “This is where people teach their kids to float.” The waves rolled in soft and shallow, and the vibe was all sunscreen and laughter.
Later I drove to Congdon’s Doughnuts in Wells for a breakfast sandwich and a maple-frosted treat. The bacon was thick, the egg runny, the biscuit flaky, and the maple doughnut smelled like late mornings and early memories.
Drake’s Island Beach At a Glance
- Location: Wells, southern Maine
- Best Time to Visit: Mornings for gentle surf
- Vibe: Relaxed, family-friendly, quietly joyful
- Facilities: Parking lot, portable toilets
- Food Nearby: Congdon’s Doughnuts, Wells Beach eateries
Ferry Beach State Park - 25 minutes south of Portland
This beach surprised me. I stepped out of my car into the shade of tall white pines, then walked a short trail and boom — there was the Atlantic. Ferry Beach felt like a place where the forest and the sea had called a truce.
I wandered the shoreline, spotting birds and shell fragments in equal measure. “It smells like pine needles and saltwater,” I thought, smiling. That mix of forest breeze and ocean air felt like a reset button.
I packed a thermos of lentil salad with lemon and feta. It had just the right bite, and the citrus lifted everything. Sitting under a tree, I ate slowly, listening to waves and rustling branches trade secrets.
Ferry Beach State Park At a Glance
- Location: Saco, southern coast
- Best Time to Visit: Midday, especially if it’s breezy
- Vibe: Nature-blended, peaceful, lightly wild
- Facilities: Restrooms, picnic tables, nature center
- Food Nearby: Pack your own, or head into Saco for local spots
Footbridge Beach - 20 minutes on foot from downtown Ogunquit
Footbridge Beach felt like it belonged to someone — not in a private way, but in a *beloved* way. A short wooden bridge led from the parking lot over a tidal creek to the beach, and the moment I crossed it, I felt lighter. More like a regular.
The beach was clean and wide, the waves were steady but gentle, and the air had that salty-fresh snap that makes your lungs feel taller. “I could come here every morning and never get bored,” I thought.
Afterward, I stopped at The Greenery Café in Ogunquit for a slice of quiche and a blueberry muffin still warm from the oven. The quiche had roasted red peppers and melty goat cheese; the muffin tasted like July.
Footbridge Beach At a Glance
- Location: Ogunquit, ME
- Best Time to Visit: Morning or early evening for golden light
- Vibe: Friendly, familiar, lightly loved
- Facilities: Restrooms, paid parking, footbridge access
- Food Nearby: The Greenery Café, Ogunquit village restaurants
Fortune’s Rocks Beach - 40 minutes from Portland, ME
There was something cinematic about Fortune’s Rocks. A wide, two-mile stretch of beach with hardly anyone on it, even in the middle of summer. The waves were bigger here, and the wind carried that salt-spray tang that stays in your nose long after you leave.
I walked for what felt like forever, chasing gulls and dodging sea foam. “If I lived nearby, I’d write a novel here,” I thought. Or at least pretend to. It had that windswept, deeply private feel.
I grabbed a late lunch from Rococo Ice Cream in Biddeford on the way back — a scoop of strawberry basil and another of salty sweet cream. The basil was subtle but fresh, and the strawberry felt like real fruit, not flavoring.
Fortune’s Rocks Beach At a Glance
- Location: Biddeford
- Best Time to Visit: Late afternoon when the sun stretches long
- Vibe: Open, dramatic, almost meditative
- Facilities: Very limited; bring everything you need
- Food Nearby: Rococo Ice Cream, Biddeford Pool eateries
Gooch's Beach - Just minutes from Kennebunk
Gooch’s Beach felt cheerful — like the kind of place where someone’s always building a sandcastle or playing paddleball. The sand was soft and golden, the parking lot full of SUVs and beach wagons, and there was just enough breeze to keep the seagulls honest.
I laid out a towel, flipped through a book, and watched a group of kids scream with delight every time a wave touched their ankles. “This is what summer’s supposed to feel like,” I thought, sipping cold lemonade from a mason jar.
Later, I grabbed a lobster BLT from The Clam Shack in Kennebunk. It was buttery and crisp and came wrapped in foil like a present. The tomato was juicy, the bacon smoky, and the lobster? Maine-perfect.
Gooch’s Beach At a Glance
- Location: Kennebunk
- Best Time to Visit: Mid-morning for sun and soft waves
- Vibe: Happy, local, nostalgic
- Facilities: Restrooms, parking, lifeguards
- Food Nearby: The Clam Shack, Mornings in Paris
Final Thoughts: Maine's Coast Isn’t Flashy — and That’s the Magic
Walking Maine’s beaches is like reading a book with long chapters and short dialogue. You feel something shift — in the wind, in your shoulders, maybe even deeper. These aren’t show-off beaches with tiki drinks and music. They’re spaces for quiet joy, thoughtful meals, and small, unforgettable moments.
I left with sand in my shoes and salt in my bag of snacks — but more than anything, I left with stillness. And in the middle of a loud world, that’s a souvenir worth bringing home.
Jump to a Spot...
- • Biddeford Pool Beach -30 minutes south of Portland, ME
- • Birch Point Beach State Park - 15 minutes south of Rockland, ME
- • Cleaves Cove Beach - minutes south of downtown Kennebunkport
- • Colony Beach - just minutes from downtown Kennebunkport
- • Crescent Beach State Park - 20 minutes from Portland, ME
- • Drake's Island Beach - 35 minutes from Portland, ME
- • Ferry Beach State Park - 25 minutes south of Portland
- • Footbridge Beach - 20 minutes on foot from downtown Ogunquit
- • Fortune’s Rocks Beach - 40 minutes from Portland, ME
- • Gooch's Beach - Just minutes from Kennebunk