Southern Maine

Maine for the Long Weekend

Southern Maine is where most visitors get their first taste of the state, and it delivers faster than any other region. The Portland Jetport is 90 minutes from Boston. From there, most of the best beaches, hikes, and lakes are within a 45-minute drive. That accessibility is not a compromise. The sand beaches here are some of the finest on the entire East Coast, the lakes are warm enough for swimming by mid-June, and the hiking, while lower-elevation than what you will find farther north, rewards with views that stretch from the ocean to the White Mountains.

The geography splits into two distinct zones. Along the coast, a string of long, sandy barrier beaches runs from Kittery up through Old Orchard Beach, separated by rocky headlands and tidal estuaries. Inland, the terrain rolls into forested hills and glacial lakes centered on Sebago Lake and the Bridgton area. You can swim at Ogunquit Beach in the morning, hike Mount Agamenticus in the afternoon, and be back in Kennebunk for dinner. That kind of variety packed into a small area is hard to find anywhere else in New England.

The Beaches

Southern Maine has more swimmable sand beaches per mile than any other stretch of the Maine coast. The water temperature runs 55 to 65 degrees in July and August. Not tropical, but warm enough for a good swim once you get past the initial shock.

Ogunquit Beach is the flagship. A 3.5-mile barrier beach backed by the Ogunquit River, it has been ranked among the top beaches in the country by just about every travel publication that makes such lists. The sand is fine and white, the beach is wide even at high tide, and the river side offers calmer, slightly warmer water for kids. The north end connects to the footbridge at the center of Ogunquit village, where restaurants and shops are an easy walk. The south end reaches toward Marginal Way and Perkins Cove. Parking fills early on summer weekends, so plan to arrive before 9 AM or take the Shoreline Explorer trolley from Wells or the Ogunquit town lots.

Wells Beach and Drakes Island Beach sit just north of Ogunquit. Wells Beach has a small arcade and snack bar scene at the parking area. Drakes Island, a few minutes south, is quieter and better for families who want fewer crowds. The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge runs along the marshes behind both beaches. It is a flat, easy walk and good for birding, especially during fall migration.

The Kennebunk beaches are a different character. Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport is a long crescent of sand facing east, backed by marshland and private homes. Parking requires a permit from the Kennebunkport police station ($25/day), and there are no facilities. That keeps it quieter than Ogunquit or Wells. Kennebunk Beach and Gooch’s Beach are smaller town beaches with paid parking lots that fill fast. Colony Beach sits at the mouth of the Kennebunk River and has a view of the Colony Hotel, the big white resort visible from Route 9.

Old Orchard Beach is the outlier. Seven miles of hard-packed sand, an amusement park on the pier, fried dough stands, and a boardwalk atmosphere closer to the Jersey Shore than quiet New England. It is exactly what it sounds like, and it is a blast if you are in the mood. The beach itself is excellent for walking, and the fireworks on Thursday nights in summer draw big crowds.

Long Sands Beach and Short Sands Beach in York are two more solid options. Long Sands is a 1.5-mile stretch with metered street parking and good surf. Short Sands is a pocket beach in York Beach village, surrounded by restaurants and the Fun-O-Rama arcade. Both are family favorites.

Marginal Way

Marginal Way is a 1.25-mile paved path that follows the rocky coastline between Ogunquit Beach and Perkins Cove. It is flat, fully paved, and has benches spaced every few hundred feet. The path runs along the edge of low cliffs above the surf, with views south toward Nubble Lighthouse and east to the open Atlantic. In spring, rosa rugosa blooms pink along the fences. In fall, the light is lower and warmer and the crowds thin out.

The walk takes about 30 to 40 minutes at a comfortable pace. Start from the Ogunquit Beach end (the Shore Road entrance near the Beachmore Inn) to walk toward Perkins Cove, where you can eat lunch at one of the lobster shacks on the dock. Barnacle Billy’s has been there since 1961 and serves lobster rolls and steamed clams at outdoor tables over the water. Walk back the way you came, or hop the Marginal Way trolley to return to your car.

The best time to walk Marginal Way is early morning, before 8 AM, when the light is soft and the path is mostly empty. By midday in July and August, it gets genuinely crowded.

The Hikes

Southern Maine does not have the big peaks of the western mountains or the Katahdin region, but it has honest, rewarding hikes with views that punch above their elevation.

Pleasant Mountain via the Ledges Trail is the best hike in the region. At 2,006 feet, Pleasant Mountain is the tallest peak in southern Maine. The Ledges Trail climbs 1,600 feet over 1.8 miles (3.6 miles round trip) through mixed hardwood forest before breaking out onto open granite ledges. The summit has a fire tower and 360-degree views: Sebago Lake to the east, the White Mountains to the west, and on clear days, the ocean to the south. The trail is moderate in difficulty with a few steep, rocky sections near the top. Allow 3 to 4 hours round trip. The trailhead is off Route 302 in Bridgton, and parking is free but limited to about 20 cars.

Bradbury Mountain in Pownal is the go-to family hike. The summit trail is just half a mile to the top, gaining 187 feet of elevation, and even small kids can handle it. The views from the 485-foot summit reach across Casco Bay to the coast and west toward the foothills. Bradbury Mountain State Park also has excellent mountain biking trails and 35 campsites. It is 30 minutes from Portland.

Mount Agamenticus in York rises 692 feet above the surrounding coastal plain. The hike from the base is about 1.6 miles round trip on a well-maintained trail network. The summit has a seasonal learning lodge, an observation platform, and views from the ocean to Mount Washington on clear days. You can also drive to the top. The Mount Agamenticus Conservation Region covers over 10,000 acres and is one of the largest intact coastal forests between Acadia and the New Jersey Pine Barrens. Spring hawk migration is excellent here.

Sawyer Mountain in Limington is a quieter option. A 2.2-mile round trip through a 1,400-acre Francis Small Heritage Trust preserve to a 1,213-foot summit with views of the Saco River valley and White Mountains. You will likely have the trail to yourself on weekdays.

Vaughan Woods State Park in South Berwick is not a summit hike, but it is worth knowing about. Three miles of trails wind through 165 acres of old-growth pine and hemlock forest along the Salmon Falls River. The trees are enormous. It is an easy walk and a good spot when you want shade and quiet rather than views.

Lakes and Paddling

The inland side of southern Maine is defined by water. The lakes here warmed by the shallower, lower-elevation terrain reach into the low 70s by August, comfortable enough for long swims.

Sebago Lake dominates the map. At 45 square miles, it is big enough to feel like open water on windy days. Sebago Lake State Park on the north shore has a sand swimming beach, 250 campsites split between the Naples Beach and Witch Cove areas, and a boat launch. Kayaking along the undeveloped western shore is excellent. The lake also holds landlocked salmon and lake trout, and the fishing is good from ice-out in April through October.

Naples sits at the northern tip of Long Lake, connected to Sebago by the Songo Lock, a hand-operated lock built in 1830 that still works. The Songo River Queen, a replica paddle-wheel riverboat, runs cruises on Long Lake from the Naples Causeway. Naples KOA is a serviceable base camp for the lakes region, about 1.4 miles from the causeway.

For quieter paddling, Highland Lake in Bridgton and Crystal Lake in Harrison are smaller, less developed, and have public boat launches. Both are good for morning paddles when the water is glass.

When to Visit

Summer, from late June through Labor Day, is prime time. The beaches are at their warmest, the lakes are swimmable, and every trail is accessible. The trade-off is crowds. Ogunquit Beach parking fills by 10 AM on Saturdays, the Kennebunk beaches require permits, and Sebago Lake State Park campground books out months ahead.

September is the best-kept open secret. The ocean water is actually at its warmest in mid-September (it takes all summer to heat up), the inland foliage starts turning by the last week of the month, and the summer crowds drop by half. Early October brings peak color to the Sebago Lake region and the foothills around Bridgton and Naples.

Spring is quiet. Trails can be muddy through May, and the beaches are too cold for swimming until late June. But Mount Agamenticus draws hawk watchers during spring migration, and the Rachel Carson refuge is alive with shorebirds. Winter turns the beaches into long, windswept walking paths. Bradbury Mountain and Agamenticus are excellent for snowshoeing, and Sebago Lake freezes solid enough for ice fishing by January.

Do Not Miss

• Nubble Lighthouse in York. One of the most photographed lighthouses in the country, built in 1879 on a tiny island just 100 yards offshore. View it from Sohier Park, where parking is free and the angle is perfect.
• Marginal Way at sunrise. The 1.25-mile cliff walk is a different experience before 8 AM, when the light is golden and you will share it with a handful of joggers.
• Pleasant Mountain on a clear fall day. The summit views over the Sebago region with the foliage at peak are as good as anything in western Maine.
• The Wedding Cake House in Kennebunk. A private home from 1825 covered in ornate Gothic woodwork that looks like frosting. You cannot go inside, but it is worth a slow drive-by on Summer Street.
• Perkins Cove in Ogunquit. A small working harbor at the south end of Marginal Way with lobster shacks, a pedestrian drawbridge, and boat tours. Barnacle Billy’s has been here since 1961.
• Cascade Falls in Saco. A 25-foot waterfall in a historic mill district. Easy to reach, free, and a good 15-minute stop if you are driving between the beaches and Portland.

FAQ