Region
Southern Maine Coast
The Southern Maine Coast offers several kinds of beach holiday, from the amusements around Old Orchard Beach’s pier to Ogunquit’s village-and-arts setting and the separate shore communities of Wells. York and the Kennebunks add historic centers and coastal neighborhoods. Choose the town by the kind of day you want, not simply by the first photograph of sand.
Maine's gateway from the south. Broad sandy beaches, working harbors, and seaside towns from Kittery up to Old Orchard Beach. Easy for a long-weekend trip, with the state's most accessible swimming, surfing and seafood shacks.
For a southern-coast visit, the Southern Maine Coast Itinerary: A Three-Day Weekend gives York, Ogunquit and the Kennebunks a full day each without changing hotels every night.
For a weekend destination choice, the Camden vs. Kennebunkport, Maine: Which Should You Choose? weighs Camden’s hills and harbor against Kennebunkport’s village-and-beach trip.
For a beach-led stay, the Maine Coast Guide: Which Beach Town Should You Choose? compares Ogunquit, Kennebunkport, York and Old Orchard Beach by the holiday each supports.
For travel dates, the Best Time to Visit Maine: A Month-by-Month Guide compares beach, foliage, wildlife, city and winter trips rather than assigning one best month to every region.
For a beach day, the Ogunquit Beach Parking, Maine: Lots, Rates and Access compares Main Beach, Footbridge and North Beach entrances with the town’s 2026 lot rates.
For more trip planning, see Things to Do in Biddeford, Maine: Mills or the Coast?.
Guides
Guides about Southern Maine Coast
Things to Do in Kittery, Maine
Nubble Lighthouse, York: What You Can Actually See
Things to Do in York, Maine: 12 Ranked Picks
Boon Island Lighthouse: Maine's Tallest, and Its Grimmest
Kittery Point, Maine & Fort McClary
Drakes Island, Maine: Beach, Parking and Tides
Goat Island Lighthouse, Cape Porpoise: How to See It
Things to Do in Wells, Maine: A Ranked Guide
Destinations
Southern Maine Coast destinations
Southern Maine Coast
Kennebunkport
Dock Square boutiques, Goose Rocks Beach, and the Bush family's Walker's Point - the quintessential coastal Maine summer town.
Southern Maine Coast
Kennebunk
Postcard-perfect village of sea captains' mansions, Lower Village shops, and easy walks to Mother's Beach and Gooch's Beach.
Southern Maine Coast
Ogunquit
Three miles of sand, the Marginal Way clifftop walk, and Perkins Cove's galleries - southern Maine at its most photogenic.
Southern Maine Coast
Old Orchard Beach
Seven miles of sand, a 500-foot pier with carnival games, and summer nights that feel like they belong in a postcard.
Southern Maine Coast
Wells
Seven miles of beach, a protected estuarine reserve, and the southern coast's densest run of seafood shacks.
Southern Maine Coast
York
Four distinct villages (York Village, York Harbor, York Beach and Cape Neddick) covering colonial history and a classic beach town.
Southern Maine Coast
Biddeford
Reviving mill-town food scene in the Pepperell Mill - Elda, Biscuits & Co., and the Pool beaches five minutes away.
Southern Maine Coast
Kittery
Maine's southern gateway - Kittery Trading Post, the outlet strip, and Kittery Point lobster shacks Bourdain put on the map.
Southern Maine Coast
Saco
Funtown Splashtown, Ferry Beach's maritime pine forest, and a tidy Main Street connecting downtown to the ocean.
Southern Maine Coast
Cape Neddick
The northern village of York, home to the Nubble Lighthouse, the most photographed light in Maine.
Southern Maine Coast
Sanford
York County's inland service center, a former textile city with the Mousam River and a growing trail network.
Southern Maine Coast
Arundel
Between Kennebunkport and Biddeford - Arundel Barn Playhouse, the Kennebunk River paddle, and antique-shop row on Route 1.
Southern Maine Coast
Berwick
Salmon Falls River mill town, the Berwick Academy prep school, and quiet country drives into the Great Works River marsh.
Southern Maine Coast
Eliot
Piscataqua riverfront, the Green Acre Bahá'í School, and the cross-river view to Portsmouth's tugboats from Boat Basin Road.
Southern Maine Coast
Hollis
Tory Hill Meetinghouse historic district, Saco River float trips, and the old Hollis Fire Museum just up the road.
Southern Maine Coast
Lebanon
Far southwestern Maine in the Salmon Falls Valley - Heath Pond fishing, the 1780 Lebanon Meetinghouse, and Granite State farms.
Southern Maine Coast
Lyman
Rural York County with Kennebunk Pond - Goat Hill Farm, tractor shows, and quiet drives along Old Alfred Road through farmland.
Southern Maine Coast
North Berwick
Hussey Seating Company hometown - Logan's Sub Shop whoopie pies and Mousam River paddling access on the back roads.
Southern Maine Coast
South Berwick
Sarah Orne Jewett's 18th-century home - Salmon Falls River corridor, Hamilton House, and Vaughan Woods state forest trails.
Southern Maine Coast
Waterboro
Lake Arrowhead cottages - East Waterboro dairy farms, Ossipee Hill fire-tower trail, and access to the Saco River Valley.
Hotels
Where to stay in Southern Maine Coast
$$$
Hotel
Wells
The Beached Whale
Spacious three-bedroom holiday home near Wells Beach. Full kitchen, free WiFi, BBQ area, and private parking. Perfect for families and groups.
$$$
Hotel
Kennebunk
Family Friendly Kennebunk Pond Lakefront Retreat
Spacious 3-bedroom lakefront home in Kennebunk with full kitchen, private beach access, and family play areas. Pet-friendly. Free WiFi & parking.
$$$
Hotel
York
Main Squeeze
Three-bedroom vacation home in York with fenced backyard, full kitchen, and pet-friendly policy. Steps from Short Sands Beach.
$$$
Hotel
Old Orchard Beach
Moontide Motel
Steps from the beach with clean cabins, kitchenette motel rooms, and friendly owners. Free parking, BBQ area, water park. Old Orchard Beach lodging.
$$$
Hotel
Kennebunk
Kennebunk Beach Cottage with Yard
Two-bedroom beachfront cottage in Kennebunk, steps from Goochs Beach. Spa, full kitchen, private yard. 9.8/10 from families and couples.
$$$
Hotel
Old Orchard Beach
Make Lasting Memories at the Bougie Beach Bungalow
Thoughtfully appointed 2-bedroom beach house steps from Old Orchard Beach Pier. Families love the games, full kitchen, and host who thinks of everything.
$$$
Hotel
Kennebunk
Kennebunk Apartment with Beach Access
Spacious one-bedroom apartment in walkable Kennebunk with direct beach access, full kitchen, and free WiFi. Perfect for families and solo travelers.
$$$
Hotel
Ogunquit
Tide's Edge Oceanfront Condo
Direct beachfront Ogunquit condo steps from Perkins Cove. Private beach, full kitchen, fireplace. Perfect for couples seeking peaceful ocean getaways.
$$$
Hotel
York
Beacon Retreat
Four-bedroom holiday home steps from Long Sands Beach in York. Full kitchen, fireplace, and private grounds ideal for families and groups.
$$$
Hotel
Kennebunkport
Thisgood Cove on Turbats Creek
Five-bedroom waterfront holiday home in Kennebunkport with private beach access, full kitchen, and sea views. Perfect for families and groups.
$$$
Hotel
York
Castle Rock
Waterfront four-bedroom holiday home in York with sea views, outdoor fireplace, and direct access to Short Sands Beach. Perfect for families and groups.
$$$
Hotel
Saco
The Garden House
Spacious 6-bedroom home in Saco with hot tub, garden, and full kitchen. Perfect for families near Funtown and Old Orchard Beach.
Restaurants
Where to eat in Southern Maine Coast
$$$
Restaurant
Ogunquit
Black Boar Bistro
French-leaning bistro in Ogunquit with bacon-wrapped salmon, duck confit, and Black Boar stew.
$$$
Restaurant
Old Orchard Beach
Charlie’s famous roast beef and lobster rolls
Roast beef and lobster rolls done right, with staff who move fast and keep smiling.
$$$
Restaurant
Kennebunkport
Heckmans Kennebunkport
Casual spot in Kennebunkport with a solid burger and a bar that stays open late.
$$$
Bed & breakfast
York
Dockside Guest Quarters
Waterside B&B in York with harbor views, full breakfast, and an on-site restaurant.
$$$
Sandwich shop
Old Orchard Beach
Red Door Market and Deli
Year-round sandwich shop in Old Orchard Beach with creative daily specials and a beer selection.
$$$
Restaurant
Lebanon
Union Breakfast & Pizza
Lebanon's Union serves thin-crust pizza with cup-and-char pepperoni and breakfast burritos that keep people coming back.
$$$
Donut shop
Wells
Congdon's Doughnuts
Housemade donuts and breakfast sandwiches in a Wells institution with a drive-through line that moves fast.
$$$
Gastropub
Kittery
The Black Birch
Kittery gastropub with 20+ beers and a small-plates menu built on local farms.
$$$
Bakery
Kennebunk
Boulangerie - A Proper Bakery
Kennebunk bakery where the croissants are worth the line. Flaky French pastries, strong coffee, rustic patio.
$$$
Cafe
Old Orchard Beach
Elevate Cafe
Old Orchard Beach cafe with serious coffee, fresh pastries, and sandwiches that surprise.
$$$
French restaurant
Kennebunk
Chez Rosa
Locally sourced French dinner spot in Kennebunk with pristine gnocchi and frites that justify the drive.
$$$
Seafood
Biddeford
Fish & Whistle
Biddeford fish shack where the batter crackles and the fish stays impossibly moist inside.
Common questions
Which town suits a first southern Maine beach stay?
Choose by the experience: Old Orchard Beach for central amusements, Ogunquit for a compact village-and-beach combination, or Wells for several separate shore communities. The exact room location matters within each town.
Are the Kennebunks one town?
No. Kennebunk and Kennebunkport meet at the river but have different neighborhoods, beaches and municipal rules. Keep the address and access information specific to the correct side.