Scarborough

That geography is the thing to understand: Higgins Beach, Pine Point, Prouts Neck and Scarborough Beach are all in the same town but are not near each other, and each has its own character and its own parking problem.

The beaches

Scarborough Beach (4.6 across 601 Google reviews) is the state park beach, with the best surf and a paid lot that fills by mid-morning. Higgins Beach is the surfers' beach, with a wreck visible at low tide and street parking that residents guard closely. Pine Point is the long flat stretch running toward Old Orchard Beach, good for walking at low tide. Prouts Neck is largely private. A rocky headland of grand houses with a public cliff walk.

What else Scarborough is known for

Winslow Homer painted his major late seascapes at Prouts Neck, and his studio there is preserved and open by guided tour booked through the Portland Museum of Art. The tour is small, has to be reserved ahead, and is the best art-historical experience on this stretch of coast.

The Scarborough Marsh is the other landmark: 3,000 acres of tidal marsh with an Audubon center that rents canoes and runs guided paddles. It is the state's largest salt marsh and a serious birding site, particularly during migration.

Where to eat

Seafood, mostly. Clambake Seafood Restaurant (4.1 across 3,157 Google reviews) at Pine Point is an institution of enormous scale. Ken's Place (4.4 from 2,377 reviews) has been frying clams since the 1920s and is the better food. Bayley's Lobster Pound (4.5 from 480 reviews) is a working pound, and The Bait Shed (4.4 from 889 reviews) sits right on the water at Pine Point.

Getting here and when to go

Scarborough is off I-95 and Route 1 south of Portland, and the beaches are a further ten to fifteen minutes on local roads. Do not assume the beach you want is close to the exit.

Beach parking is the constraint all summer. Arrive before nine or after four. September is excellent here: the water is at its warmest and the lots are empty.

Common questions

What is Scarborough Marsh?

Scarborough Marsh is the largest salt marsh in Maine, a wide expanse of tidal creeks and salt hay lying behind the beaches. An Audubon center on Pine Point Road runs guided walks and canoe trips in season, and the marsh is among the best birding sites in the state, with wading birds, ospreys and migrating shorebirds through the warmer months.

Can you visit Winslow Homer's studio in Scarborough?

Yes, but only on a guided tour. Homer painted his best-known seascapes at his studio on Prouts Neck, and the building is preserved by the Portland Museum of Art, which runs the visits and provides transport from Portland. You cannot simply drive up to it, because Prouts Neck is a private neighborhood with no visitor parking. Reserve well ahead.

Is Scarborough a good place to stay when visiting Portland?

Yes, and many people do it. Scarborough borders Portland, sits on both the interstate and Route 1, and puts the city and the beaches within a short drive of each other. What you give up is walkability: the town is spread out along its highways, so you will need a car for essentially everything.

Can you camp in Scarborough?

Yes. Bayley's Camping Resort near Pine Point is the main option, rated 4.5 from 1,074 reviews, with pools, organized activities and easy access to the shore. It is a family resort campground rather than a quiet woodland site, so book early for summer and expect neighbors close by.