The best beaches in Maine
for kids.
We live on the New Hampshire seacoast, right at the Maine border, so our beach days are local and they repeat. Long Sands in York, where the girls end up on the rocks by the tide pools with Nubble Lighthouse across the water. Ogunquit Beach after the Marginal Way. Wells Beach toward Labor Day. Those three are below in detail, followed by the bigger beaches in Maine further up the coast, marked plainly as research.
Maine beaches for families,
at a glance.
If you only pick one, pick Long Sands in York. It has the easiest setup for a day with small kids: a bathroom on the beach, food across the road, and rocks to climb when the water is too cold.
| Beach | Town | Why kids like it | Our take |
|---|---|---|---|
| Long Sands Beach | York | Tide pools, rocks, ice cream across the road | Our favorite |
| Short Sands Beach | York Beach | Small beach in the village | Research only |
| Ogunquit Beach | Ogunquit | Long sand beach with a calmer river side | Every Ogunquit day |
| Wells Beach | Wells | Room to spread out | Our end-of-summer beach |
| Old Orchard Beach | Old Orchard Beach | Amusement park and pier on the sand | Research only |
| Crescent Beach State Park | Cape Elizabeth | Sheltered state beach near Portland | Research only |
| Popham Beach State Park | Phippsburg | Huge low-tide flats and tide pools | Research only |
| Sand Beach | Acadia National Park | A sandy cove between granite cliffs | Research only |
"Research only" means we haven't done that beach with the girls, so treat it as a lead, not a recommendation. Parking fees, lifeguard seasons and rules change, so check each town's or park's own site before you go.
Is Long Sands Beach in York good for kids?
Yes. It is the beach we go back to most, and the one we would send any family with young kids to first. There is a bathroom right on the beach, which matters more than any view when you have a five-year-old. Across the road are several takeout restaurants and several ice cream shops, so lunch doesn't mean packing up the whole camp.
The girls spend half of every visit on the rocks. There are tide pools to poke through, and Nubble Lighthouse sits out on its point in view of the beach. It is a pretty place to sit for a whole afternoon.
For food, we like Sun & Surf, the one right on Long Sands, Lulu's at The Nevada Hotel, and Stones Throw.
Parking, honestly: the road meters run about $4 an hour and are very limited in summer. Get there before about 10am. After that, expect the lots to cost about $20 to $40 for the day, depending on the day of the week.
Ogunquit Beach, after the Marginal Way.
Our Ogunquit day with the girls is always the same: walk the Marginal Way along the rocks in the morning, then spend the rest of the day on Ogunquit Beach. It is a long stretch of sand on a spit, with the Ogunquit River running behind it.
The river is what makes it work for little kids. At the main beach, families with small children often set up on the river side, where the water is calmer and warmer than the open ocean. The tide range is big, so check a tide chart before you choose your spot. Our things to do in Ogunquit with kids guide has the full day, including the walk.
Wells Beach, toward Labor Day.
Wells Beach is where we usually end up as summer winds down. There is plenty of sand, and at the end of the season it is beautiful.
The tradeoff is food. There are very few restaurants, just one off the beach, so pack lunch and snacks if you're staying the day.
Is the water in Maine too cold for kids?
It is cold, even in August. Plan on wading, jumping a few waves and then a lot of time on the sand and rocks, rather than long swims. That is exactly why the tide pools at Long Sands keep our girls busy.
Southern Maine, from York up through Wells, is the mildest stretch of the coast. The further north and east you go, the colder it gets. At Sand Beach in Acadia, the park service says the water rarely gets above the mid 50s, even in summer. Two things help: the calmer river side at Ogunquit Beach, and going at low tide, when shallow pools warm up in the sun.
More beaches in Maine we haven't done with the girls.
Our own beach days stay in southern Maine, so everything in this section is research, not experience. These are the Maine beaches that come up most for families, and the ones we would look at first for a longer trip up the coast.
Short Sands Beach, York Beach. The smaller beach on the other side of Nubble Lighthouse from Long Sands, right in the York Beach village. The arcades and the Goldenrod, a long-running taffy shop, are a short walk away. If Long Sands is your base, it is an easy change of scene.
Old Orchard Beach. The classic Maine beach town: about seven miles of sand, a pier, and Palace Playland, a seasonal amusement park right on the beach. It is busier and louder than the beaches we go to, which some kids will love.
Crescent Beach State Park, Cape Elizabeth. A curved, sheltered state-park beach a short drive from Portland, with the facilities you would expect from a state park. If you're spending a few days in Portland, this is the beach day to add.
Popham Beach State Park, Phippsburg. A long, wide beach where low tide opens up huge flats and tide pools, and you can walk out to Fox Island. Read the park's warnings first: the incoming tide can cut off the walk back, and the currents near the mouth of the Kennebec River are strong.
Sand Beach, Acadia National Park. We have been to Bar Harbor and Acadia with the girls, but we haven't spent a beach day here. It is a small sandy cove between granite cliffs on the Park Loop Road, beautiful to stop at, and the coldest water on this list. Our Acadia National Park with kids guide has the rest of the park.
One more, in New Hampshire.
It isn't in Maine, but it is one of our three regulars, so it belongs here. Wallis Sands State Park in Rye, NH is great for kids. Reserve the state-park parking spot for the day. It is relatively inexpensive, and the posted fee has been about $15 per car. There are bathrooms and a small convenience store, and the whole day is really easy. Our Portsmouth, NH with kids guide covers the rest of the New Hampshire seacoast.
When should you go, and how far is it from Boston?
July and August, for the warmest water and the most businesses open. The weeks around Labor Day are quieter, which is when we head to Wells. On any summer weekend, go early. The lots at every beach on this page fill on hot days.
Drive times are from Boston, since that's where most readers start. Ogunquit is about 1 hour 25 minutes in normal traffic, and York is a little closer. Kennebunkport is about 1 hour 40 minutes and Portland about 1 hour 55 minutes. Acadia is roughly 4 to 5 hours, so it is a long weekend, not a beach day. Our day trips from Boston guide ranks the southern Maine towns by drive time, and Portland and Acadia are the next steps up the coast.
Where should a family stay for a Maine beach weekend?
A rental in York Beach puts you a walk from Long Sands, so you can park once and skip the 10am parking race. For a night away with the girls, we have stayed at the Anchorage Inn, right across the street from Long Sands.
Some links below are affiliate links. If you book or buy through them, NOE may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only recommend what we would book for our own family. Our disclosure.
York Beach rentals, or the Anchorage Inn across from Long Sands
The best York Beach, Maine places to stay with kids are the ones where you can walk to the sand. We haven’t stayed in the three rentals below, but each passes our filters and sits in one of the beach towns on this page. The Anchorage Inn is the one we have stayed in ourselves.
Where we stayed for a night away with the girls: two indoor pools and an outdoor pool.
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bath
- New kitchen
- Washer and dryer
- A/C
- 2 min to Long Sands
Across from Long Sands with a view of Nubble Light, and a walk to the restaurants on the beach road. About $300 a night. It rents by the week only from May through September.
- 2 bedrooms
- 1 bath
- Full kitchen
- Washer and dryer
- A/C
- A quarter mile to Footbridge Beach
A main bedroom and a bunk room, with toys and board games already there. Footbridge Beach and a few restaurants are a quarter mile away, the trolley stop is steps away, and the center is about a mile. About $300 a night.
- 3 bedrooms
- 2+ baths
- Full kitchen
- Washer and dryer
- A/C
- 2 min to Dock Square
A restored 1797 house 2 minutes from Dock Square, with a garret the kids can play in, a backyard and a free beach parking permit. About $360 a night, over our budget.
Ratings and amenities were checked on Vrbo in October 2026. Links open Vrbo for 2 adults and 2 kids with no dates set, so prices change once you add dates. The Anchorage Inn link opens Expedia for the same family. See every stay on our approved list.
What families ask us.
What are the best beaches in Maine for kids?
Our own three are Long Sands Beach in York, our family's favorite, Ogunquit Beach, and Wells Beach toward the end of summer. Further up the coast, Old Orchard Beach is the classic big beach town with an amusement park on the sand, and Crescent Beach and Popham Beach state parks are calmer state-park days. We haven't done those with the girls, so treat them as research.
Is Long Sands Beach in York good for kids?
Yes. It is the beach we go back to most. There is a bathroom right on the beach, takeout restaurants and several ice cream shops across the road, and tide pools and rocks the girls play on every time, with Nubble Lighthouse in view.
Where do you park at Long Sands Beach?
Road meters along the beach run about $4 an hour and are very limited in summer. Get there before about 10am. After that, expect the lots to cost about $20 to $40 for the day, depending on the day of the week.
Is the water in Maine too cold for kids to swim?
It is cold, even in August, so most kids wade, jump waves for a few minutes and then play on the sand and rocks. Southern Maine is the mildest stretch. Sand Beach in Acadia is much colder, and the park service says it rarely gets above the mid 50s.
When is the best time to go to the beach in Maine with kids?
July and August for the warmest water and the most open, and the weeks around Labor Day for fewer crowds. Wells Beach toward Labor Day is one of our end-of-summer habits. Go early on summer weekends, because the lots fill.
How far are the Maine beaches from Boston?
Ogunquit is about 1 hour 25 minutes from Boston in normal traffic, and York is a little closer. Kennebunkport is about 1 hour 40 minutes, Portland about 1 hour 55 minutes, and Acadia roughly 4 to 5 hours. Summer weekends add time.
Keep exploring.
The Marginal Way, then Ogunquit Beach: our whole Ogunquit day, plus what else is in town.
Portsmouth, Rye and Hampton, Ogunquit and Kennebunkport, ranked by drive time.
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