31 Best Sights in The Southern Coast, Maine

Three-mile-long Goose Rocks, a 10-minute drive north of Kennebunkport, has a good long stretch of smooth sand and plenty of shallow pools for exploring. It's a favorite of families with small children. Pick up a $25 daily parking permit at one of two kiosks along the beach: one outside of Goose Rocks Beach General Store at 3 Dyke Road and the other at the Proctor Avenue beach path. Dogs are allowed (on a leash), but only before 9 and after 5 during the summer season. There is one porta potty behind the General Store, but otherwise no facilities are available at the beach. Amenities: parking (fee). Best for: walking; swimming.

Ogunquit has long been an important site for artists, and this stellar museum—the only one in Maine focused solely on American art—continues that legacy. The collection includes 3,000 early modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures, drawings, and more, including works with ties to Ogunquit's once-famous artist colony. The main gallery offers sweeping views of Perkins Cove. Leave time to stroll around the 3-acre seaside sculpture park in good weather.

Familiar to many from photographs and the Edward Hopper painting Portland Head-Light (1927), this lighthouse was commissioned by George Washington in 1790. The towering, white-stone structure stands over the keeper's quarters, a white home with a blazing red roof, today the Museum at Portland Head Light. The lighthouse is in 90-acre Fort Williams Park, a sprawling green space with walking paths, picnic facilities, a beach and—you guessed it—a cool old fort.

The great American landscape painter created many of his best-known works in this seaside home between 1883 until his death in 1910. It's easy to see how this rocky, jagged peninsula might have been inspiring. The only way to get a look is on a tour with the Portland Museum of Art, which leads 2½-hour strolls through the historic property.

The cornerstone of this block-long preservation of early-19th-century commercial and residential buildings is William Lord's Brick Store. Built as a dry-goods store in 1825 in the Federal style, the building has an openwork balustrade across the roofline, granite lintels over the windows, and paired chimneys. Exhibits chronicle the Kennebunk area's history, art, and culture for kids and adults alike. In addition, museum staffers lead walking tours of Kennebunk's National Historic District (at noon on Thursday and Saturday from June through October) and of the town's beaches (at 11 on Saturday from July through September).

This was the site of twin lighthouses erected in 1828—and locals still call it Two Lights—but one of the lighthouses was dismantled in 1924 and converted into a private residence. The other half still operates, and you can get a great photo of it from the end of Two Lights Road (note that it's not quite visible from the nearby Two Lights State Park). The lighthouse itself is closed to the public, but you can explore the tidal pools at its base, looking for small, edible snails known as periwinkles, or just "wrinkles," as they're sometimes referred to in Maine. Picnic tables are also available.

With a sheltered location just north of Short Sands Beach and at the mouth of the Cape Neddick River, this small rocky beach is the perfect place for wading and tide-pooling. Amenities: none. Best for: swimming; walking.

Just off scenic Route 77, this ½-mile-long, half-moon-shape swatch of sand has some of the warmest ocean currents in the state, making it a favorite for swimming. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking; showers; toilets; water sports. Best for: swimming; walking.

Lined with summer homes, this sandy strand is busy in the summer, but the beach and the water are surprisingly clean, considering all the traffic. The swimming's good, and beachgoers can also explore tidal pools and look for seals on the sea rocks nearby. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming.

Smaller and quieter than the other two beaches in Wells, Drakes Island Beach is also a little more natural, with rolling sand dunes and access to salt-marsh walking trails at an adjacent estuary. The ice-cream truck swings by regularly in the summer. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: walking.

Also known as White Columns, this imposing Greek Revival mansion with Doric columns is furnished with the belongings of four generations of the Perkins-Nott family. From mid-July through mid-October, the 1853 house is open for guided tours and also serves as a gathering place for village walking tours. It is owned by the Kennebunkport Historical Society, which has several other historical buildings, including an old jail and schoolhouse, a mile away at 125–135 North Street.

Built in 1773, just before the American Revolution, this stunning church is a marvel. The 1804 Asher Benjamin–style steeple stands proudly atop the village, and the sounds of the original Paul Revere bell can be heard for miles.

This spot offers excellent swimming, beach combing, and bodysurfing opportunities, as well as a boat launch for kayaks, small boats, and standup paddleboards. Typically less crowded than neighboring Ogunquit Beach, it’s reached by crossing a footbridge that runs over the Ogunquit River. Dogs are welcome from September through March. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best For: solitude; sunrise; sunset; surfing; swimming; walking; windsurfing.

Given the clear line of sight down to the Piscataqua River from here, it’s easy to understand why this has been considered a strategic locale since the 1600s. The fort was named for Andrew McClary—an Irish immigrant whose family settled in New Hampshire prior to the Revolution and who was reportedly the last Continental Army soldier killed at Battle of Bunker Hill—and although it never saw a major conflict, it was manned and developed during several of them, including the War of 1812 and the Civil War. The remaining fortifications showcase the history of American military architecture and include the Magazine Building (circa 1808) and the iconic Blockhouse (1846), a large, hexagonal structure set atop an imposing granite-block foundation. Wandering the grounds or along a short trail here is, given the original purpose of the site, an ironically peaceful way to pass an afternoon. 

Kennebunk Beach has three distinct stretches, one after another, along Beach Avenue, which is lined with cottages and old Victorians. The southernmost Mother's Beach is popular with families. Rock outcroppings lessen the waves, and a playground and tidal pools keep kids busy. This is followed by the stony Middle Beach. The most northerly, and the closest to downtown Kennebunkport, is Gooch's Beach, the main swimming beach. Amenities: lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: walking; swimming.

For an unusual experience, visit this 650-acre grasslands habitat that is home to several rare and endangered species and managed, in part, with controlled burns. Locals call it Blueberry Plains, and a good portion of the area is abloom with the hues of ripening wild blueberries in late July; after August 1, you are welcome to pick and eat all the berries you can find. The area is maintained by the Nature Conservancy.

In the peak of summer, each day sees thousands of visitors along this swath of white sand, which stretches for more than a mile. They come to sunbathe, surf (in designated areas), play volleyball, and explore tide pools. You can rent umbrellas and rafts here, but you'll have to walk to nearby restaurants for a bite to eat. Dogs are allowed (however, between late May and late September, only before 8 am and after 6:30 pm). Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; swimming; walking.

This mile-plus-long, paved footpath hugs the shore of a rocky promontory just beyond Ogunquit's downtown. Thirty-nine benches along the easygoing path allow you to appreciate the open sea vistas. Expect heavy foot traffic, even in the off-season—which is the only time of the year that dogs are allowed.

Ten miles east of Biddeford lies Ocean Park, a vacation community founded in 1881 by Free Will Baptist leaders as a summer assembly with both religious and educational purposes, following the example of Chautauqua, New York. The 1881 Temple, in an unusual octagon shape, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Today the community hosts an impressive variety of cultural events, from concerts to sand-sculpture contests. There's even a public shuffleboard area for vacationers not interested in the neon carnival attractions in Old Orchard Beach just up the road. Get an old-fashioned raspberry-lime rickey at the Ocean Park Soda Fountain, at Furber Park.

Perfect for just about every beach fan—sunbathers to beachcombers and bodysurfers—this 3-mile-long, sandy beach is located between the Atlantic Ocean and the Ogunquit River. Beach chairs and umbrellas are available for rent seasonally. Dogs are welcome from September through March. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best For: sunset; swimming; walking.

Nine historic 18th- and 19th-century buildings, clustered on York Street and along Lindsay Road and the York River, highlight York's rich history, which dates from the early colonial period. Start your visit at the museum's visitor center in the Remick Barn at the corner of U.S. 1A and Lindsay Road. The Old Gaol (established 1656) was once the King's Prison for the Province of Maine; step inside for a look inside its dungeons, cells, and jailer's quarters. The 1731 Elizabeth Perkins House reflects the Victorian style of its last occupants, the prominent Perkins family. 

This neck of land off Shore Road in the lower part of Ogunquit village has a jumble of sea-weathered fish houses and buildings that were part of an art school. These have largely been transformed by the tide of tourism into shops and restaurants, including the classic Barnacle Billy's seafood spot. When you've had your fill of browsing, stroll out along the mile-long Marginal Way.

At the headquarters of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, which has 11 divisions from Kittery to Cape Elizabeth, is the Carson Trail, a 1-mile loop. The trail traverses a salt marsh and a white-pine forest where migrating birds and waterfowl of many varieties are regularly spotted, and it borders Branch Brook and the Merriland River.

Built in 1718, this waterfront home was remodeled in the 1760s by Jonathan Sayward, a local merchant who had prospered in the West Indies trade. By 1860, his descendants had opened the house to the public to share the story of their Colonial ancestors. Accessible only by guided tour (first and third Saturday, June through mid-October, 11–4 with the last tour at 3), the house reveals the decor of a prosperous New England family and the stories of the free and enslaved people who lived here at the outset of the Revolutionary War. The parlor—considered one of the country's best-preserved Colonial interiors, with a tall clock and mahogany Chippendale-style chairs—looks pretty much as it did when Sayward lived here.

You can explore this Maine Audubon Society–run nature center on foot or by canoe and on your own or as part of a guided walk or paddle. Canoes and kayaks are available to rent and come with a life jacket and map. The salt marsh is Maine's largest and is an excellent place for bird-watching and peaceful paddling along its winding ways. The center has a discovery room for kids, programs for all ages ranging from basket making to astronomy, and a good gift shop. Tours include birding walks.

This fun, visitor-favorite museum is an homage to transport from years past. Get an up-close look at trolleys from major metropolitan areas worldwide—from Boston to Budapest, New York to Nagasaki, and San Francisco to Sydney—beautifully restored and displayed (and, sometimes, operational). Best of all, you can take a nearly 4-mile ride on the tracks of the former Atlantic Shore Line Railway, with a stop along the way at the museum restoration shop, where trolleys are transformed from junk into gems. The outdoor museum is self-guided.

Rocky cliffs bookend this ¼-mile sandy beach. It's amid Ellis Park, which has a playground, basketball courts, a paved walkway, and free concerts in summer. Leashed pets are allowed, though, dog-walking hours are limited between late May and late September. Shops, restaurants, and other attractions are all nearby. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); parking (fee); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.

The northern end of a 2-mile stretch of golden sand, Wells Beach is popular with families and surfers, who line up in the swells and suit up on the boardwalk near the arcade and snack shop. The beach's northern tip is a bit quieter, with a long rock jetty perfect for strolling. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); toilets. Best for: surfing; walking.

The 42-foot stone lighthouse and attached two-story keeper’s house are on the 32-acre, uninhabited Wood Island off the coast of Biddeford. The island is closed to the public except for two-hour guided tours hosted by Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse. Tours are offered several times a week in July and August and on Maine Lighthouse Day in September, and reservations can be made starting in June. Boats leave from Vine’s Boat Landing in Biddeford Pool. Note that people wearing flip-flops will not be allowed to board.

This small, somewhat secluded stretch with gentle surf is favored by locals, particularly families. It's near a shady park, the Cliff Walk, restaurants, and other attractions. Between late May and late September leashed dogs are allowed only before 8 am and after 6:30 pm. Amenities: lifeguards (seasonal); toilets. Best for: swimming; walking.