Grab your pail and shovel, your sunscreen and boogie board and check out these Southern Maine beaches
York Beaches
Harbor Beach – Small beautiful sandy beach with suited for children with it's gentle surf. Off of Route 1A at the entrance to Harbor Park, there is free, but limited parking. Toilet facilities are available at Harbor Beach Road's end. Lifeguards patrol from June to Labor Day.
Long Sands Beach – Surfers are drawn to this long, sandy beach for its areas designated for surfing. Running along the beach, Coastal Route 1A offers metered parking. Bathrooms can be found at near Oceanside Ave. Lifeguards patrol from June to LaborDay.
Short Sands Beach – Sandy beach with gentle surf. Here, you can find metered parking in a lot off Rt 1A, showers, changing area and toilets. Easy to walk to shops and amusements adjacent to beach. Lifeguards on duty end of June to Labor Day.
Ogunquit Beaches
Ogunquit Beach – Soft white sand and warm surf. Popular with families. Accessible by trolley and several parking areas. Restrooms and snack bars. Considered one of the prettiest 3.5 miles of peninsula beach in the country. Lifeguards.
Footbridge Beach – Farther down Ogunquit Beach, beachgoers access the crowded area parking at the end of Ocean St. from the footbridge. Lifeguard patrolled.
Moody Beach – Bourne Avenue in Moody. Parking $7 per day.
Wells Beaches
Drakes Island Beach – Limited parking at lot on eastern end of Drakes Island Road. Toilet facilities and lifeguards available.
Wells Beach – Go to the Town Hall for parking stickers. Wonderful, long, sandy beach. Toilet facilities and lifeguards.
Crescent Beach – Typically uncrowded with beachgoers for its slightly more rocky real estate, however for some, that's the appeal. Parking at Gold Ribbon Avenue lot, from Webhannet Drive. Lifeguards.
Kennebunk/Kennebunkport Beaches
Mother’s Beach – Short sandy section of Kennebunk Beach. Playground on site. Stickers required, available at Town Hall. No facilities. Lifeguard on duty.
Gooch’s Beach – Largest part of Kennebunk Beach, along Beach Avenue, with talcum powder sand. Parking sticker required, available at Town Hall. Snack bars not available. Portable toilets. Lifeguards.
Middle Beach – Between Mother’s and Gooch’s Beach seats a rockier section of Kennebunk Beach with black, pretty pebbles. Sticker also required.
Colony Beach – This small beach area corners the mouth of the Kennebunk River lies . Limited parking. No lifeguard.
Cleaves Cove Beach – Secluded and lovely beach off Ocean Avenue. No parking. No facilities. No lifeguards.
Goose Rocks Beach – Very soft sand, great for walking. Scenic and beautiful. There is a trolley drop off for those that do not have parking sticker. No toilet facilities or patrolled with lifeguards.
Kennebunk/Kennebunkport Beach Parking Stickers available at Chamber of Commerce, Town Hall and Police Station.
Biddeford/Saco Beaches
Biddeford Pool Beach – Two mile sandy beach with gentle surf. Sticker required from Biddeford Town Hall. Bathhouse and Lifeguard.
Fortune’s Rocks Beach – Small sandy beach. Lifeguards. Parking Fee.
Ferry Beach State Park – Sheltered from wind, natural sand dunes. Facilities, picnic area and nature trails.
Old Orchard Beach
Old Orchard Beach – Seven miles of beach, amusement parks, food and games next to beach it's no wonder Old Orchard Beach is voted #1 by Maine's largest newspaper. Metered street parking and several lots. Lifeguards.
Scarborough and Cape Elizabeth Beaches
Pine Point Beach – The northern section of Old Orchard Beach, spills into Scarborough. This section is wide regardless of the tide and has reasonable parking fees in the large public parking area.
Ferry Beach - At the mouth of Scarborough River, this is a unique beach seated on Prouts Neck Point directed toward the West for beautiful sunsets. Offers a boat launch.
Scarborough Beach State Park – Off Rt 207 and 77 is a expansive beautiful stretch of sand on Prouts Neck.
Crescent Beach State Park – In Cape Elizabeth 8 miles south of Portland. 1-mile of beautiful sand and gorgeous surroundings.
Higgins Beach – On Ocean Ave. off Rt 77 a large stretch of sand with little parking.
Freeport
Winslow Park and Campground – This small tidal beach in Freeport, Maine offers a subdued beach atmosphere. Parking is available at Staples Point Road for a small fee.