Old Orchard Beach

If there’s one reason people come to Old Orchard Beach year after year, it’s because this town has something for everyone—families, seniors, and couples.

For more than 170 years, this community of about 9,000 year-round residents has thrown open its doors and invited folks to have fun. During the warmer months, families flock to Old Orchard Beach and the population swells to upwards of 75,000. Many come all the way from Eastern Ontario and Quebec, often year after year.

Things to Do in Old Orchard Beach

Why? First, there’s that beach, all seven miles of it between Pine Point by Scarborough down to Camp Elliot. When the tide is out and the sun is shining, the sand goes on forever. People nestle in for a nap, play football, toss a frisbee, venture into the surf, enjoy a walk on the Eastern Trail or kayak through Scarborough Marsh. There seems to be room for everyone. Feel free to leave your umbrellas, chairs, kayaks, and paddleboards at home – you can rent just about everything for a perfect beach vacation.

Then, there’s the Old Orchard Beach Pier. First built in 1898, the Pier once marched more than 1,800 feet out into the bay. It hosted restaurants, shops and even a casino where Frank Sinatra once crooned. Storms eventually broke down the old Pier; the newer one is slightly shorter. But it, too, includes places to eat, drink and shop, all of them above the waves.

Back on shore, check out Palace Playland, the only beachside amusement park in New England. Here, you can scare yourself on the big-kid rides, giggle on the little-kid rides, play for tickets on the arcade games or watch the waves below as you sit atop the Ferris wheel. Enjoy the fireworks every Thursday night! See what shows are at Seaside Pavilion – an outdoor covered music venue.

Stroll the Old Orchard Beach pier, enjoy small, local shops and stop by restaurants, local bars and local hotels and motels. Pick up a sandwich, shop for a t-shirt, sip a beer or grab some cotton candy. People have been strolling these same streets and enjoying these places for generations.

Ready for some quiet time? Visit Ocean Park. This woodsy, summer retreat was founded in 1881 in a section of OOB as a place for religious camp meetings and self-improvement lectures. It’s still owned by an association and hosts ‘The Temple,’ the only octagonal church in Maine.

Restaurants in Old Orchard Beach

Old Orchard Beach restaurants range from small places serving great pizza by the slice to sit-down spots with terrific views of the sea. To find some, check our list of businesses below and click here.

Where to Stay in Old Orchard Beach

Old Orchard hotels and accommodations range from resorts by the sea to campgrounds to classic, family owned motels. If you want to bring your RV or tent for camping, you don’t have to go without some fun amenities like pools and outdoor games. To find the perfect spot, scroll down our list of businesses below or click here.