Old Orchard Beach is about 15 miles south of Portland. Part Coney Island, part classic New England, with a genuine working-class summer energy that has not changed much in 50 years. It is loud, fun, and built for having a good time. Here is what to do, where to eat, and how to understand the place before you arrive.
The Beach
The continuous sandy beach runs seven miles from Pine Point in Scarborough down to Camp Ellis in Saco. It is the longest continuous sandy beach in Maine. Old Orchard is wide, flat, and gently sloping, sitting in a sheltered cove on Saco Bay. Wave action stays gentle, which is why it works so well for families with small children.
This is a social beach. Volleyball, frisbee, sandcastles, people-watching. Do not come here for solitude. Come here because it is August and you want to be at the beach.
Water by month: June runs 55 to 60 degrees, cold. July is 60 to 65, cool but swimmable. August peaks around 64 to 68 degrees, the most comfortable. September holds the warmth better than you'd think, often still 60 to 65.
The Pier
The Pier is 500 feet long, extending straight out over the Atlantic from the foot of Old Orchard Street. It first opened in 1898. The original was nearly 1,825 feet with three pavilions and a casino at the end. Frank Sinatra, Louis Armstrong, and Benny Goodman all played the Pier Casino Ballroom in its heyday. The Blizzard of 1978 destroyed most of what was left. The current pier was rebuilt and reopened in 1980.
Today: souvenir shops, food vendors, restaurants. At the far end, a nightclub with a Sunset Deck and a view of the Atlantic. Reader's Digest named it one of the top five Beach Boardwalks in the country in 2021.
On the pier: Pier French Fries (open since 1932), Bill's Pizza (since 1949), Hooligan's Landing for seafood, and Top of the Pier Nightclub at the far end.
Palace Playland
New England's only remaining beachfront amusement park has run on the same five acres since 1902. More than 28 rides plus Maine's largest arcade, 24,000 square feet with over 200 games. Free to enter. Pay per ride or buy a day pass.
The Electra Wheel stands over 70 feet tall. Views of the full seven-mile beach and the Atlantic at the top. The Speedy Coaster is new for 2026. The Wind Surfer lifts three-person hang gliders 30 feet in the air. The Drop Zone, Wave Swinger, and The Pirate round out the thrill rides. Weekday hours: Noon to close. Weekends: 11 AM to close. Roughly $50 for a full-day pass for adults. See our Palace Playland guide for more detail.
The Boardwalk Strip
Old Orchard Street and the beachfront strip: arcades, ring toss, fried dough, cotton candy, saltwater taffy, mini golf. Classic American beach carnival. It runs at full capacity from July through Labor Day weekend.
For shopping: Beachology has locally made gifts and apparel. Dickinson's Candy does handmade chocolates. Maine Country Woods sells artisan wooden crafts if you need something to bring home.
Eating
For a quick beachside meal: Pier French Fries is the mandatory stop. JJ's Eatery is the best breakfast near the pier. Jake's Eatery Too does corned beef hash and housemade pancakes.
For lobster: Johnny Shucks Maine Lobster for freshness. Bell Buoy for a hot buttered roll. Big Daddy's Bar and Grill has a lobster sandwich on a crescent roll.
For a real dinner: Joseph's By the Sea has been the fine dining option in OOB for over 50 years. Rooftop and dining room views of the ocean. Worth booking ahead in July. Pirates Patio and Galley sets tables in the sand. Surf 6 Oceanfront does beachfront dining with live music.
Nightlife
Top of the Pier Nightclub is the OOB night-out spot, with the Sunset Deck at the end of the pier. GFB Scottish Pub at 32 Old Orchard St is the only brewpub in town, open nightly from 5 PM. Myst Oceanside runs until 1 AM on weekends with frozen cocktails and live music. Water's Edge Tiki Bar for something more laid-back.
Weekly Events
Thursday Night Fireworks launch from the beach near the Pier every Thursday, late June through late August, at about 9:45 PM. Free. Watch from anywhere on the main beach.
Rock the Park Concerts at The Ballpark, 7 Ballpark Way. Free outdoor shows on select summer evenings. Gates open at 5, music from 6 to 8.
When to Visit
July and August: Peak season. Everything open, fireworks weekly, every restaurant at full operation. Highest prices and biggest crowds.
September: The smart pick. Water is often warmer than July. Crowds drop hard after Labor Day. Most restaurants stay open. Hotel rates come down. The Car Show in mid-September is a bonus. If you want the beach experience without peak-season intensity, September is worth serious consideration.
Memorial Day and early June: Most things open, smaller crowds, lower prices. A few places not yet at full operation.
The Quebec Connection
Between 30 and 40 percent of summer visitors are Canadian, nearly all from Quebec. This goes back to 1853 when the Grand Trunk Railroad connected Montreal to this part of Maine. OOB is the closest Atlantic beach to both Quebec City and Montreal. Bilingual signs and French-speaking staff are common throughout downtown. The Canadian flag flies outside many properties. It is a core part of the town's identity.
Day Trips
Portland, 20 minutes north. The Old Port has cobblestone streets, good restaurants, and craft breweries. Portland Head Light at Cape Elizabeth, Maine's oldest lighthouse, commissioned by George Washington in 1791, is one of the most photographed spots on the East Coast.
Kennebunkport, 25 to 30 minutes south. Upscale coastal village with Dock Square boutiques, Goose Rocks Beach, and whale watching trips to Jeffrey's Ledge.
Biddeford, 10 minutes from the hotel. Food and Wine Magazine named it one of the next great food cities. James Beard-nominated chefs, a 1927 Pollard dining car (Palace Diner), and a revitalized downtown. A short drive for a dinner that has nothing to do with fried dough.
We are two miles from the OOB pier. Close enough to be there in five minutes. Far enough to step back from resort-town prices and noise. Most of our guests split their days between the beach, Funtown Splashtown (1.5 miles from us), and dinner in Biddeford. It works well.