Old Orchard Beach: Maine's Summer Playground

Old Orchard Beach is unlike anywhere else in Maine. While most of Maine’s coastline trades on rugged scenery and quiet contemplation, OOB is loud, vibrant, and unapologetically fun. Seven miles of wide, sandy beach backed by an amusement park, boardwalk bars, and neon-lit nightclubs feel more like the Jersey Shore than Down East Maine.

That’s exactly the point. The Town, which was established in 1883 and describes itself as “Maine’s Premier Family Resort,” counts about 9,000 year-round residents and says its summer population reaches up to 75,000, drawn from New England, the mid-Atlantic, Canada and Europe. It’s not for everyone, but for those who embrace the carnival atmosphere, OOB delivers a beach vacation unlike anything else in New England.

The Beach

Seven Miles of Sand

The beach is the main attraction. The Town’s own tobacco-free beach resolution describes “a seven mile long stretch of coastline with beaches that draw visitors from all over Maine, the U.S. and other countries,” running from Pine Point in Scarborough down to Camp Ellis in Saco.

What makes it special:

Wide enough that you can always find space, though close to the pier gets crowded
Gradual slope into the water, great for wading and playing
Fine sand that’s easy to walk on
No vehicles: town ordinance bars all motorized traffic from the beach except public safety and beach-cleaning vehicles

The character: This is a social beach. You’ll see volleyball games, frisbee tosses, kids building sandcastles, and sunbathers packed in near the pier. It’s not a place for quiet solitude. It’s a place for people-watching and summer fun.

Beach Sections

Near the Pier: The most crowded section. Walking distance to all the action, restaurants, bars, Palace Playland. Great for the full OOB experience.

North toward Pine Point: Progressively quieter as you walk away from the pier. The Town of Scarborough describes Pine Point Beach as “a long sandy beach on Saco Bay that extends from the jetty at Pine Point to Old Orchard Beach,” so you can simply keep walking into it.

South toward Camp Ellis: Also quieter. The jetty at Camp Ellis offers different scenery and fishing opportunities.

Water and Safety

Temperature: cold. This is the Gulf of Maine. The water off OOB warms more than it does further Down East because the beach is long, shallow and south-facing, but nobody publishes a reliable daily temperature for it, so pack for cold water and be pleasantly surprised.

Waves: generally gentle. Good for body surfing and boogie boarding on bigger days, but rarely dangerous.

Rip currents: can occur, especially near the pier and jetties. Swim near lifeguards and pay attention to warnings.

Lifeguards: the Town funds lifeguards through the Fire Department and staffs a Surf Rescue Squad in summer, but it does not publish stand locations or hours online. Ask at the pier or look for the flags.

Surfing is regulated. Between June 21 and Labor Day, surfboards are allowed only between 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 a.m. along the beach generally, plus one daytime zone: “on the northerly side of the Old Orchard Pier from such pier to a point 125 yards from the pier.” Outside that window, from Labor Day to June 21, surfing is unrestricted.

Fishing is regulated too. There is no fishing on the beaches from Memorial Day to Labor Day between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. unless a public safety representative decides surf casting is not a hazard.

The Pier

The Old Orchard Beach Pier is the physical and symbolic heart of OOB. The Pier Patio Pub, which trades on it, describes the pier as “stretching 600 feet over the Atlantic Ocean.” It has been rebuilt more than once over its long life after storms and fires, and the businesses on it change hands regularly, so treat any specific date or tenant list you read elsewhere with caution.

What’s On the Pier

Restaurants and bars: the pier’s own events listing at experienceoob.com names The Pier Patio Pub, the Top of the Pier Night Club, The Sunset Deck, Hooligans, The Big Kahuna and The Bull and Brew Wing House. Fried seafood, pizza, drinks and classic beach fare, with outdoor seating and ocean views.

Shops: Souvenir stores, beach gear, t-shirts, and novelty items.

Games and arcades: Classic boardwalk entertainment.

Live entertainment: in season the pier runs something most nights, live bands and DJs in the afternoon and evening, comedy, karaoke, and a Thursday lobster feast. The current week’s line-up is posted at experienceoob.com.

The View

Walk to the end of the pier for one of the best views on the Maine coast. Looking back at the beach, you see the full sweep of OOB, the amusement park, the crowds on the sand, the waterfront hotels. Looking out, it’s open Atlantic.

Palace Playland

Palace Playland bills itself as “New England’s only beachfront amusement park,” and its wordmark dates the park to 1902. It sits right at the pier entrance. The operator describes it as “a five-acre family-oriented amusement park featuring over 28 rides and attractions,” with a 24,000 square foot arcade holding more than 250 games, which it calls one of the largest in New England.

The Rides

The line-up changes, so this is the 2026 roster as the park publishes it.

Sea Viper: the headline coaster. The park’s own description: “Enjoy ocean vistas atop 70 feet and speeds up to 42 mph on 1500 feet of track. The first of its kind in the United States.” 51 inch minimum, 48 with a paying adult.

Gold Rush: new for 2026, a family coaster with “smooth twists, playful hills.” 42 inch minimum.

Wipeout: a spinning coaster on a figure 8 track, with random spinning action. 46 inch minimum, 36 with a paying adult.

Electra Wheel: the gondola Ferris wheel, with an LED display at night. Best at sunset. 42 inch minimum, no minimum with a paying adult.

Carousel: hand-painted animals on posts, with circus music. 42 inch minimum, no minimum with an accompanying adult.

Thrill rides: HyperJump, Kraken, Matterhorn, Nitro Speed, Pirate, Riptide and Wind Surfer.

Family rides: Dodgem bumper cars, Drop Zone, Super Star, Tilt-A-Whirl and Wave Swinger.

Kiddie rides: thirteen in all, the Carousel plus Convoy, Crop Duster, Dizzy Dragon, Dumbo, Euro Slide, Frog Hopper, the Grand Orient Fun House, Kiddie Cars, Kiddie Combo, Motorcycle Jump, Samba Balloon and Winky The Whale. Most run a 32 to 36 inch minimum and a 54 inch maximum.

Note the maximum heights as well as the minimums. Several rides cap out at 77 to 82 inches.

The Atmosphere

Palace Playland isn’t Six Flags. It’s a compact, nostalgic amusement park with the sounds of the ocean as backdrop. The combination of rides, arcade games, and beach setting creates a unique atmosphere.

Practical Info

Admission: free. In the park’s words, “There is no admission fee or gate at Palace Playland. Any guest can come and go as they please during our regular operating hours.” Rides are paid for with credits or a day pass.

2026 prices:

Ticket	Price
Day Pass, over 48 inches, weekday	$52.50
Day Pass, over 48 inches, weekend	$54.50
Day Pass, under 48 inches, weekday	$44.00
Day Pass, under 48 inches, weekend	$46.00
Season Pass	$188

Day passes and season passes are sold in person only, at the park’s ticket booths. There is no online purchase.

Individual rides cost 17 or 24 credits (kiddie), 24 or 32 (family), and 24, 32 or 39 (coasters and thrill rides), so if you plan on more than a handful of rides the day pass is usually the cheaper route.

Hours: the park is blunt about this: “There is no set closing time at Palace Playland, our closing time depends strictly on weather and attendance. Typically, during peak season the park and arcade are open until 10 pm or later.” Ride and arcade hours are published as a month-by-month calendar. Check it the day you go.

Weather: the park decides whether to open “at the last possible moment” if rain or storms are forecast, may close rides temporarily during a passing storm, and applies a no-refunds policy on all tickets, day passes and season passes if weather affects operations.

Best for: Families with kids, couples wanting nostalgic fun, anyone who appreciates classic Americana.

Nightlife and Entertainment

OOB transforms after dark. The pier and downtown area become a party scene, particularly on weekends.

Bars and Clubs

The pier and adjacent blocks have multiple bars and clubs, ranging from casual beach bars to louder nightclubs. The scene is young, energetic, and unpolished. Don’t expect craft cocktails.

What to expect: Loud music, drinks in plastic cups, summer crowds, a vacation vibe. It’s not sophisticated, but it’s fun if you’re in the right mood.

Thursday Night Fireworks

Fireworks are launched on the beach in front of Palace Playland on Thursday nights through July and August, sponsored by Palace Playland and the Pier. The published 2026 dates were 9, 16, 23 and 30 July and 6, 13, 20 and 27 August, weather permitting.

One caution: the start time moved twice during the 2026 season. Palace Playland’s general information page still says 9:45 pm, its own 2026 fireworks graphic says 9 pm, and its current park-hours calendar, the Town’s announcement and the pier’s events page all say 9:20 pm. Check the park’s calendar on the day rather than trusting a printed time.

Crowds are big. Get on the sand well before the show.

Live Music

Bands play on the pier and at various beachfront venues throughout summer. Mostly cover bands and party music, the soundtrack of a beach town.

Getting There

By Train (Best Option)

The Amtrak Downeaster stops in Old Orchard Beach, making it one of the most accessible beaches in Maine for car-free visitors. The station is at 11 First Street, and the operator notes the beach, pier, Palace Playland, shops and hotels are all within a quarter mile of it.

Seasonal service: the station is open seasonally. In 2026 service runs from 18 May to mid-October, not just the high summer.

From Boston: just under 2 hours from North Station.

From Portland: about 20 minutes.

One catch: not every train stops. Weekday train 680 and weekend train 690 skip Old Orchard Beach. All other Downeaster trains serve it when the station is open.

Facilities: a self-service ticketing kiosk, restrooms and visitor information are in the Chamber of Commerce building next to the platform. On-street metered parking is available beside the platform, and the Chamber can issue parking passes to Downeaster passengers for up to three nights.

By Car

From Portland: About 15 miles south via I-95 and Route 1.

From Boston: About 90 miles north via I-95. Can be brutal traffic on summer weekends.

The problem: Parking. OOB is notorious for difficult parking in summer.

Parking

What the Town publishes. The municipal lots are Milliken Street, Memorial Park, and the Town Hall lots including Veteran’s Square. The Town sells seasonal permits rather than publishing an hourly lot rate:

Permit	Price
Residential	$50 or $75
Non-resident	$150, $300 or $1,000
Temporary	$100

Permits are digital, run from the Friday before Memorial Day to Labor Day (the $300 permit runs to 31 October), and are non-refundable. Only the $300, $1,000 and $100 permits allow overnight parking, and only in the Milliken Street lot. Memorial Park allows no parking between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. Old Orchard Street is now free 30-minute parking only, with no permit parking.

What nobody publishes. Day rates at the private lots around the pier. They set their own prices, change them by the day and by demand, and no central source lists them, so budget generously and expect to pay more on a Saturday in July than on a Tuesday in June.

Tips:

The lots nearest the pier fill first, so arriving earlier in the day genuinely helps
Consider parking further out and walking, or using the seasonal trolley
Take the train if you can

By Trolley and Bus

BSOOB Transit, the Biddeford Saco Old Orchard Beach transit agency, runs a seasonal trolley with about 40 stops. In 2026 it ran on Memorial Day weekend, 23 and 24 May, then in full service from 20 June to 6 September. It serves Old Orchard Beach, Saco on US Route 1 near Funtown Splashtown USA, Scarborough at Pine Point along East Grand Avenue, and Camp Ellis, which makes it genuinely useful for beach-hopping without a car.

Fares are local-route fares. Since 1 August 2026 the agency’s fare table shows $2.25 full and $1.10 reduced in cash, with a $6.50 full-fare daily cap. Children 5 and under ride free with an adult. The trolley page itself still shows the older $2.00 and $1.00 fares, so carry the higher amount. Drivers are not required to make change.

Year round, BSOOB routes 52 and 53 also connect OOB with Saco and Biddeford.

Where to Stay

Beachfront Hotels and Motels

Numerous hotels and motels line the beach, ranging from budget to mid-range. Most are older properties. Don’t expect luxury resorts.

What you get: Location, location, location. Wake up and walk to the sand.

Book early: Summer weekends fill up well in advance.

Vacation Rentals

Houses and condos available for weekly rentals. Better for families or groups. Note that seasonal rentals in OOB must be licensed and inspected by the Town.

Campgrounds

Several campgrounds in the area, including some close to the beach. Good budget option for families.

Dining

On the Pier and Nearby

Classic beach fare dominates: fried clams, lobster rolls, pizza, ice cream. Don’t expect culinary innovation. Expect vacation food.

On the pier: The Pier Patio Pub is the sit-down option over the water, with a menu built on local seafood. The Top of the Pier Night Club, The Sunset Deck, Hooligans, The Big Kahuna and The Bull and Brew Wing House all trade on or beside the pier and all run live entertainment in season.

Beach-side stands: Quick service fried seafood, hot dogs, fries.

In Town

More varied dining options away from the immediate beach area, including sit-down restaurants with fuller menus.

Nearby (Worth the Drive)

Saco and Biddeford: Just inland, these towns have expanding restaurant scenes with better dining options than you’ll find on the strip.

Who Is OOB For?

Perfect for:

Families with kids who want beach plus amusement park
Groups looking for beach-town party atmosphere
Canadian visitors, whom the Town names alongside New England and the mid-Atlantic as its core summer crowd
Anyone seeking nostalgic, classic American beach vacation
Day-trippers from Boston or Portland on the train

Maybe not ideal for:

Those seeking quiet, natural beauty
Visitors wanting upscale beach resort experience
People who prefer rugged, “real Maine” coast
Anyone sensitive to crowds and noise

Beach Rules and Tips

Dog Policy

The rule lives in Chapter 14, Sec. 14-6 of the Town’s code, as amended in November 2021. It applies to the public beach from Goose Fare Brook northeast to the Scarborough town line.

15 May to Labor Day: no dogs on the beach from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and dogs on leash from 5:00 p.m. to dusk.
The rest of the year, and outside those hours: dogs must be under voice and sight control.
An animal control or law enforcement officer can require you to leash your dog at any time.
Where a stretch of beach is roped, fenced or posted to protect a piping plover nest, no dog may come within 100 feet of it.
A violation of Sec. 14-6 carries a $100 fine.

The Town also runs a pooper-scooper ordinance: you must carry a bag or scoop and remove waste from the beach, streets, sidewalks or any town property.

Dogs must be licensed annually. There is a fenced dog park in Memorial Park on First Street, across from the Chamber of Commerce and the train station.

Alcohol

No alcohol on the beach. The ordinance is broad: it is unlawful “to possess or to consume any alcoholic beverage or liquor … within the boundaries of any park or recreation property owned, leased, managed or controlled by the town,” with a narrow exception for permitted ballpark events. Save it for the bars and restaurants.

Smoking

The Town’s municipal beaches are voluntary tobacco-free zones, declared by a Town Council resolution in November 2011. That means signage and encouragement rather than a fine. The separate tobacco-free ordinance with teeth applies to Veterans Memorial Park, not the beach.

After Dark

Most town parks close from half an hour after sunset to half an hour before sunrise, but the ordinance specifically exempts “East and West Surf Streets, commonly referred to as ‘the beach’,” so an evening walk on the sand is fine.

What to Bring

Sunscreen (no shade on the beach)
Cash (some beach vendors are cash-only, and Palace Playland day passes are sold in person only)
Towels and chairs (rentals available but pricey)
Patience (it’s crowded, embrace it)

Best Times to Visit

For swimming: July and August offer the warmest water.

For fewer crowds: Early June or September. Still pleasant but much less crowded. Note that the seasonal trolley stops in early September and the Downeaster keeps running into mid-October.

For full experience: July weekends, when OOB is at its most OOB.

Beyond the Beach

Nearby Beaches

Pine Point Beach, Hurd Park (Scarborough): just north of OOB, quieter and more family-oriented, and the Town of Scarborough describes it as running from the jetty at Pine Point right down to Old Orchard Beach. The municipal lot is on Avenue 5 off King Street. Scarborough’s 2026 rates are $20 a day for a single vehicle, collected 7:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., and $50 a day for buses, which are only permitted at Hurd Park if space allows. The fee season runs from the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day. A resident season pass is $40 with additional household vehicles at $5; the non-resident pass is capped at 350 and sold out for 2026 on 30 April. All passes are sold in person only.

Restrooms are open in season during lot hours, with portable toilets outside them. There are no lifeguards. Scarborough bans smoking, alcohol, fires, grills, fireworks, camping and motor vehicles on all its town beaches, and its dog rule is no dogs 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. from 15 May to Labor Day, on leash 5:00 p.m. to dusk, off leash under voice control from dawn to 9:00 a.m.

Ferry Beach State Park: south of OOB in Saco. Nature trails, calmer atmosphere. State park day use is charged per person: $5 adult resident, $7 adult non-resident, $2 senior non-resident, $1 for children 5 to 11, free under 5 and for Maine residents 65 and over.

Scarborough Beach State Park: a state park beach with parking and facilities, and much less carnival atmosphere. It sits outside both the town and the state fee systems: Maine’s day-use fee table lists it as “operated in a public/private partnership by Black Point Resource Management LLC” with no state rate, and the Town of Scarborough is explicit that “Town permits DO NOT include parking or access to Scarborough Beach State Park.” Check its own site for hours and parking.

Note the name collision: the Town of Scarborough also runs its own Ferry Beach on the Scarborough River, which is a different place from Ferry Beach State Park in Saco.

Day Trips

Portland (15 miles north): Maine’s food and culture capital. Easily combined with an OOB beach day, and reachable on the Downeaster.

Kennebunkport (15 miles south): Upscale contrast to OOB. Nice for a change of pace.

Funtown Splashtown USA (Saco): Larger amusement and water park nearby, and a stop on the seasonal trolley.

Seasonal Events

Events the Town or Chamber currently list:

Memorial Day Parade, late May, starting at the Ballpark
Thursday fireworks, July and August, on the beach in front of Palace Playland
Fourth of July, major crowds and a special Palace Playland fireworks show
Beach Olympics, run by the Chamber of Commerce
Lobster Rock OOB
OOB JeepFest, September
Old Orchard Beach Annual Car Show, September
Special Olympics Lobster Dip, 1 January

Dates move year to year, so check the Town’s events calendar before you build a trip around one.

Practical Information

Season: The full OOB experience runs Memorial Day through Labor Day. Shoulder seasons are quieter with some businesses closed, though the train keeps running into mid-October.

Prices and dates on this page are the 2026 season. Palace Playland, the Town and BSOOB Transit all publish next year’s figures in the spring, so if you are planning a 2027 trip, treat these as a guide and confirm before you budget.

Weather: Similar to Portland. Cooler than inland. Bring layers for evening.

Beach restoration: two January 2024 storms damaged the dunes, beach and public infrastructure, and the Town, State and FEMA have been rebuilding since. Sections of dune may be fenced off for planting.

Cell service: Good coverage throughout.

ATMs: Available but fees can be high. Bring cash.

Old Orchard Beach isn’t trying to be anything other than what it is: a classic American beach town where generations have come to play in the sand, ride the Ferris wheel, eat fried dough, and make summer memories. It’s loud, crowded, and kitschy, and for the visitors who return year after year, that’s exactly why they love it.