Maine has more coast than California, which makes it no surprise that we have some some great beaches. While many are crowd favorites, becoming packed pretty early each day, others are located just out of the way. These are the beaches we love most and hope you’ll agree. And, if you have any suggestions, please leave them for everyone on Facebook!
- Barred Island Preserve, Deer Island
JR P / Flickr This beach is so secret, it’s only accessible for part of the day. The hike through the Barred Island Preserve will lead you to the shore where, during low tide, you’ll find a beach. This one is classic Maine!
- Birch Point State Park Beach, Owls Head
MrNjorl / Flick Birch Point State Park in Owls Head can often be overlooked. But that’s good news for those who like to have the beach to themselves! This crescent shaped beach is full of sand and a fairly calm surf. Grab a chair and look out over the Mussel Ridge Islands while enjoying a lovely picnic. It’s a bit hard to find - you’ll need to travel via a few back roads off of Route 73 before finally arriving. And, check out the Owls Head General Store on the way! Click here for more information on this fun general store diversion.
- Seawall Beach, Phippsburg
Leo / Flickr While reaching Seawall Beach requires some effort, it’s nothing too challenging. The beach is located over Morse Mountain, so you’ll need to get to the top via a 1-mile hike and then over to reach the beach. Travel through the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area to the sand dunes, which are nesting areas for two species of endangered birds, the piping plover and least terns. You won’t be able to do much here - no recreation such as volleyball and frisbee are allowed. But, it’s worth the hike to check it out for its beauty.
- Barred Harbor, Isle au Haut
donahue / Flickr Not to be confused with Barred Island Preserve on Deer Isle, this secluded beach can only be accessed via Goat Trail or the Median Ridge Trail, which spans the entire island. Both trails are a few miles, which makes this beach more difficult to access. But, once you arrive you’ll probably be met only by seabirds and the lapping waves.
- Branch Lake Beach, Ellsworth
mscholl / Flickr You’ve got to appreciate Maine’s inland waterways! This lakeside secret beaches is located at Branch Lake. While others may know of the area, the rocks located along the beach itself make for a private area. So, hide away to your heart’s content! You can reach the lake by heading to Route 1. It’s located between Bucksport and Ellsworth on Boat Launch Drive.
- Lake George Beach, Caanan
Justin Russell / Flickr This is a lovely lakeside beach in Maine. You’ll find it just off Route 2 tucked between Skowhegan and Canaan. The Lake George park goes around the entire lake. The overall area was once a camp for kids, and it still has a very manicured feel. Hitting the beach in the morning means plenty of shade, but by mid-afternoon the sun hits the sandy area full-on. So, come prepared.
- Sandy Point Beach, Stockton Springs
Barbara / AirBNB Sandy Point Beach is nestled between two rocky headlands and surrounded by lots of nature. A day spent here means you’ll have a view of the area where the Penobscot River widens into Penobscot Bay, giving sweeping, lovely and very “Maine” vibes to anyone lucky enough to find it. This area of river gets fairly large.
- Laudholm Beach, Wells
nhoulihan / Flickr It’s no wonder Laudholm Beach is a bit of a secret, despite it’s beauty. It requires some effort to reach. Make your way through The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and you’ll eventually reach a stretch of beach that will likely be deserted. The wooded trails to get there are beautiful and the view at the end is just as lovely. This beach is open throughout the year.
- Roque Bluffs State Park, Roque Bluffs
criana / Flickr While this is a gorgeous beach, this area is great for spending the day hiking as well. If you love a natural beach, you’ll appreciate the rock and pebble that line the ocean here. Once you get tired of appreciating the view over Englishman Bay, you can try out a hike on a portion of the six-mile network of trails.
- Jasper Beach, Machiasport
Jessica Hayssen / Flickr Jasper Beach is located a it south of Machiasport, overlooking Howard Cove. The beach is known for the many colored stones that can be found mixed among the pebbles. The ecology of the area makes it a great place for spotting wildlife, especially migratory birds.
Beaches aren’t the only game in town! Check out these lovable lakes for more water fun!
JR P / Flickr
This beach is so secret, it’s only accessible for part of the day. The hike through the Barred Island Preserve will lead you to the shore where, during low tide, you’ll find a beach. This one is classic Maine!
MrNjorl / Flick
Birch Point State Park in Owls Head can often be overlooked. But that’s good news for those who like to have the beach to themselves! This crescent shaped beach is full of sand and a fairly calm surf. Grab a chair and look out over the Mussel Ridge Islands while enjoying a lovely picnic. It’s a bit hard to find - you’ll need to travel via a few back roads off of Route 73 before finally arriving. And, check out the Owls Head General Store on the way! Click here for more information on this fun general store diversion.
Leo / Flickr
While reaching Seawall Beach requires some effort, it’s nothing too challenging. The beach is located over Morse Mountain, so you’ll need to get to the top via a 1-mile hike and then over to reach the beach. Travel through the Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area to the sand dunes, which are nesting areas for two species of endangered birds, the piping plover and least terns. You won’t be able to do much here - no recreation such as volleyball and frisbee are allowed. But, it’s worth the hike to check it out for its beauty.
donahue / Flickr
Not to be confused with Barred Island Preserve on Deer Isle, this secluded beach can only be accessed via Goat Trail or the Median Ridge Trail, which spans the entire island. Both trails are a few miles, which makes this beach more difficult to access. But, once you arrive you’ll probably be met only by seabirds and the lapping waves.
mscholl / Flickr
You’ve got to appreciate Maine’s inland waterways! This lakeside secret beaches is located at Branch Lake. While others may know of the area, the rocks located along the beach itself make for a private area. So, hide away to your heart’s content! You can reach the lake by heading to Route 1. It’s located between Bucksport and Ellsworth on Boat Launch Drive.
Justin Russell / Flickr
This is a lovely lakeside beach in Maine. You’ll find it just off Route 2 tucked between Skowhegan and Canaan. The Lake George park goes around the entire lake. The overall area was once a camp for kids, and it still has a very manicured feel. Hitting the beach in the morning means plenty of shade, but by mid-afternoon the sun hits the sandy area full-on. So, come prepared.
Barbara / AirBNB
Sandy Point Beach is nestled between two rocky headlands and surrounded by lots of nature. A day spent here means you’ll have a view of the area where the Penobscot River widens into Penobscot Bay, giving sweeping, lovely and very “Maine” vibes to anyone lucky enough to find it. This area of river gets fairly large.
nhoulihan / Flickr
It’s no wonder Laudholm Beach is a bit of a secret, despite it’s beauty. It requires some effort to reach. Make your way through The Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve and you’ll eventually reach a stretch of beach that will likely be deserted. The wooded trails to get there are beautiful and the view at the end is just as lovely. This beach is open throughout the year.
criana / Flickr
While this is a gorgeous beach, this area is great for spending the day hiking as well. If you love a natural beach, you’ll appreciate the rock and pebble that line the ocean here. Once you get tired of appreciating the view over Englishman Bay, you can try out a hike on a portion of the six-mile network of trails.
Jessica Hayssen / Flickr
Jasper Beach is located a it south of Machiasport, overlooking Howard Cove. The beach is known for the many colored stones that can be found mixed among the pebbles. The ecology of the area makes it a great place for spotting wildlife, especially migratory birds.
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