Old Orchard

The downtown circle, Yuck with a capital Y. It's beyond a tourist trap, it's borderline dumpy, can't explain it but the cheap trinkets being sold for outrageous sums, everything "made in China", nothing really warm and inviting about the place. That being said once you get away from the circle things are a bit better, the beach was beautiful. Lifeguards texting on their phones instead of watching the beach goers didn't strike the idea of a safe environment in my mind. Many if not all the guards were distracted with other activities than what they were suppose to be doing.

Old Orchard Beach – A Tourist Magnet, This Place Is 🌊🎇 A beach, yes. A tranquil escape? Not quite. Even on a mild, overcast day, packed it was—like a cantina on Tatooine during happy hour. The sand? Coarse, gritty, and filled with more litter than a Jawa sandcrawler. Cigarette butts, plastic bits… all signs of a place overwhelmed by the dark side of tourism. But the true disturbance in the Force? No public restrooms. None. A cruel joke, it feels like. Unless you’re a paying customer somewhere (and even then—no guarantees), relief you shall not find. Public changing rooms? Also vanished, like Alderaan. Our saving grace was George’s Parking, where kindness flows and the restrooms and changing rooms are impressively clean. A Jedi-safe haven, it is. If you're after a clean, quiet beach, many better options the Maine coast offers. But if bright lights, boardwalk food, arcades, shops, and amusement park rides are your calling—Old Orchard delivers. ✨ And for those drawn to the spectacle—fireworks ignite the sky every Thursday at 9:45 PM from late June through mid-August. As for the 4th of July celebration (held this year on July 6th), rumor has it the display is worthy of a Senate vote of applause. So yes, come for the show, but use the Force wisely—bring patience, credits for the loo, and maybe a pair of sandals thick enough to withstand the grit. Search your feelings… you’ll know if this beach is your destiny.

An absolutely beautiful stretch of beach, stunning at sunrise. The view of the Pier is also amazing and adds a lot to the images I take.

More kitsch than charm. Rough sand, an abundance of seaweed, and cloudy, cold water. Parking is mostly limited to the private lots that run around $20 but also provide bare bones changing facilities and rest rooms. Food options run mostly carnival fare. Probably wise to leave this one off the itinerary.