Summer Travel Guide to Old Orchard Beach, Maine

Old Orchard Beach, with its seven miles of sand and surf, is the top summer destination in the state. Tourists have been traveling to the southern Maine town for over 150 years for the perfect summer getaway - many returning year after year for generations.

The beach first became a destination when a direct rail route from Montreal opened in 1853, and Canadian tourists flocked to what remains the closest oceanfront beach to the city. Up and down the streets of Old orchard, you can still hear French spoken all summer long - and nearly every shop proclaims its fluency with a sign that reads "ici nous parlons francais."

Twenty years later, in 1873, the Boston & Maine railroad made downtown Old Orchard Beach a regular stop, and English speaking tourists from around New England began to pour in for the summer as well. The town is such a well-established destination that its population swells from under 9,000 in the winter months to an estimated 100,000 in the summer - and that doesn't include day visitors.

Fun

Undoubtedly, the main attraction is, of course, the beach. The wide, sandy expanse can easily handle the crowds that arrive when the weather warms up. From Pine Point in Scarborough, south through Old Orchard, and on toward Ocean Park in Saco, there is seven miles of nothing but sand. The strip is so wide that, in the 1920s, aviators such as Charles Lindbergh landed there on barnstorming tours.

At the center of the beach is the pier. It has always been the main entertainment hub of the town, dating back to the original steel version, which was built in 1898. That structure extended a third of a mile into the sea. Despite being 20 feet above high tides, the pier was damaged by a storm in its first winter and eventually shortened to just 700 feet. Between the World Wars, the pier and its Casino dance hall played host to legendary big bands from Benny Goodman to Guy Lombardo and singers from Rudy Vallee to Merv Griffin to Frank Sinatra. The beachside entrance to the pier included rides for kids, including a wooden carousel and the Noah's Ark thrill ride. Fire, storms and tides eventually destroyed the pier and its attractions. In 1980 a more compact version was built that survives to this day.

Across the street, Palace Playland has been entertaining kids for decades. The amusement park features over two dozen rides, including a Ferris wheel, a carousel and two roller coasters. There are plenty of midway games as well, and all of it is located just steps from the sand.

Thursdays are a big night at the beach. Beginning in mid July, there are weekly free concerts in Memorial Park, with music ranging from country to bluegrass to folk. Later, at 9:45pm there are weekly fireworks near the entrance to the pier. The fireworks run all summer - from late June through Labor Day.

Food

Beach vacations aren't usually the time for gourmet meals. They're all about food that's easy, fast, and portable - and OOB meets that challenge with ease. There are walk-up and walk-in spots scattered around the center of town, but there are two things Old Orchard is known for - pizza and fried clams.

Lisa's Pizza is a beach tradition - a place where you can step in off the sidewalk and walk away with a dripping, oozing slice of vacation pizza and an entire bucket of fries. For over 40 years, Lisa's has been feeding the masses - and is one of the few places at the center of town that's even open in the winter.

A short drive north of the center of town, in Pine Point, The Clambake has evolved from a small walk-up clam shack to an expansive family-style restaurant. Where once the menu consisted of fried clams and clam cakes, today it includes lobster, fish and other choices as well - plus a full bar. But the clams are still the attraction. Eat like a native and try the full-belly clams rather than the strips. You're just a short walk from the sand - so you can work it all off!