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Have you heard of Ogunquit, Maine? This seaside getaway is without doubt one of the nicest cities to go to in southern Maine. Just previous the New Hampshire border is a colourful, artsy city set on a wonderful stretch of seaside.
Ogunquit (pronounced oh-GUN-quit) is the Abenaki phrase for “beautiful place by the sea.” And when you get right here, you’ll see how true that’s!
Ogunquit is the uncommon vacation spot that really has one thing for everybody. It’s a preferred household getaway and good for teenagers of all ages. It’s an evergreen LGBTQ journey hotspot that nearly appears like a mini Provincetown. It’s a middle for the humanities with glorious museums, galleries, and an exquisite native theater.
Ogunquit is magnificently photogenic, particularly Perkins Cove, and there are many methods to be energetic outside. And if all you need is to lie on the seaside? It’s nice for that, too!
I’ve been to Ogunquit many occasions through the years, having grown up about 90 minutes away. It’s about time I share this place with all of you.
The Best Things To Do in Ogunquit, Maine
Kids in Ogunquit will love using on the Ogunquit Trolley and constructing sandcastles on the seaside. Sailing journeys are at all times enjoyable for the entire household, too.
The greatest day journeys from Ogunquit embody visiting the close by cities of Wells, York, and Kennebunkport. You may take a simple day journey throughout the border to Portsmouth, NH.
Ogunquit is pronounced oh-GUN-quit.
Walk the Marginal Way
There’s no higher place to acquaint your self with the gorgeous seaside surroundings of Ogunquit, Maine, than alongside the Marginal Way. This strolling path stretches throughout a cliff overlooking the Atlantic Ocean and offers beautiful views all through its whole size.
The clifftop path is paved, which helps be certain that that is an accessible stroll, relatively than a strenuous hike. It’s not a very lengthy journey, measuring only one.25 miles, which makes it a doable exercise for most individuals. There are even 39 benches to relaxation at alongside the Marginal Way, positioned at key factors on entrance of among the greatest views.
When the climate is good, the Marginal Way gives a really idyllic seaside stroll, full with its personal little lighthouse. You’ll usually discover sailboats adorning the ocean on one aspect, with the opposite aspect dotted with inns and resorts. It’s an ideal introduction to the allure of Ogunquit village and is a particular should for guests to this New England city.
Stretch Out on Ogunquit Beach
It wouldn’t be an Ogunquit journey and not using a seaside day! You can benefit from the crashing of the waves and the sleek sands the realm is thought for while you plunk your chair down at Ogunquit Beach. Just take Beach Street from the middle of city and go straight till you hit the sand and surf.
Ogunquit Beach is lengthy and expansive with mushy sand, and steadily finds a spot on “best beaches in the US” lists. It’s an ideal place to only lay out and catch some rays, construct a sandcastle, or wade within the surf. You’ll discover the occasional surfer, too.
If you need to keep away from the crowds of the principle seaside, Footbridge Beach is a good different. It’s simply as beautiful as Ogunquit, with the identical waves and white sands, however is far quieter.
Dogs are permitted at Ogunquit and Footbridge Beach from Labor Day till the tip of March yearly. Both stunning seashores supply public restrooms, and Ogunquit has leases for umbrellas and different gear that will help you calm down within the sunshine.
Stroll Through Downtown Ogunquit
The picture-perfect downtown space is without doubt one of the greatest elements of Ogunquit, Maine. Grab an ice cream and take a look at the superb retailers and galleries. There are additionally many scrumptious eating places, bars, and cafes. If you’re a foodie, interested by antiquing, or simply seeking to take a stroll, that is the place for you.
There are tons of nice retailers that you simply gained’t need to miss. Some of those are area of interest spots for specialty gadgets, such because the Tea Space. Here you could find quite a lot of loose-leaf teas, in addition to tea equipment, for the right brew. There’s additionally Mainely Quilts, which sells quilts which can be each new and vintage, together with quilting provides. If you’re out there for ceramic items, the Pottery Shop is a good cease as effectively.
If you’re out there for a memento or present, be sure you try Spoiled Rotten. They have an eclectic choice of candles, jewellery, house items, and extra, so you could find nearly any sort of memento.
Alternatively, if you’d like one thing actually distinctive or with historical past, Blacksmiths Mall Antiques can assist. The retailer options greater than 70 sellers, and it is without doubt one of the hottest locations for antiquing in your complete state of Maine.
See a Show on the Ogunquit Playhouse
Calling all Broadway followers and theater geeks! The Ogunquit Playhouse, set in a barn, was established in 1933 and has continued to placed on superb performs and musicals for nearly 100 years. It has even featured reveals with nationally-acclaimed performers, reminiscent of Bette Davis and Sally Struthers.
Ogunquit Playhouse is thought across the nation for its manufacturing high quality and superb performances. As one of many solely remaining authentic off-Broadway summer time theaters, it presently is called America’s foremost summer time theater, and providing a glimpse into the historical past of Maine and the theater typically.
(Also, enjoyable reality: my aunt and uncle as soon as noticed George and Barbara Bush at a present right here.)
If you’re visiting Ogunquit anytime between the tip of spring and the center of fall, you must be sure you catch a present. Past seasons have featured productions reminiscent of The Sound of Music, and Grease, and Beautiful: the Carole King Musical, however there are additionally matinee performances like Elf: The Musical which can be simply as enjoyable for teenagers.
Sing Your Heart Out at The Front Porch Piano Bar
The Front Porch Piano Bar has been an Ogunquit staple for greater than 35 years. This institution gives an unimaginable leisure expertise that’s excellent for a date evening or celebration. It’s positioned proper downtown and options performances each evening of the week, with two totally different musicians taking part in on weekends.
One of the perfect issues in regards to the Piano Bar is that it gives an entire expertise for an evening out. There’s superb reside music, nevertheless it’s greater than only a venue. There can be a bar and lounge for pre-show drinks, and a restaurant for nice eating.
The restaurant portion’s award-winning meals is served in all elements of the Front Porch, together with the Piano Bar. The delicacies options elevated New American dishes with many influences for a diverse, and thrilling menu. There’s additionally a craft cocktail menu as effectively. But irrespective of which a part of the Front Porch you go to, you’ll make lifelong recollections.
Take a Sailing Trip
Why not discover Ogunquit’s coast the enjoyable approach? Sailing is one of the simplest ways to really feel the wind in your hair and the ocean spray in your cheeks. You can sit again and calm down when you take within the spectacular views, or take a tour that gives some training and perception into native historical past or marine life.
There are a number of corporations that supply nice crusing excursions. Finestkind Scenic Cruises gives fairly a couple of choices. You can witness wildlife like harbor seals, drink cocktails, or study lobstering, relying on the choice you select.
Silverlining Sailing gives some traditional and conventional crusing experiences. Their excursions can solely accommodate six individuals per journey and can take you alongside the southern Maine coast for stunning snapshot alternatives. These boat journeys allow you to strive your hand at crusing your self.
Other corporations to look into embody Sail Me and Sail the Gift. The former gives three totally different cruise varieties, together with a preferred sundown journey. The latter can accommodate bigger events of as much as 12 individuals for a memorable expertise in your entire group.
Visit Ogunquit Heritage Museum
If you’re in the hunt for an area academic expertise to complement your complete household, look no additional than the Ogunquit Heritage Museum. It’s located within the 18th-century Captain James Winn House and gives perception into the historical past of the realm. The constructing, which was erected in 1780, nonetheless consists of a largely authentic construction.
This museum can be located in a very nice park, known as the Dorothea Jacob Grant Common. The grounds are nice to only stroll by and wander round, as there are a number of woods, open areas, and paths to discover.
The reveals contained in the museum concentrate on the historical past of the city, together with subjects surrounding the trades which have supported it, like lobstering and fishing. It additionally gives perception into the cultural and societal heritage and the outstanding artwork and theater communities which have developed in Ogunquit.
The better part? This museum is free to go to!
Visit Perkins Cove
Once a sleepy fishing village and comfortable native artists colony, charming Perkins Cove is now an space that begs you to {photograph} it from each angle. There’s even an iconic pedestrian bridge you can cross and manually function and draw!
This neighborhood additionally gives nice procuring alternatives. There are tons of neat boutiques, present retailers, jewellery shops, and artwork galleries. It’s an ideal place to choose up a memento or simply take a stroll and browse.
There are additionally quite a few eating places value visiting round right here, particularly if you happen to’re a seafood lover. Chow down on some freshly caught fish at Barnacle Billy, then after lunch or dinner cease in for some domestically made salt water taffy on the sweet store.
Visit the Ogunquit Museum of American Art
Just off Shore Road, the Ogunquit Museum of American Art is impressed by the artwork colonies which have flourished in Ogunquit all through the city’s historical past. There are greater than 3,000 works on show at OMAA, making it an invigorating place to go to (to not point out among the best issues to do in Ogunquit Maine on a wet day).
The assortment comprises quite a lot of artwork in many various media, together with drawings, work, sculptures, pictures, and even movie. There are many various exhibitions which can be hosted at any given time. These are frequently up to date and altered, so if you happen to go to Ogunquit once more sooner or later, you’ll be capable of have a brand new expertise at OMAA.
Admission to the museum is $12 for adults, $10 for college students and seniors, and free for teenagers below 12. Visit any day from 10:00 AM-5:00 PM from May by October.
Ride the Ogunquit Trolley
If you could get round city, the Ogunquit Trolley is a enjoyable method to trip! These trolleys are charming and enjoyable and supply a cute method to discover the town, particularly if you happen to don’t have a automobile.
The Ogunquit Trolley can take you to a lot of the key locations that you simply’ll need to go to, anyway. Perkins Cove, the well-known Marginal Way, and Ogunquit Beach are all stops. Plus, they run alongside the downtown and can allow you to off on the eating places, bars, and retailers which can be subsequent in your agenda.
I like to recommend hopping on the trolley while you first arrive within the coastal city of Ogunquit to provide your self the lay of the land.
Visit Beach Plum Farm
If you need to get pleasure from nature and go for a leisurely stroll, it is a good spot. Beach Plum Farm gives beautiful landscapes over its 22 acres, and allows you to see dunes, the ocean, gardens, and lots of seaside plums.
There’s a path that loops across the gardens and fields providing a brief stroll of simply 0.5 miles. There are many benches that beautify this path, so it’s very straightforward and manageable to journey throughout. Plus it’s an ideal place to sit down and assume, learn a guide, or draw the surroundings in entrance of you.
Beach Plum Farm is house to greater than 50 plots for group gardens, many various species of flowers and vegetation, and a few wildlife. It’s a very excellent spot to go birdwatching. The better part is that admission is free.
Go Kayaking
If you need to have some enjoyable on the water, kayaking is at all times an ideal alternative. Sea kayaking requires a little bit of ability, but when you have already got kayaking expertise in nonetheless water, you must be capable of regulate to Ogunquit’s small waves.
World Within Sea Kayaking gives leases to be used alongside the Ogunquit River. They supply stand-up paddleboards as effectively.
World Within can be positioned optimally inside the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. You’ll be located to see quite a lot of wildlife as you paddle alongside the water. Some of the native animals embody fish, foxes, native birds, and if you happen to’re REALLY fortunate (like 1-in-1000 fortunate), a moose!
If you aren’t aware of kayaking, you’ll be able to take personal classes. Learning learn how to do a moist exit is a ability that can serve you effectively irrespective of the place you go!
Visit the Maine Diner in Wells
Just a 12-minute drive from Ogunquit is the city of Wells, which occurs to be house to one in all my favourite eating places on the planet: the Maine Diner. I’ve no phrases for a way a lot I like the Maine Diner — a lot that I frequently drive 90 minutes to eat there.
The Maine Diner’s seafood chowder is probably the most scrumptious chowder on the planet. It’s stuffed with large items of lobster, scallops, clams, shrimp, and fish, and it’s to this point past what anybody else in New England makes. Seriously.
Every time I’m going to the Maine Diner, I order the Jim Nantz: a cup of seafood chowder and a sizzling lobster roll with butter. Though I improve from a cup to a bowl! They even have a sampler plate impressed by their look on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives.
(Just be sure you verify their schedule on-line earlier than you go. Since COVID hit, they’ve had staffing points and have diminished their opening hours.)
As for Wells past the diner, there’s lots to do on this previous shipbuilding and fishing city. It’s an ideal place to buy groceries, particularly for antiques. There are a lot of beautiful shops throughout the downtown space. There are additionally beautiful seashores, that are undoubtedly value going to for some coastal walks throughout the sand.
Visit York
Another cool cease, simply 11 minutes away, is York. In reality, Ogunquit and York are sometimes paired collectively as a day journey from Boston or Portland, and I like to recommend doing the identical.
I believe York is an particularly good place to go to if you happen to’re touring with children, because it’s a really family-friendly small city with a really calm seaside, an amusement park, and a incredible sweet retailer with hypnotizing taffy pullers.
Short Sands Beach isn’t as large or extensive as Ogunquit Beach, nevertheless it’s nonetheless a pleasant place to take in the solar. Fun-O-Rama Arcade is positioned proper off the seaside, has tons of video games to play, and even encompasses a fortune teller!
You must also go see the Nubble Lighthouse if you happen to’re in York. This is an iconic spot with scenic views that makes it an ideal backdrop for that quintessential Maine picture. There’s a lighthouse museum and present store on web site.
Visit Kennebunkport
If you drive only a bit additional north, you’ll be able to try the gorgeous place that’s Kennebunkport. This upscale Maine city is just 24 minutes from Ogunquit and is most well-known for its affiliation with the Bush household. The Bush summer time compound has been right here for generations, and each Presidents Bush took their households right here usually.
To be taught extra in regards to the relationship that the city has with American presidents, you must go to the First Families Kennebunkport Museum. There are additionally numerous different museums to spend a lazy (or wet) afternoon studying. The Brick Store and Seashore Trolley museums are glorious stops to make as effectively.
While you’re on the town, you must also go to iconic spots just like the Wedding Cake House, probably the most photographed house in your complete state. Other cool actions embody taking a meals tour or a lobster tour as effectively! You’ll discover that there’s no scarcity of enjoyable in Kennebunkport!
Visit Portland
Portland, Maine, is a incredible metropolis, only a a 45-minute drive from Ogunquit. It looks as if everybody retains placing Portland on its record of up-and-coming cities to go to within the US — whereas we New Englanders have identified for fairly a while how superior it’s!
Portland is very often called a foodie metropolis. There are a lot of glorious eating places right here, serving each high-end and informal fare.
Just a few years in the past my pals and I deliberate a bachelorette social gathering in Portland, Maine. It was a blast — we ate nice meals, did spirit tasting, kombucha tasting, wine tasting, gin tasting, and hit up the bars at evening!
If you want a dose of city life throughout your trip in Ogunquit, it is a nice possibility.
Visit Portsmouth, NH
Just over the state line is the cool little metropolis of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, simply 25 minutes from Ogunquit. This is one other spot for a day journey if you happen to’re planning to be on the Maine coast for some time. I’m an enormous fan of Portsmouth and love bringing out of towers to go to.
To begin off, there are such a lot of cool impartial retailers and eating places in Portsmouth. Portsmouth is for sure the culinary capital of New Hampshire, with nice eating places like Black Trumpet Bistro and Durbar Square. There are a lot of glorious bars and bakeries, too.
There’s additionally quite a lot of historical past on this space. Strawbery Banke Museum is a re-created historic village, full guides who act in character. There’s additionally the African Burying Ground, which memorializes and honors the enslaved and free blacks that died on this city. The USS Albacore Museum, which is ready in a retired submarine, gives a cool alternative to be taught as effectively.
There’s additionally nice mountain climbing and biking within the area, plus a lot of boat-based actions and nice issues to do on the water. Oh, and did we point out the breweries right here?
How Much Time to Spend in Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit is a highly regarded day journey vacation spot for individuals within the Boston space (certainly, I selected Ogunquit as one of many greatest day journeys from Boston). You may definitely day journey from different elements of Maine or New Hampshire.
Is a day journey sufficient? You may do lots in a single day, so I believe in the future might be sufficient for some individuals. But staying for a couple of days will mean you can actually take in Ogunquit and discover the encircling space as effectively.
Then once more, there are of us who’ve their summer time house in Ogunquit and spend your complete summer time right here! It’s straightforward to get hooked on this city.
How to Get To Ogunquit, Maine
The two closest airports to Ogunquit are Portland, Maine (40 minutes) and Boston, Massachusetts (1 hour quarter-hour). You’ll discover many extra flight choices to Boston than Portland, however verify them each to see if you could find any offers.
Ogunquit is positioned alongside Route 1 in Maine, only a brief drive from I-95.
The Amtrak Downeaster practice, which runs from Boston to Portland, has a cease near Ogunquit in Wells. (Keep in thoughts that the Downeaster leaves from North Station in Boston, whereas different Amtrak trains depart from South Station. If you’re coming from New York or elsewhere, you’ll have to get from South Station to North Station.)
Where to Stay in Ogunquit, Maine
There are loads of lodging choices in a resort city like Ogunquit. Here are a couple of of the nicer Ogunquit inns:
Waterfront possibility: Terrace by the Sea has stunning rooms, however the true draw is the spectacular views off Ogunquit Beach.
Nice B&B: Trellis House may be the nicest B&B on the town, set in a beautiful home with immaculate rooms (with a excessive price ticket to match). The Inn on Shore Road is a less expensive, pet-friendly mattress and breakfast in Ogunquit.
Value for cash: Sea View Motel is a bit farther from the motion, however these are first rate rooms right here for a low worth.
Find offers on locations to remain in Ogunquit right here.
Best Time to Visit Ogunquit, Maine
Ogunquit is a quintessential summer time vacation spot, like most seaside resort cities. There’s nothing like stretching out on the seaside, strolling the Marginal Way, stopping for an ice cream.
But don’t overlook visiting Ogunquit within the fall! New England fall foliage is completely spectacular, and Ogunquit holds its personal with beautiful bushes exploding in shades of pink, orange, and yellow.
Summer is the busiest and most costly time of yr. Fall weekends could be very busy, too. I most lately visited on Columbus Day weekend in early October, and it was simply as busy as a summer time weekend.
Winter in Ogunquit could be very quiet and native with many companies shut down for the season. Spring on this a part of Maine doesn’t kick in till late April or so, however May and June are beautiful off-peak occasions to go to if the climate isn’t too wet!
Is Ogunquit Worth It?
Of course Ogunquit is value it! Whether you come for a day journey or an extended getaway, you’re going to get pleasure from your time on this beautiful city.
Just ensure that to make the most of all that Ogunquit has to supply. Make certain to take in the humanities. Find your family members some good souvenirs. Eat all the seafood.
And don’t overlook to get pleasure from that spectacular seaside.
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Have you been to Ogunquit? What are your suggestions?