Long Sands Beach might be the most complete Southern Maine Coast beach experience with 1.5 miles of sand and rock mixed against a road dotted with ship-lapped buildings across the way and the Nubble Lighthouse in the distance.
You can walk to Wells Beach from Crescent Beach or park in one of two lots available on the north or south end of the 7-mile stretch of sand. This is one of the longer beaches on the Southern Maine Coast and gives your bum the comfort of the sand with enough rocks to put tide-pooling on your bucket list.
Mother’s Beach gets its name from the quieter waters away from the large surf, making it a place where mothers can safely bring their children. There’s also a playground to explore, and don’t miss the tidepools at low tide.
Fortune’s Rocks Beach got its name from the love story of a shipwrecked sailor named Francis Fortune, and now the 2-mile span of sand is still welcoming lovers and families to this day. The curved cove here gets a good surf, making it popular for everything from surfing to boogie boarding.
Higgins Beach is a white sandy beach that is perfect for sunbathers and those who don’t like the rocky shorelines. Public restrooms and showers are available, but there aren’t lifeguards at this beach.