The Pier
There is a grand old wooden pier at Old Orchard Beach. It stretches a good ways out into the Atlantic and the old wooden structure is enclosed. Within the confines of the wooden structure, visitors will find restaurants, nightclubs, snack bars and souvenir shops.
The Amusement Park
Just next to the pier in the center of town is where you will find the Old Orchard Beach Amusement Park. The summer season is short up here along the shores of the North Atlantic, so this popular attraction doesn't get going until June and closes down right after Labor Day. But while the rides and amusements are open the amusement park and nearby pier draw a good crowd, for there is little competition within the state of Maine.
The Beach
The beach is a wide, concave stretch of sand that runs for several miles. Several high-rise hotels can be seen along the water's edge, but for the most part all the seaside beach resorts are two- and three-story structures. The Maine ocean is somewhat on the chilly side, but does approach moderate temperatures during the month of August. On a hot day in July this beach becomes very crowded.
Pine Point
At the north end of Old Orchard Beach there is Pine Point and the Scarborough River, which separates Old Orchard Beach from Prouts Neck, Maine. The river forms the northern boundary for the town and there are quite a few popular seafood restaurants, situated alongside Maine State Highway 9 and the river. Pine Point is a great place to walk and view the little, unnamed bay that the river creates. A small fleet of lobster boats usually can be seen anchored in the water and huge piles of the metal green traps can sometimes be seen on the opposite shore.
Amtrak Station
Located right in the center of town amidst all the ice cream shops and pizza stands is the Amtrak train station with connecting trains to Portland and Boston. The Old Orchard stop is not in operation all year round--just the summer months--but the trains still cruise through town on their way north and south. During the busy summer months the train stops several times each way to unload and pick up passengers, then slowly proceeds through the town. When riding the train the cool, blue waters of the Atlantic Ocean are easily visible from the train windows.
Article Written By Henri Bauholz
Henri Bauholz is a professional writer covering a variety of topics, including hiking, camping, foreign travel and nature. He has written travel articles for several online publications and his travels have taken him all over the world, from Mexico to Latin America and across the Atlantic to Europe.
