Old Orchard Beach

The beach runs about eleven kilometres of flat hard sand, which is what made it a resort from the 1830s once the railway arrived. The pier, first built in 1898 and rebuilt repeatedly after storms and fires took it, now runs a few hundred metres out with bars and food stalls along it. Palace Playland at the seafront is a small amusement park with a Ferris wheel and carousel, one of very few beachfront parks left in New England. The town has drawn Quebec holidaymakers for well over a century - French is commonly heard in summer and businesses advertise in it. Out of season the pier and rides shut and the town is almost empty.

What you actually see

• About eleven kilometres of flat sand - hard enough to walk and cycle.
• The pier - rebuilt many times since 1898.
• Palace Playland - a beachfront amusement park, rare in New England.
• A long-standing Quebec connection - French heard everywhere in summer.

When to go

June to early September. Half a day.

Honest expectations

The season is roughly ten weeks and outside it nearly everything is closed. July and August are crowded and parking is paid and tight. The water is cold - this is the Gulf of Maine. It is a traditional seaside resort, not a quiet one.

Nearby

Portland is north; Kennebunkport is south.