The Marginal Way in Ogunquit, Maine
With its ocean views, plentiful benches, and nearby downtown Ogunquit, the Marginal Way in Maine is one of New England’s most beloved scenic coastal walks.
By Annie Graves|Aug 05 2022|
Coffee By Design | Portland, Maine
Photo Credit : Katherine KeenanThe Marginal Way, in Ogunquit, Maine, is anything but. Marginal, that is—in the traditional sense of the word.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
Merriam-Webster defines “marginal” as “very slight or small,” or “not very important.”
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Quite the opposite is true here.
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In fact, of course, the name actually refers to the “margin” between land and sea. This slender 1 1/4-mile-long beauteous cliff walk is a winding path of windblown gorgeousness that edges the Atlantic like a tightrope strung along the heights.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
The view spreads out and down—to the icy, thundering seawater, smashing against rocks, spraying out over tide pools, buffeting seal-smooth wet-suited surfers and divers.
Everyone has a different way of enjoying it.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
Both the “to” and “fro” of this walk are equally tantalizing. One end of the Marginal Way starts near Ogunquit’s surreally beautiful three-mile stretch of sandy beach and dunes.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
The walk finishes up at Perkins Cove, a little movie-set concentration of cuteness that also happens to be a working dock for the fishing boats that come and go like, well, like fishing boats.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
The beauty of this beautiful walk cannot be overstated. Nor can the overall friendliness of the experience, in every sense of the word. Physically, there is little climbing involved, and definitely maximum payoff for the little climbing that you will do.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
And on the topic of personal friendliness, your fellow walkers will be a cheery bunch overall, and why not? You’re basking together in Maine treasure.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
For that reason, too, we must also give great thanks for the 39 benches placed strategically along the way, affording multiple opportunities to ponder, exclaim, or just sit.
Here are some additional high points.
Once you leave the beach at Ogunquit and slip down tucked-away Wharf Lane,
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you’ll merge onto busy Shore Road.
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From there, you’ll saunter along until you reach the very-obvious entry path to the Marginal Way, flanked by hotel gardens with flaring views of water and sky.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
The cork-screwing path meanders past the hotels’ manicured lawns and a few mostly-modest houses wedged above the walkway. Then it winds, down and around rocky flats stacked with cairns, and through shady groves, and always and ever, there’s the sea.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
You’ll pass a cool little lighthouse,
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and get lots of ideas of ways to spend your time here. Obviously there’s fishing and surfing, as well as talking on your phone or taking pictures. But you’ll also see some unexpected diversions, like chess,
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treasure hunting,
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and sketching.
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Reading is always an option, too,
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or just plain contemplating.
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And when you’re ready for a little action, Perkins Cove is just around the corner, with lively restaurants,
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lobstermen,
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and the freshest catch of the day.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
Take time on your return stroll to check out the monuments scattered along the Marginal Way. One of the bronze plaques is scripted with the words of John Muir:
Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and cheer, and give strength to body and soul alike.
Here is a path promising just that. An easy walk, with 39 benches, each one numbered, so you can claim a favorite.
Find a bench with your name on it.
Photo Credit : Annie Graves
Have you ever strolled the Marginal Way?
This post was first published in 2013 and has been updated.
SEE MORE:
10 Prettiest Coastal Towns in Maine
Summer in Ogunquit, Maine | Photos
New England Ocean Walks
Oh, such a feast for the eyes and the heart!!! I LOVE Marginal Way, and you have brought me back to its majesty with these gorgeous photos and storybook trip down memory lane. :-} Thank you for such a special (and beautiful) travelogue through one of Maine’s sparkling jewels. I want to go back…right now!!!
The Marginal Way is perhaps the best support to Maine’s Tourism motto “The Way Life Should Be”
I have been coming to Ogunquit since 1988 and haven’t found another vacation spot that lures me back the way this place does. No matter where I am, any time of year, I can picture myself sitting on the rocks along Marginal Way and instantly relax. Its a spiritual and magical place that should be experienced by all….only not when I am there. I want that rock all to myself!
Thank you for this beautiful pictorial of my beloved home town! I live thousands of miles away now, but get back every year to visit my favorite bench.
Quintessential New England. A family favorite.
We first visited the Marginal Way at least 45 years ago with my husband’s Aunt and Uncle. Our favorite place to eat was Johnny Orweed’s restaurant where we feasted on delicious lobster roll and topped that off with their blueberry pie. A visit to the Christmas Shop was a must and then off to walk off our lunch on the Marginal Way. With our 3 boys scooting around us it was always a wonderful place to stop and admire the beauty around us. This article on the Marginal Way has brought back many happy memories.
I have walked the Marginal Way many times, and thoroughly enjoyed it each time!
We discovered Ogunquit 25 years ago when vacationing the Northeast coast. We have been going back every year since. We really enjoy getting up early every morning and walking the Marginal Way to Perkins Cove catching the sunrise along the way. The best blueberry pancakes you will ever eat at the Maine Diner. The beaches are beautiful and fresh seafood everywhere.
We will be there the end of July, staying at the Meadowmere. Where do we find the Maine Diner? Thank you.
2265 Post Rd, Wells
I have been visiting Maine for over 55 years. We go back at least 4 times a year now in my adult life. It is the most beautiful place to be. We stay in Ogunquit most of the time but grew up staying in York Beach. I love the rustic look that still exists there and the Marginal Way is a beauteous adventure . It truly is my happy place! thanks for the nice pictures and article.
Stop it! Stop it! I want to come home !!(A displaced Mainiac)
My family has its roots in Maine and I own property in York county since 1981. I now live in Florida but return every year. Always make a trip to Oqunquit Beach and bring family and friends to share in the beauty of the Marginal Way. Thank you for the wonderful article which captured the feel of being there and smelling the ocean and feeling the breezes. I am still a good old New England Yankee at heart .
A wonderful slice of Maine Heaven!
I am sitting in my home in Michigan watching snow accumulate (not forecast and too early) I am realizing it was just 3 weeks ago my sister and I were walking Marginal Way. We cut off the path this year and walked through some of the residential areas back to Shore Road and it was so peaceful and quiet. I first went to Ogunquit over 50 years ago and it has changed very little over the years. We are lucky enough to stay at the hotel where the Marginal Way starts and always walk it at least partway. Ogunquit is really a hidden gem.
We visited New England three years ago, and fell in love with Maine, and especially Marginal Way. How can one explain the aching, homesick feeling when we think of your beautiful area, when I was born and raised in western PA? Every one of your pictures brought back very special memories, and a warm smile. Please! don’t ever change a thing about that area; it’s like going to a timeless place you never want to leave. Thank you for sharing, once again!
Thanks for taking me home with these awesome pictures–Florida is lovely–but Maine is home
Such a special place for our family. Thanks for the reminder of how beautiful our favorite walk is. We last visited Thanksgiving 2015. By the way, that cute little lighthouse is actually a sewer pumping station I was told. Someone more informed can tell you the details, but we loved this clever solution. Maine and the Marginal Way are the best!
We have been coming to Ogunquit for many years and always walk The Marginal Way and it is spectacular. We have gotten several friends to visit Ogunquit and they too have liked it! Perkins Cove is also a very interesting place. I particularly like the bridge which is operated by people. Of course, my wife loves the stores in the Cove.
Never get tired of this place- every time I come back to New England i visit Maine and love Perkins Cive. The views from marginal way are amazing- no better place to take a walk.
I had my first birthday in Ogunquit 55 years ago.. summers spent in a cozy cottage.. footbridge beach is my favorite…such peace and serenity found along the beaches and of course walking the Marginal Way…. I am fortunate to say I have finally purchased a home in Wells Maine at this time of my life…. I will be forever where I should be… HEART AND SOUL… SOOOOOO FORTUNATE !!!!
Sounds absolutely brilliant can’t wait for this time next year be on me holidays from the UK
We’ve spent the last 10+ years at the Beachmere, we walk the Marginal Way often. Love the openness and acceptance of all in Ogunquit! I’m yearning for a treat from Bread and Roses right now! Already have our reservations for next year!
The updated article captures the essence of a Marginal Way experience; the bold view of nature, the tranquility of the place and the path provides people to walk freely on an oceanside public pedestrian path.
Ogunquit has been my home away from home since I was a little girl. My family and I have an “Ogunquit Day” every summer and walking the Marginal Way is always a must.
Please correct this article to indicate No Dogs Allowed on this walk in Summer! I traveled an hour with my dog to experience this and sadly had to turn around and return without experiencing the joy of the described vistas and sensory joy.
They don’t even allow dogs on leashes?
I beleive it was because too many people were not picking up after their dogs did their business, and people were complaining about it because a lot of folks would walk their dogs there to do their business because it is such a beautiful walk– they unfortunately spoiled it for the masses-
Started visiting Ogunquit with my mother back in mid 1960s walked marginal way many times until 2003, when I had a stroke & now use a wheelchair, I have contacted the Beachmere, where I used to stay & they have a handicapped accessible room, but I don’t think Marginal way and shops & restaurants in Perkins cove are accessible, perhaps things have changed since 2003, as I would dearly love to come back
I first discovered the Marginal Way in September of 1969, returning home to NJ from a visit to the White Mountains and revisiting until 2007. What a grand impression it created. The footbridge, Perkins’ cove, the shore road, the lobster boats, and the quiet, frozen in time ambiance everywhere in Ogunquit remain unequaled. Having moved to Clearwater in December 2008, I have not returned due to aging and its complications. Florida is a great place to live, especially within 2 miles of the Gulf of Mexico on the Florida sun coast, with its pleasant winters w/o snow to shovel and icy winter conditions to endure. Happily, I have thousands of pictures of Ogunquit and vicinity, having converted the old memories to digital format. At 75 years old, somewhat handicapped with the artifacts of a few falls and concussions, I have learned to enjoy palm trees, sub tropical flowers, plants, birds, and even the 1 million alligators populating our state. The residuals, I doubt I will ever be able to allow me to return, but the memories live on. I still believe: “Maine, the way life should be.”
I am originally from Kansas and now live in FL on the Gulf Coast. It’s pretty but does not compare to Ogunquit. I spent a summer working and playing there many years ago with college friends. I remember lobster at Billy’s in Perkins Cove and the upscale restaurant called Richard’s, I believe. I fell in love with Maine, the natural beauty and the people. It will always be in my heart. I am returning this Fall with my daughter to share my love with her.
Is Marginal Way wheelchair accessible?
Yes there are no more steps, however some parts of the paved path are steep. It looks like they are planning on widening the path in some areas-like near the lighthouse, but it is mostly 2-3 people wide, so it can get crowded in spots. Go early or late. We go there several times each year. You feel it is a world away.
Well, I tried to stroll the Marginal way, 2 weeks ago today, on my birthday. Unfortunately when I got there after our 2 hour drive there was a sign that said no dogs after April 2nd. I found another place to walk, not quite as pretty I’m sure but dogs were allowed. I had read this article several times before but saw nothing in it about when dogs were and were not allowed. Oh well, I guess I should have checked myself.
My grandparents began taking my sister and I to the Wells/Ogunquit area in the early ’60’s. I have been many times since but living in Tennessee, because of the distance, has limited me. The article on the Marginal Way made me yearn to return to the area. Unfortunately, I am limited in my ability to walk and use an electric scooter to get around. Is the Marginal Way accessible by scooter or wheelchair?
Yes! There are a couple of parts that have steep hills, so I’d recommend having someone with you to prevent you from skidding off the path … but it’s a beautiful, paved walk along the ocean. 🙂
We were very disappointed! We pulled off rt 1 to see the marginal way and were unable to park because we have a motor home! It is a very small one that fits in a parking space well. It might even be smaller that some suv s. No parking lot would take us. Very unwelcoming. Shame on them!
staying at the river way at the cove has been a wonderful experience for my wife and I over the years, walking across the draw bridge to perkins cove and marginal way are things you will always remember.
Leo Lass Sandwich, Ma.
First visited Marginal Way on a beautiful hot fall day. Fell in love with all the beauty the coast of Maine has to offer. I usually vacation in Farmington among the cows, corn, and plenty of Giffords. Being from Cape Cod I thought I would check out Maine’s beaches. Witch happen to be way better than the Cape. I told myself the next time I walked the Marginal Way it was going to be during a noreaster. That I did and it was amazing. Now I can’t wait to experience it with snow blanketing it’s pathways. Mother Nature gives us a way to view the same sights with yet a different view each time. Marginal Way is unique everyday thanks to Mother Nature and the Moon.
no dogs on Marginal Way walk? what’s the point?
Pretend you can’t read English, that’s what my mom and I used to do.
It is beloved by many of us for good reasons. I’ve trekked to the York/Oqunquit area from upstate New York nearly every summer since 1978. My wife and kids, and now our grandkids too, look forward to our days at the seashore all year long. The Marginal Way is home to so many intense memories for our family, from watching our 10-year old daughter play in the tidal pools to our son and daughter-in-law honeymooning at the Sparhawk. Each year we pause a while at a tiny cove just north of the lighthouse that we call “Applauding Rocks.” Our photo albums are full of great photos of the Way and its homes and sea vistas. We often end our stroll by having dinner at Jackies Too in Perkins Cove. It is truly one of the most scenic, restful, splendorous places on the Northeast coast.
Readerlast8901, your situation is similar to mine except that I live in New Jersey, which makes the trip a bit easier. The photography here is gorgeous and brings back many wonderful memories. I agree that “Maine is the way life should be.”
Just came back last week from Maine with my granddaughter. We walked marginal way, it’s so breathtaking! We’ll be returning same time next year. There’s nothing like the coast of Maine. Glad I’m from New England!!
Am originally from Maine, had never been to the Marginal Way until late April 2019. Dad passed, after service we took scenic Rt 1 home to Ct. Such a jewel of relaxation we’v been missing in Ogunquit! Thoroughly enjoyed our stay at the Anchorage by the Sea hotel, which highlights being fronted by the Way & Atlantic Ocean. As it was off season, how incredibly relaxing & rewarding this 1 &1/4 mile walk was to Perkin’s Cove. With so many benches along the way- who couldn’t enjoy this environment! We look forward to making the Marginal Way a satisfying tradition in our family from now on.
Never get tired of The Marginal Way
Or Ogunquit
Or Maine
I so agree…love New England area but especially Maine‼️
Having visited and walked The Marginal Way
forty years I am so grateful that it remains unchanged. It’s my dear old friend. Always welcoming, serene and absolutely beautiful.
the marginal way is a beautiful place and is for the people that enjoy it. I do and will always come back to it. Tom G.
I remember our first trip here. We stayed at a bed & breakfast nearby and set off for “the walk”. We met a lovely local woman and began chatting. She wanted to know our plans—which were to drive up Coast, ending in Bar Harbor. She told us we MUST make stops in Belfast (had painted bears all over town at the time 2002) and in Marblehead. She was spot-on. They were two of our very favorite stops. We will always be grateful to her
I grew up on shore road my hometown I remember walking on the marginal way to clear my thoughts also I would walk into town before I had my license to drive lots of memories of my childhood in ogunquit
I’m 84 years old, and spent my boyhood summers and my spare time as a young man visiting the Marginal Way. Often I would see others who looked the way I felt — awed by something so beautiful that time seemed to slow down before the Eternal. God willing, I hope to be able to return when this pandemic ends. Right now, the chapter in my latest novel has a scene that takes place in it, which is why I find myself at this website. Its pictures are very beautiful, but don’t do justice to the experience. In my opinion, nothing could.
I walked Marginal Way as a child with my parents. I even climbed down near the ocean to enjoy the waves. All throughout my life I came back with friends from western NY State to share in the joy of the walk and Perkins Cove. Always shopped there and enjoyed lobster rolls. Then on our honeymoon I had to share Marginal Way with my new husband. He was speechless. I can’t walk down the rockbound coast but
I still love to watch the waves and the flower gardens along the Way. It’s a very refreshing place and I hope to return soon as I’m 78 now. Big thanks to the residents on the Way for giving us the opportunity to enjoy what they enjoy!
Don’t forget the trash cans with inspirational words, ….patience”, “faith”, etc.
I will be going to Ogunquite in July, can we ride our bikes on the Marginal Way?
No bikes are not allowed on the marginal way.
Are there multiple access points along the 3mile stretch of Marginal Way? I have an 80 year old mother in a wheelchair we would like to bring
Almost all the hotels have access to the Marginal Way. There is a road you can park on about half way from Shore Road to the lighthouse on Marginal Way for easy access. If you are strong and can push the wheelchair up hills, the 1 1/2 mile trek (each way) can be done. At top of each hill, you could rest at one of the many benches. If it gets too much, just turn around and go back… but you will all love what you were able to see, snap photos and enjoy the peacefulness of the ocean and it’s beauty.
We love the marginal way and all it has to offer-which is the simplicity.
It truly is the, “Beautiful Place by the Sea”
There were some years when I was able to walk the Marginal Way almost every day. One time I was sitting on a bench and heard a woman say to her son and soninlaw “I think I like this place better than those places we’ve gone that have all the shops” and of course they told her Ogunquit has “all the shops” too! It was the bench under the red cedars that looks out over Oarweed Cove – if your mood changes you can quickly go from “all the shops” to nature and back again very quickly!
I ‘ve been coming her for 47 years. It’s still the same beautiful pristine Marginal Way. There is just no other.
I got to visit Ogunquit for the very first time last October with my new husband and brother who had been going for years. We walked the Marginal Way as often as we could and we love Perkins Cover. Looking for to our now annual trip this October!
My brother, James, and I worked at Bessie’s restaurant for a few years in the early 1960’s. There were no man made objects on the Marginal way then. We often would walk it at night. It was awesome when the Moon was full the tide would be high at the breakers would sent spray high with the moonlight shining through it. It was gorgeous. In the daytime, Perkins cove made a grand climax to the walk.
I had the great good fortune to have lived and worked in Ogunquit from 1969 – 1986; first, at the Beachmere Inn and secondly, at Anchorage by the Sea. Both properties are located along the scenic Marginal Way. I have now lived in far northern NH for 35 years; yet, the sights, smells and sounds of the ocean still beckon me. It is all so deeply imprinted upon my heart that I return “home” whenever I am able to do so.
We live in “Old” England and in the 1990’s traveled to New England nearly every year in late September/early October and did a circular trip starting in Boston and ending in Kennebunkport. We always visited Ogunquit and walked The Marginal Way. We loved it !! We were due to fly to Boston on 9/11 but our plane never took off from London. Unfortunately we have not been back since but think about it often…one day !!
We were married on the Marginal Way August 2, 1987, almost 35 years ago. WE eloped and found a wonderful Justice of the Peace that was willing to come out and marry us at 6:30 ( the only time she was available) in the morning! It was so beautiful. Right on the rocky cliffs! Just my husband and myself. We enjoyed a wonderful Blueberry pancake breakfast following our nuptials! Very very memorable! Unbeatable! There’s no wedding planner in the world that can beat the background, setting or design! Planning a trip back soon!