Summer Weekend in Ogunquit, Maine

It was only the start of summer, but an old-fashioned heat wave had already descended on the land. Across New England, temperatures were nudging close to triple digits. If you weren’t near the water, you were desperate to get there—and by sheer luck, a planned trip had put my teenage son and me on Maine’s Ogunquit River for an early-morning stand-up paddle. For a good hour we meandered: under a bridge, past fellow vacationers on land lumbering toward the beach, alongside breezy tidal flats. We weren’t the only ones there, but at times it sure felt that way.

Incredibly, everything would soon change.

To know the Ogunquit River is to know its two dispositions. Twice a day, this nearly 10-mile ribbon of water, which runs from inland South Berwick to the Atlantic in its namesake town, empties out at low tide, revealing a band of beautiful mudflats that become their own kind of playground. But time it right on a prime summer day, as the water rises again, and you will be drenched in the most summery of scenes: boogie boarders, tubers, and rafters riding this lazy river to the very same slice of ocean that once inspired a roving band of early-20th-century artists, from Edward Hopper to George Bellows.

Ogunquit Beach stretches a dazzling three and a half miles from the center of town all the way to the more remote sections of Footbridge and North beaches. In a state where much of the coastline is in private hands, Ogunquit proudly hangs its welcome sign: 100 percent of its beachfront is open to the public.

Yet it’s what you’ll find just beyond the surf that lends real summer flair to this town, where Maine’s top restaurants share the same zip code as wooden seafood shacks. It’s home to one of the finest seaside strolls in New England, arguably one of the most beautifully sited museums in the country, and a beloved summer stock theater that puts Broadway veterans on the stage many nights of the season.

It was early evening when we first arrived on the coast, just in time to fit in a leisurely dinner at Walkers Maine in Cape Neddick. The creation of veteran Maine restaurateurs Justin and Danielle Walker, the restaurant has an informal air—couch and chairs anchored in front of the fieldstone fireplace are a popular nightcap spot—with an ambitious menu flavored by herbs and veggies grown at Danielle’s nearby family farm. From the kitchen’s wood-fired hearth, meanwhile, Justin churns out a rotation of specialties. We feasted on roasted carrots, haddock, and chicken, mopping up every last bit before hurrying to make the short drive to the Ogunquit Playhouse, where we cooled off with fresh-pressed lemonade and a sold-out performance of Guys and Dolls.

We were still humming a few show tunes as we dropped anchor at The Dunes on the Waterfront, a 12-acre compound of 22 guest cottages on the banks of the Ogunquit River. Opened in 1936, the property retains a kind of unassuming charm, even after new owners put $10 million into upgrades just two years ago. The resulting shipshape cottages sit against a beautifully landscaped property featuring a pool, a firepit, and a wide lawn that runs to the river’s bluffs. Guest amenities run the gamut from free bikes to a pontoon boat beach service to a daily morning delivery of hot coffee, The New York Times, and fresh pastries from nearby Bread & Roses Bakery.

The next day we just barely managed to snag a table at the popular Greenery Café, where co-owner Amy Hale presides over a fortifying menu that includes Maine-centric crab cakes Benedict and a lobster-Brie omelet. “This place had closed, and I kept saying somebody should do something with it,” says Hale, a Massachusetts native who moved to Ogunquit a decade ago after years of summer vacationing in the area. “That someone became me.” She threw up her arms triumphantly. “Ten years later, here we are!”

It was still a few hours from peak heat when we shuttled over to the Marginal Way, a 11/4-mile-long cliff walk that opens up to some of the most spectacular views of Maine’s southern waters. Up and down you go, along a paved path that caters to walking … and sitting: A scattering of benches is found along the way, all suitably facing the ocean horizon.

With the sun now at its high point, we decided to drop into the air-conditioned Ogunquit Museum of American Art, a midcentury-style building perched atop Narrow Cove. Its permanent collection of more than 3,000 photographs, paintings, drawings, and sculptures spans the late 1800s to the present and is studded with marquee names such as Marsden Hartley and Eliot O’Hara. But the jaw-dropping permanent “exhibit” here just might be the ocean views that pour in from the museum’s large back windows.

The next morning we re-carbed with a couple of croissants and a Nutella latte from Mornings in Paris, a French-inspired downtown café, before heading to Perkins Cove, a historic fishing harbor nested at the southern tip of Ogunquit. It was peak Vacationland vibe: Tourists filled the tiny village center, while pretty boats dotted the water. We eventually found ourselves at a coveted outside table at Barnacle Billy’s, an icon of the local seafood scene that first opened in 1961. For many years it was a favorite lunch spot for President George H.W. Bush, who often arrived by boat from his home in Kennebunkport. His meal of choice was reportedly the grilled hot dog, but if only the late commander in chief knew what he was missing: My son let out an audible “wow” when our server delivered a pair of monster lobster rolls.

If we’d been up for the challenge, we could have caught our own crustaceans (with the help of an actual lobsterman) just a few doors down with Finestkind Scenic Cruises. Instead, we opted for the outfitter’s equally popular tour: a 90-minute ride to Nubble Light and back. To reverse-engineer sightseeing and take in the Maine coastline from the water is to appreciate its enduring beauty. We motored past what the locals call Pirates Cove, home to a legendary loot of buried treasure, and past miles of ancient rocks and jagged cliffs before taking a spin around one of the world’s most famous lighthouses. Like millions of others, I’ve seen the Nubble from the vantage point of Sohier Park in York. But this was my first experience viewing it by boat.

Back at The Dunes that evening, my son and I flopped down into chairs overlooking the river for one last moment of the day. Waves crashed and retreated in the distance, while a now-delightful heat still clung to the evening air. We fell quiet for a few minutes as we nursed a few cold drinks. I couldn’t have conjured up a better start to the summer season.

Guide to Ogunquit, Maine

Things to Do in Ogunquit

Finestkind Scenic Cruises

Seventy years after sixth-generation Mainer Oscar Hubbard first welcomed guests aboard his cruiser, Finestkind offers a range of tours, including a scenic breakfast option and an evening cocktail route.

Marginal Way

While hardly a strenuous hike, this 1¼-mile jaunt remains one of the most popular in New England. The trail features a number of access points, but if you want to walk it from end to end, we recommend starting from Perkins Cove and strolling north to Shore Road, then jogging onto Wharf Lane and over to Ogunquit Beach.

Ogunquit Museum of American Art

Big ocean views and peaceful gardens add to the visual experience at this museum, the only one in Maine dedicated exclusively to American art.

Perkins Cove Bookshop

A grand beach deserves a grand beach read, and Ogunquit’s only dedicated bookshop stocks approximately 2,500 titles, including a robust selection from Maine authors.

Wheels N Waves, Wells

Ditch the car and power your own sightseeing tour. The shop includes e-bike rentals as well as surf and paddleboard lessons.

Ogunquit Dining

Barnacle Billy’s

The restaurant’s claw meat–packed lobster roll is literally the stuff of legend. And whether you’re dining at Billy’s original 1961 location or its neighboring sister restaurant, any wait is always worth it.

Big Daddy’s Homemade Ice Cream

Nearly 50 flavors in all highlight the big board at this beloved sweet shop, including Maine blueberry pie, as well as a tasty selection of frappes, sundaes, and ice cream sodas.

Cornerstone Pizza

Maine-made beers and an expansive pizza menu that includes—wait for it—lobster are the stars of this popular downtown spot.

The Greenery Café

Locals and tourists alike converge at this breakfast joint, which opens at 7 a.m. and offers a menu of inventive Bennys as well as an assortment of made-from-scratch muffins, scones, and cupcakes.

Jonathan’s

Fifty years ago this summer, Jonathan West turned his childhood home into an Ogunquit original: an upscale restaurant on the first floor, and a second-floor performance venue that has welcomed acts like the Indigo Girls and Lenny Clarke.

Mornings in Paris

Sweet and savory crepes, not to mention an assortment of croissants and various caffeinated pick-me-ups, highlight the menu.

Walkers Maine, Cape Neddick

Since opening in 2018, this restaurant has rightfully piled up a number of accolades, including Four Diamond status from AAA. Upscale but never pretentious, Walkers serves up a revolving mix of hearty dishes, from duck to ribs to salmon, that are cooked over chef Justin Walker’s big kitchen hearth.

Ogunquit Lodging

The Beachmere Inn

Conveniently located on the Marginal Way, this classic resort hotel caters to guests with in-room fireplaces, access to a hot tub, and an on-site spa and fitness center.

The Dunes on the Waterfront

Ogunquit’s only on-the-river, cottage-style lodging, The Dunes offers easy access to the water and plenty of family touches that will keep everyone in your crowd happy.

Ian Aldrich

Ian Aldrich is the executive editor at Yankee, where he has worked for more for two decades. As the magazine’s staff feature writer, he writes stories that delve deep into issues facing communities throughout New England. In 2019 he received gold in the reporting category at the annual City-Regional Magazine conference for his story on New England’s opioid crisis. Ian’s work has been recognized by both the Best American Sports and Best American Travel Writing anthologies. He lives with his family in Dublin, New Hampshire.

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