Crescent Beach
Cape Elizabeth, ME
Crescent Beach State Park curves along a sheltered bay in Cape Elizabeth, close enough to Portland for an easy trip but far enough to feel like a real one. Pine woods edge the sand on both sides, and the bay's shape keeps the water calmer than the open ocean beaches nearby. Even in July, the beach runs long enough that families spread out without crowding into each other.
A reliable, easy trip from Portland with calm bay water and plenty of parking, but its convenience means it draws a crowd same as anywhere else close to the city in summer.
If the gate's closed off season, you can still park along the road and walk in. Locals do this through the colder months when the entrance booth isn't staffed.
There's a parking fee at the entrance, a few dollars more for non-residents than for Maine residents, and the lot has plenty of room even on a busy weekend. The park stays open year round from 9am to sunset.
A paved path leads from the parking area down to the sand, an easy walk for strollers or anyone who doesn't want to cross soft dune grass. The beach itself is flat, packed sand once you're past the dune line.
July and August bring the warmest water and the biggest crowds, though the water still stays cool by New England standards even at its peak. Fall and spring keep the park quieter, and the pine woods around it hold color well into October.
More Atlantic Coast beaches
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Surfside Beach
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