7 Can't-Miss Coastal Maine Inns

The Lighthouse Inn & Carriage House is a quintessential Maine getaway just an hour up the road from Boston. The Cape Neddick/York Beach inn is only steps from the water and just a short drive to York Harbor, York Cliffs and Bald Head. The hotel has 24 guest rooms and additional lodging choices in the Carriage House that are luxurious, quiet and conveniently located.

At the Lighthouse Inn, you’re only a short walk from some fantastic beaches. Long Sands Beach is a charming family-friendly beach with metered parking nearby. Short Sands Beach is a small, relaxed beach with a boardwalk offering dining, shopping and arcades. Sohier Park has another great beach and the noted Nubble Lighthouse offers tours, fishing and scuba diving. York’s Wild Kingdom, a zoo and amusement park, is only a few blocks away and a great spot for kids and animal lovers

The Higgins Beach Inn is tucked away along a beautiful shoreline that is 7 miles south of Portland in picturesque Higgins Beach, just north of Old Orchard Beach and Prouts Neck and south of Crescent Beach State Park. The beach lies between bedrocks to the southwest – known as Thunder Cove – and the Spurwink River to the northeast.

Higgins Beach is the kind of destination that sees the same families year after year, generation after generation. The area is known for being a fantastic oceanside neighborhood community with awesome surfing and striped bass fishing. The inn offers charming sunset-facing rooms in a few different layouts, all with modern amenities.

The inn’s popular eatery, Shade, serves up seasonally fresh cuisine, including raw oysters and locally sourced seafood. The indoor dining area, bar and covered three-season porch is a perfect place to grab a tasty meal, refreshing craft cocktail, wine or brew before heading out to explore the region.

Get away from the mainland and plan a stay on the outer reaches of Casco Sound at the Log Cabin, An Island Inn, on spectacular Bailey Island. The nine-room bed and breakfast is comfy, quaint and relaxing, with comfortable decks to enjoy the sunsets, private hot tubs and excellent views of Casco Bay and lobster boats trolling the waters.

Bailey Island serves up plenty of entertainment and a few nice, unspoiled sandy beaches. Bailey Island Beach on the south end of the island is an ideal place to fish, kayak, climb on the rocks or sit and watch the lobster boats or catch a beautiful sunset.

Cedar Beach on the north end of the island is a small gem with some easy rocks to negotiate and lots of sand, rocks and pebbles along the shoreline. Other fun family destinations include the Bailey Island Cribstone Bridge, Johnson Field Preserve at Mackerel Cove, and Giant’s Stairs and McIntosh Lot Preserve.

Glenmoor By The Sea lives up to its name, with 12 stunning oceanside acres with its own private beach on the Maine mid-coast at Penobscot Bay. The hotel features 19 cottages and 14 guest rooms only a stone’s throw from the water’s edge. Many residences have unobstructed views. The inn has two swimming pools, a fitness center, a fire pit and lawn games to enjoy, and serves up an appetizing expanded Continental Breakfast every morning.

If you can’t get enough sand and sun at the private beach, there are plenty of public beaches too. Cals Beach, Pebble Beach, Wales Beach, Lincolnville Beach are just north of the hotel off Route 1. Just south of the inn, Laite Memorial Beach has a small swimming spot with picnic tables. Barrett’s Cove Public Beach is a small public beach with picnic tables, a boat launch at Megunticook Lake, Fernald’s Neck Preserve and views of Mount Battie and Mount Megunticook.

The 65-room York Harbor Inn overlooks the beachfront and has immediate access to York Harbor Beach, an accessible, low-key beach that stretches along the noted Cliff Walk and oceanside. Guest rooms at the York Harbor Inn offer fireplaces, ocean vista decks and Jacuzzi spas. The oceanfront dining room at the inn has top-rated cuisine and a robust wine list, while the more casual Ship’s Cellar Pub serves up an extensive menu and live entertainment.

York Harbor Beach is also known locally as “Mothers’ Beach” because it’s a great place for youngsters. The beach is accessible by trolley and parking can be limited at the beach. The beach has lifeguards on duty from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. Hartley Mason Park borders the beach and there are plenty of shady spots and benches to sit and enjoy the view. There are several wonderful retail shops and dining options within walking distance.

It’s hard to beat Kennebunkport when it comes to sand, sun and fun. The 33-room Kennebunkport Inn is centrally located in downtown Kennebunkport near the Cooper’s Corner and Lower Village District and close to Kennebunkport Beach. Located in the heart of Kennebunkport’s Dock Square, the hotel is steps away from shopping, dining, galleries, and activities.

Mother’s Beach in Kennebunkport (different from the one in York Harbor) is a small sandy beach with a playground for kiddos. The beach has tide pools that form in the rocks at low tide that make for a fun splash-around. Other beaches in the area include Kennebunk Beach, Middle Beach and Gooch’s Beach on the west side of the Kennebunk River, and Colony Beach and Arundel Beach on the east side. Blowing Cove Park just east of Arundel Beach is a popular place to watch the ocean waves crashing into the rocks.

The Mira Monte Inn & Suites is a fully restored 19th Century Victorian lodge that’s only a few minutes from the seemingly unlimited coastline of Mount Desert Island. The luxury bed and breakfast is the quintessential retreat for singles, families or romantic couples who want to play in the sand.

In downtown Bar Harbor, it’s only a short walk to Town Beach, a delightfully unexpecting beach that faces a few retail shops and the harbor. Bar Beach provides easy water access with views of Bar Island. The Bar Harbor Shore Path is a nice trail just above the rocky beach that makes for a wonderful stroll any time of day.

While on Mount Desert Island, head south on Highway 3 and check out Sand Beach, a no-frills, relaxed beach that sits in a quiet cove on the southeast side of the island. Boulder Beach, Hunters Beach, Little Hunters Beach, Seal Harbor Beach and Barley Beach are all unspoiled locations for a day getaway on the south side of the island.