Locals of southern Maine join visitors to the area from around the globe in coming to Old Orchard Beach (OOB) for all kinds of fun, from spending the day at Old Orchard Beach eating Pier Fries (spring/summer only) to dining at one of our fine Old Orchard restaurants on a parents’ night out.
Once you’ve figured out where to stay in Old Orchard Beach Maine (we hope at Waves Oceanfront Resort, BOOK IT HERE!), it’s time to figure out how to make everyone in the family happy. Here’s some help with what can be a complicated assignment–fun family activities and what to do in OOB Maine.
Infants & Toddlers
The beaches in Maine are one of our greatest assets and a big reason people visit Old Orchard. When you’ve got an infant in tow, the beach becomes a bit more daunting. However, having close access to the beach AND your hotel room makes it a lot easier. PRO TRIP: We’d also suggest one of those awesome looking beach baby tents!
Want to do some light shopping while out with the baby? Hit up Beachology. They have all kinds of southern Maine-themed souvenirs, everything from decorative buoys to bags, stuffed animals (lobsters, of course), and lots more.
Didn’t want to lug that stroller on the airplane? No problem! Vacationing Baby allows you to reserve strollers, cribs, car seats and the like. They’ll deliver, so call ahead and have all the baby gear you need waiting for you!
Also, don’t miss Little, a boutique loaded with highly stylish kids’ clothes, as well as toys and other high-quality gifts. The toys here tend toward handmade and highly inventive, and you can also expect to find everything from soap to bath bombs, chairs to suitcases.
Young Kids
Family not quite ready to hit a full-on golf course quite yet? Little ones got a thing for seagoing marauders? You’ll want to spend some quality family time with them at Pirate’s Cove Adventure Golf, an Old Orchard Beach institution and home to adventure golf, i.e. putt putt golf. We’re talking caves, bridges and waterfalls, people, on a golf course!
So, you know that when it comes to what to do in Old Orchard Beach Maine, you have to take the kids to Palace Playground, right? A unique amusement park full of rides, an arcade, and the usual staples of a great day at the carnival, Palace Playground is billed as “the only beachfront amusement park in New England.” This arcade we’re talking about? HUGE. More than 20,000 square feet of video games, skeeball, vintage arcade games, and the kids will love it! Of course, you’ll be exhausted, but able to proudly rest on your parental laurels.
Tweens & Teens
If the young adults in your family are looking for a bit of excitement, Funtown Splashtown offers both a “ride park” and a “water park,” so you can either go for dry thills–or wet ones! Seems like there’s usually a choice here, as in two of the Maine souvenir options: head to King Arthur’s Gift Shop OR Prospector Pete’s General Store. It’s easy why they decided to call this place Funtown!
Want to get some real, authentic Maine experience while visiting Old Orchard Beach with your teenager(s)? Can’t get much more real than a working expedition with Lucky Catch Cruises. Show that you can haul in lobster traps with the best of them or just sit back, relax, and take in the sights of beautiful Casco Bay.
Parents’ Night Out
As one of the most family-friendly hotels in southern Maine, we’re all about the kids. But, parents are important to us, as well. Parents work hard to show their kids a good time, to create solid family memories, but at some point even the most dedicated mom and dad need a little alone time. Here are a couple options along those lines.
You can get one of the best Maine lobster rolls you’re going to find at Big Daddy’s Bar & Grill, or go more sophisticated with the miso-ginger marinated salmon. The seafood here is so fresh, as are the seasonal ingredients being served here. Big Daddy’s also has one of the best bar selections in Old Orchard Beach, so enjoy a cocktail if you’d like…you’ve earned it!
There’s so much fresh, top-notch seafood on the menu at The Landmark Restaurant, the only question is what to eat first? May we suggest the Portugese Steamed Mussels? The mussels themselves are so good, but we all know it’s really about dipping that crusty bread in that heady broth until every last bit is gone. If you didn’t know, now you do.
Finally, it’s a little bit down the road in Kennebunk, Maine, the wine and cocktails at Old Vines Wine Bar are fully worth the short trek. They have a really nice selection of wines by the glass (try the Cava, a highly adored Spanish sparkling wine) and/or one of those cocktails, like maybe the “Young Americans,” made with chamomile-infused rye, applejack, cynar, green apple gomme, and angostura bitters.
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