About Old Orchard Beach

OOB Is One of Maine’s Most Popular Tourism Spots

Old Orchard Beach is a small town on Saco Bay in Maine’s coastal Southern Maine region. Located on the northeast side of Saco Bay on the Atlantic Ocean, the community is one of Mane’s most popular summer tourist destinations.

The year-round population is just under 9,000 residents according to the 2018 U.S Census Bureau. During the summer months, (June through August), Old Orchard Beach’s population swells to upwards of 75,000 people. Many visitors come from nearby New England states such as New Hampshire and Massachusetts but there is also a large influx of visitors from Eastern Canada such as Ontario and Quebec, often year after year.

With its beachside amusement park, boardwalk, and iconic 500-foot-long pier, Old Orchard Beach has a small-town “Coney Island” vibe to it.

The major attraction of this Maine coastal community is its long white sandy beach which is considered one of the best beaches in the state of Maine. The seven mile long beach actually covers three different towns (Scarborough, Old Orchard Beach, and Saco, north to south), and is lined with many beachfront residential homes, condominiums, vacation rentals, motels, and bed and breakfast properties.

The Old Orchard Street historic district which comprises the town’s main downtown area features many tourist-oriented businesses, including novelty gift shops, lobster shacks, and T-shirt shops. A wooden pier on the beach first built in 1898 houses many tourist-related businesses, including a variety of souvenir shops, restaurants, and specialty food vendors.

There is also a beachfront amusement park called “Palace Playland.” This family-friendly amusement park has been operating since 1902 and sits on approximately 4+ acres of oceanfront property. Palace Playland is one of the last classic oceanside amusement parks in New England. With its beachside amusement park, boardwalk, and iconic 500-foot-long pier, Old Orchard Beach has a small-town “Coney Island” vibe to it.

Many visitors to the town often site its convenient walkability as one of the major benefits for a family vacation stay here. Within one and a half mile radius you have an amazing white sandy beach; multiple restaurants; nightly entertainment venues; grocery, liquor, and hardware stores; a friendly bank; drug store; post office; laundromat; wonderful ice cream; and specialty stores and gift shops; not to mention a beachfront amusement park and pier.

Keep in mind that although most of the major tourism activity is seasonal as many of the town’s tourist-related businesses close down after Labor Day, Old Orchard Beach is also a vibrant, year-round coastal community known for its natural beauty and civic pride.

If you are interested in some of the history of Old Orchard Beach or its unique background, we recommend you check out these fascinating blog articles about OOB and its local history to make the most of your vacation trip.