As folks that live and work here in Maine, we have some opinions about the places we love to visit. And this state park happens to be one of them.
Not often do you get to frequent a state park and a beach in the same go. Not unless you head to Reid State Park. This park is home to a few of the most expansive, rolling, sand-duned beaches in Maine, with some excellent surf besides.
Why we love it
This one is a day trip. About an hour north of Portland, you’ll wind your way past the beautiful downtown of Bath, across the New Meadows River, and then hop off of route one for a country drive out to the park.
Once there, you’ll find beach, beach, and more beach. Mile and Half-Mile Beaches are both within the park, and offer fine-grained sand, ample space, and significant surf coming straight from the Atlantic.
And once you’re there to spend the day, you can walk the dunes, explore the park itself, and play in the surf. Perhaps better for families with older kids than younger—because of the often oversized waves.
What it’s perfect for
- Surfing, boogie boarding, body boarding, or just getting rolled around in the large swells
- Making a day trip of it (pack a cooler)
- Building in some hiking along the not-insignificant 4.8-mile loop that surrounds Reid State Park
- Quintessential Maine coastline views of islands and craggy rock from Griffith Head Rock
For more on the rules around open hours, fees, and background info on the park itself, visit the official website.
And once you’re done, or before you head over, we recommend taking a jaunt out to our tasting room for some beer and bites. For our Tasting Room hours, what’s on tap, and how to get to us, just hit that button below.
