Scarborough Beach State Park

The beach itself is 5 star fantastic, but the parking/entryway is in desperate need of an overhaul Let's start positive, the beach. As you approach youre greeted by awesome little food kiosks (smoothies, coffee, snacks, fries, fried dough) and a small rental shop (boogie boards, chairs, umbrellas, etc) as well as a bathroom & changing area complete with fresh water spigots for rinsing sand away. The bathrooms are... "rustic", but they do the job. The beach itself is quite large & even on the busiest days leaves ample room if you're willing/able to walk a bit down either side. Waves can be pretty good by New England standards, with surfers often enjoying them. The beach is mostly fine sand but has areas with tons of extremely cool rocks (be forewarned, you're not allowed to take any as souvenirs!) Now the not-so-positive... the entrance bottlenecks traffic into a single lane where the slowest moving humans on earth inform each driver that its cash only, which causes a massive delay in a world where most folks are looking to swipe & go. They have an atm outside that people will literally leave their car (w the line stretching behind then) to withdraw the necessary funds. The longest we waited in line was about 45 minutes There also seems to be no system/method for tracking the occupancy/vacancy of parking spots... we've been directed to the overflow lot across the street which doubles the long walk only to find numerous open spots available much closer (but they'll still charge you the same amount, regardless how far you have to trudge) Overall its an amazing beach & well worth checking out... just be prepared for a possibly frustrating entry, a potentially LONG walk depending how (un)lucky you are with parking, & for the love of GOD bring cash to get in with

My wife really wanted to go to the beach. What wifey wants, wifey gets. What she was expecting to see and what she actually saw didnt match. Alot of rock in the sand and the water is freezing cold. Nevertheless, once you get through the rocky sand walking along the beach is nice. The Nashville Food Critic

One of my favorite beaches in Maine - wide and quiet. I almost don't want to tell you it's great so that it stays quiet. It's an excellent beach for walking, not far from Portland.

Get there early! It's the best beach around.

Beautiful beach. Parking available but can be a long walk as front lot fills up quickly. Biggest concern/disappointment is the fees charges. This is a state park but charges seniors unlike others state parks. Also charges local residents unlike all other Scarborough beaches!

Very clean beach. It was a good day. Not a lot of people but parking is still full, we had a hard time waiting for parking. Parking is also paid cash, would be better if there is a card option. Anyway, we really enjoyed our stay.

They need bathrooms. The outhouses stink. In the heat, they are disgusting. The beach needed a good combing. The teenaged lifeguards seem to spend a good part of the day tooling around on SeaDoos or jet skis. I guess it's good because if they need to use it to rescue someone, they should know how it will handle in all kinds of conditions. They can't know if they don't experience all kinds of conditions. I might just be jealous of them, too. Seems like a whole lot more fun than what I'm paid to do. Even the outhouse, all the crispy seaweed in and on the sand, and a bit of jealousy didn't ruin our perfect beach day. One of the best places for a soul-calming day of fun and relaxation.

Nice long beach. Never been in the summer. Fall is nice. Not many people. Found lots of 🐚 and even a small 🦞

Great clean sandy beach, public restrooms available. Parking I'd imagine can get really hectic; but the staff and lifeguards do a good job at maintaining the safety and security of the beach. This would be more of a beach geared towards Surfing and body surfing- than say Paddle Boarding (depending on your skill level). Beach has ample views of the surrounding coastal areas and some small islands/jetty's that you can easily see from the beach.

I've only ever been to Scarborough Beach during the "off season" - which to them is around November 16th to March 31st - because it's not a part of the Maine State Parks Pass. A note on that: - A Maine State Parks Pass is $55 for an Individual Season Pass, $105 for a Vehicle Season Pass. It gets you into dozens and dozens and dozens of parks across Maine, and most of those parks only really check passes from maybe the beginning of May to the end of September. - For Scarborough Beach State Park, which is operated in a public/private partnership with Black Point Resource Management LLC, from April 1st to October 1st it costs $7 per person per visit for residents/$9 for non-residents; from October 1st to November 15th it costs $6 per person per visit for residents/$8 for non-residents; it's $105 for an Individual Season Pass, $140 for a Vehicle Season Pass, $155 for a 24-hour Season Pass. So... it's *not* one of the cheaper options for beach access in the state. Is it glorious in the summer? I don't know. But according to the folks who own this beach: "Scarborough Beach offers some of the best swimming in New England with water temperatures in the high 60's throughout July and August." Is it glorious in the off season? Yes, but... The "yes": it's a long, sandy beach with uninterrupted views of the ocean. It makes for exceptional strolling and thinking and taking in blue space! Know that you have to park on the street, and it's a little bit of a walk to the beach itself, but it's so worth it. The "but": this is one of the most dog-walked beaches I've ever been to (and I rarely see them leashed). Every time I visit there is *a lot* of dog waste bags; one time I found 16 bags of dog poop and 2 used diapers. Yikes.

These people charge PER DOG in the winter bro. It's off season bro. They sit in that little parking hut in the WINTER bro. In all seriousness this is an absolutely BEAUTIFUL beach and my personal favorite in the area but in recent years I have been opting for other options as the people that own it seem to want to squeeze every penny out of me. As someone who has been going to this beach for over 20 years it was been disappointing to watch it become less and less accessible to the locals who have loved it so much. I get it, play the out of staters for what they're worth but figure out a locals deals for the people that just want to enjoy the beautiful state they live in. Don't be lame Bro.

Beautiful, absolutely beautiful. So much to see! Tide pools, wildlife, beach access (bring water shoes since this coast is very rocky), wild flowers and woodland bliss. We were visiting from Baltimore and the locals gave a list of places to hike--I am glad we came!

Great little beach for the kids to play. I found my first piece of sea glass ever! There are a lot of pebbles too. We didn't dine but Mainly Burgers has a truck there as well

This beach is lovely even in the winter time. I really love that it's clean and scenic. I took a long walk on this beach and it's so refreshing when that artic air hits you. It's really a breath of fresh air and a great workout. There are colorful pebbles and cool rocks as you walk on this beach. I can't wait for summer because I have a feeling I'll be there lots and lots! Take a walk in the winter time and wear rain boots!

One of the most beautiful places on earth! Peaceful ecosystem with plenty of wildlife abound! I like to visit during the off season. I park on the street, and walk in. If you have a extra 1-2hrs. and are in the Scarborough area, this is a nice spot to refresh your spirit!

This a private beach with public access (ie. you have to pay to access it) although it's billed as a public beach since it's owned by the state and is truly a "State Park." The fees range between $2-4/person per day depending on your age. You can buy a season pass if you plan to visit frequently. Since it is a pay-per-use, there are showers, toilets, and concessions...and hours, so check the website for hours prior to going. Parking is at a premium, so get there early. The beach had a lot of people when we went, but it's long so people are spread out. Fishing and surfing are allowed, but it's best to call to for any regulations on hours. (Surfing costs extra.) Pets are not allowed during the summer. I think there is better to be had elsewhere in the area, but the fees keep the beach clean, tidy, the crowds to a minimum, and the parking available, so if that's your thing, this is your beach.

Beautiful large beach with excellent waves! We had a great time boogie boarding, swimming, and jumping over the waves. Also found some interesting seashells and rocks. They have a blue walkway for easy walking over the dunes to get to the beach. There is a food truck, bathrooms, and a foot shower.

Scarborough Beach is hidden from the road, but it's lovely and really quite huge-- even on a 90 degree Sunday in July at 11:30, we were able to find parking (there's an overflow lot across the street). We had about a three-quarter mile walk from our parking spot to the beach itself, and admission was $5 per person. The water was warm (64 degrees) for July in Maine, but it still took a minute to adjust...damn, though, did it feel good! There's tons of room here to play Frisbee or paddle ball or whatever your heart desires. It's very clean, too. There are no tidepools, though the water itself is gentle and perfect for kids.

A wonderful beach! The water is always warmer than most beaches. There is a great burger truck as you are arriving there that has vegetarian options. You may have to wait a while to get into the parking, or park far. That is to be expected when going to the beach on a weekend, Well worth the $4.50 fee to get in.

Excellent beach! Food truck provides great food and refreshments-- very reasonable. Parking is a rip-off -- they charge $8 per person rather than per car.

A site for awesome eyes! I loved this place and I am taking my wife back to experience this wonderful place. If you are looking for a zen type of place, THIS IS IT! With natural rocks instead of shells, the quietness and the ice cold water meeting your body, as it heats from the sun. Oh, it is like warm cake with an ice cream scoop on top of it. The bathroom are open, so if you are shy, they have stalls with curtains. We were not Maine residents and we paid $9.00 to get in and park. It is worth it! Go!

Well I don't know about the beaches in balmy North Dakota, but this beach, anchored by Prout's Neck on the southern end, is absolutely Maine's finest. If you don't like cold water, wait until midsummer, but if you love refreshing clean cool water, this is it! It's not built up, shack and bathrooms are not visible from the beach...you think you're secluded and away from it all. Parking is tight on summer weekends, but there is overflow parking across the street. Take your breath away gem. Please don't come.

The best time to visit is during a morning low tide, in May or September, when it is likely to be nearly vacant. At low tide, you can walk the length of it, plus the Cliff Walk around Prout's Neck, and have an enjoyable and scenic walk without getting your feet wet. The water is warmer than other Maine beaches, and it's a popular surfing location. Watch out for rip tides, though. They seem to be rather frequent there.