Old Orchard BeachOld Orchard Beach, ME

Visibility is an estimate — wind, rain, tide & water alerts.

Getting in

Shore access, walk in off the sand

Parking

The town sells summer parking permits, valid the Friday before Memorial Day through Labor Day, for its municipal lots. Resident permits, $50 or $75, cover both the Milliken Street and Memorial Park lots; non-resident permits at $150 and $300 and the $100 seven-day temporary permit park at Milliken Street only, with the $300 tier good through October 31. A $1,000 non-resident permit buys the widest access, and on-street parking on Old Orchard Street, right at the pier, is free but capped at 30 minutes.

On site

lifeguard on duty, parking lot

Watch for

Tides swing wide and drastically, and the water becomes a powerful force after a storm or on a windy day, Rip currents form here; lifeguard stands fly a red flag when they are present, and the town's advice if caught in one is to swim parallel to the beach rather than against the current, Sharks are occasionally sighted in warmer months; the town's guidance is to report a sighting to a lifeguard or call 911

Checked 2026-08-27. Sources: Town of Old Orchard Beach: Beach safety (J-1 Resource Guide), Town of Old Orchard Beach: Parking Permits (Town Clerk), Town of Old Orchard Beach: Surf Rescue Squad lifeguarding (Human Resources), Patio Pub, on the Old Orchard Beach Pier.