The Ferris Wheel at Palace Playland in Old Orchard Beach.

The Amtrak Downeaster Rail begins in Portland, Maine and ends in Boston, Massachusetts. In between there are stops in Old Orchard Beach ME, Saco ME, Wells ME, Dover NH, Durham NH, Exeter NH, Haverhill MA, and Woburn MA. For this series of articles I will expound upon the merits of each stop along the Downeaster Amtrak tour.

Old Orchard Beach is a fantastic destination for vacationing families. Indeed, it’s one of the top tourist destinations in the state and hosts a regular influx of Canadian visitors every summer. OOB, as the natives call it, is one of those places that becomes a traditional, yearly destination for visitors and locals alike.

The breakwater at Pine Point (down the beach from OOB).

The three greatest attractions of Old Orchard Beach:

- The Pier first opened to the public on July 2, 1898, and today boasts five restaurants, five bars, a host of souvenir booths and shops, live entertainment, and the famous Pier Fries (you’ll want to douse those with sea salt and malt vinegar). Catch a comedy show or watch a hypnotists mesmerize the crowd. Or just sit and enjoy a brew and some fried clams as you watch the waves and the crowd.
- Palace Playland is New England’s only beach front amusement park. Covering four acres, the park boasts two roller-coasters, a 24,000 square-foot arcade, twenty-five rides and attractions, and, my personal favorite, all the fried dough (dubbed “Dough Boys”) you can possibly eat.
- The beach itself is a seven mile stretch of fine white sand. It’s so large that it hardly ever feels crowded, and the swimming is overseen by lifeguards spaced along the shore. You do have to be somewhat stalwart in your determination to actually swim, though, as the temperature of the water rarely gets beyond the high 60′s (f). Personally, I like to take off my shoes and roll up my pants, and stroll just at the water’s edge.

Rent a room at one of the numerous bed and breakfasts, hotels, or motels and spend an entire week without even the need for a vehicle. Soak up the sun, play in the ocean, stroll along the water, play arcade games, ride the rides, eat seafood and Pier Fries, catch a live band, and enjoy frequent fireworks shows. Then, when you’ve had your fill, hop the Amtrak train and roll on down to your next stop on the Amtrak Downeaster Adventure!

Past articles in this series:
- Amtrak Downeaster Adventure – Overview
- Amtrak Downeaster Adventure – Portland, ME

Photo Credits (in order of appearance):
- Ferris wheel by Devin Lynnx on Flickr Creative Commons.
- “Pine Point Beach” by Rich Brooks on Flickr Creative Commons.