Popham Beach State Park

Maine is characterized by a large number of beautiful parks, and ocean-lovers have flocked to Popham Beach State Park for years to taste the surf of the Atlantic.

Beautiful beaches

Even though Maine is the northernmost state in the continental United States, the beaches along the Atlantic Ocean are almost always thronged with ocean-lovers. Popham Beach is one of the state's most dramatic seaside areas. Located on a thin spit that juts out into the Atlantic, the gorgeous sandy beach seems to go on forever.

Hitting the sand

Since you are so far north, the water at Popham Beach is bracingly cold. Wetsuit-wearing surfers and swimmers do venture out in the tide, but swimming unprotected is not a good idea. Instead, walk the dunes along the beach and wait for low tide, where you can tramp out to a large rock island at the beach's elbow, and get a spectacular view of the entire park.

History comes alive

At the other end of the park are the ruins of Fort Popham, built during the Civil War and never finished. This striking structure is accompanied by nearby Fort Baldwin, which was constructed during World War I to look for enemy submarines. Both of them are open for public tours. Beautiful Pond Island is also nearby, which boasts a historic lighthouse.

Popham Beach State Park is one of Maine's most charming oceanside parks, with tons of activities for just about everybody. Hopefully this article has inspired you to take a trip there for yourself.