4 Best Sights in The Southern Coast, Maine

Three-mile-long Goose Rocks, a 10-minute drive north of Kennebunkport, has a good long stretch of smooth sand and plenty of shallow pools for exploring. It's a favorite of families with small children. Pick up a $30 daily parking permit at one of two kiosks along the beach: one outside of Goose Rocks Beach General Store at 3 Dyke Road and the other at the Proctor Avenue beach path. Dogs are allowed (on a leash), but only before 9 and after 5 during the summer season. There is one Porta Potty behind the General Store, but otherwise no facilities are available at the beach. Amenities: parking (fee). Best for: swimming; walking.

Ogunquit has long been an important site for artists, and this stellar museum—the only one in Maine focused solely on American art—continues that legacy. The collection includes 3,000 early modern and contemporary paintings, sculptures, drawings, and more, including works with ties to Ogunquit's once-famous artist colony. The main gallery offers sweeping views of Perkins Cove. Leave time to stroll around the 3-acre seaside sculpture park in good weather. Visit the website for admission pricing.

Comprising two parks—an amusement park and a water park—this sprawling complex of 50 thrill and kiddie rides, waterslides, play pools, and more evolved from a single drive-in restaurant built in 1960 that the founders have kept expanding ever since. Admission is by bracelet, which can be purchased for one park or both (the combo is a good deal). On the Funtown side, the Astrosphere—an enclosed scrambler-style ride and one of the park’s best known attractions—features a fantastic and dramatic multimedia experience, while the Wild Mouse is the largest roller coaster in the state. On the Splashtown side, up to five people can ride the Mammoth Thrill Slide water coaster together, while the 60-foot drop of the single-person Poseidon’s Plunge is stomach-churning. In both parks, height and weight restrictions vary by ride. Dining and snacking options abound. Note that heavy rains may temporarily put a halt to rides (gift shops and arcades will remain open). Admission is discounted after 3 pm.

All the good craft cocktail bars in Maine stock Bimini Gin, the flagship spirit of this distillery located in a 150-year-old textile mill on the Saco River, because of its smooth drinkability. The distilling process achieves this by promoting the juniper berries’ floral and fruity—not its piney—flavors. Sit at the well-designed bar for a gin tasting or cocktail and snacks, or pick up a bottle of house-made spirits to go.