Ugh Orchard beach

It is best to approach Old Orchard Beach as a bit of old fashioned americana constantly trying to improve itself. It's still cheesy fun in the summer sun for the whole family, but constriction crews are still there. They finished the great Victorian building, now they are working by the pier. I hope they fix it up some. For someone who grew up in Maine, wanted to go to OOB since I was a child, yet never quite going, then living part time in Santa Monica; the Pier was a bit of an anticlimax.

I had an interesting time, however. I wandered the beaches and took pictures until the restaurants on the Pier opened. I left the Pier to eat in the park due to the noisy teenagers, played a few old time fair games at the arcarde, then perused a book store that was having a sale. (I of course, left with a book that wasn't on sale)

The main drag is also kind of nice, but I still prefer the corners and sides of OOB to the middle. Ocean Park, Pine Point and the campgrounds up the road, all have more of an interesting vibe to them.

If you want a nice, peacefull beach I would suggest Kettle Cove in Cape Elizabeth. (To get there from Portland, go up 77 towards two-lights until you get to where the road splits to go to two-lights beach. Instead of taken the road that goes to two-lights go straight, you will notice a road on your left right before an ice cream place called "Kettle Kove". Take it, you would regret it.