 Many thousands flock to the long white sand beaches of York, Ogunquit, Wells, and the Kennebunks. Mark Twain once quipped that it would be difficult to throw a brick in the Yorks and not hit a postmaster. It's still true - the town is divided into a handful of distinct villages with their own services: York, York Harbor, York Beach, and Cape Neddick, each of which has its own waterfront.
Ogunquit is probably best known for its three-mile beach, considered by many to be Maine's finest stretch of sand. Brimming with tourists come July, Ogunquit gained fame early in the twentieth century as both art colony and summer resort - today it functions more as the latter with its gift shops, inns, condominiums, and large hotels, but the presence of the former can still be felt. Ogunquit's neighbor to the north, Wells, is also a busy summer community and its many antique shops and used bookstores make it popular with shoppers of the rare and unique. Much of the large Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, acres and acres of salt marshes and stretches of woods, sits in Wells. 
Kennebunkport and Lower Village of Kennebunk are nestled between the Kennebunk River and the ocean - "the port" being on the east side of the river and Lower Village on the west. On both sides of the river, waterfront buildings steeped in history are the home of fine gift shops, clothing and jewelry boutiques, art galleries and some of the finest restaurants on the Maine Coast. Two miles east of Kennebunkport's Dock Square is the fishing village of Cape Porpoise. From there you can get an excellent view Goat Island Lighthouse. Most people purchase property or visit the area due to its fine beaches, inns, scores of shops, impressive Colonial architecture, historic small-town ambiance and overall proximity to Maine's central business district - Portland. This region has more than just shopping and beaches. Unique natural habitats are protected and accessible to the public at the Wells National Estuarine Reserve and the Rachel Carson Wildlife Refuge. Trails at Mount Agamenticus, in York, offer excellent mountain biking and horseback riding. In Berwick, the Vaughan Woods Memorial State Park has 250 acres of land along the Salmon Falls River. |
