Maine Family Beach Getaway: Ultra-Detailed 2-Day Guide with Kids 🤩

Memorial Day is perfect for a trip to Maine—pleasant weather, not too hot or cold, and far fewer crowds! Day 1: From Massachusetts to York & Portland – Animals, Seafood & Beaches We drove from Massachusetts to York’s Wild Kingdom first. It’s a local private zoo plus amusement park 🎡—super kid-friendly! Zoo Highlights: There are all kinds of animals, big and small. Kids can ride camels, feed deer and goats (great interactive fun!), and visit a butterfly house 🦋. Amusement Park: Most rides are suited for young kids, though they’re a bit pricey (e.g., $4 for one go-kart ride). There’s also a mini-golf course—only $5 per person, cheap and fun! We stayed until around 1 PM, then headed to Ogunquit Lobster House for lunch. Highly recommend this spot! The atmosphere is nice, and there’s 30 minutes of free parking outside. We arrived around 1:30 PM and didn’t have to wait—we finished our meal right as the parking time was up. Of course, we ordered Maine’s classic lobster roll 🦞—it was delicious! After lunch, we moved our car to another free 30-minute parking spot nearby and headed to Ogunquit Beach (one of Maine’s most famous beaches). The sand is fine, the terrain is flat, and during low tide, you can walk far out into the water—great for collecting seashells. If you’re lucky, you might even capture a “sky mirror” effect in your photos (when the calm water reflects the sky perfectly) ✨! We spent a while at the beach, then drove to our hotel in Portland to rest. We avoided downtown Portland for accommodation (parking there is a hassle!), so we stayed at Portland Sheraton at Sable Oaks near Maine Mall. It’s surrounded by restaurants and shops, and the hotel has a huge free parking lot—so convenient! We grabbed some snacks at the hotel lounge, then headed to downtown Portland and the waterfront. Parking Tip: Park for free at the Arctic Campaign Memorial—we got there around 6 PM and found a spot easily! From there, you can walk to downtown restaurants or follow the coast to East End Beach. The beach even has a small train ride—it feels just like the opening scene of Slam Dunk (super nostalgic!) 🚂. Day 2: Mini-Golf, Old Orchard Beach & a Scenic Trail Our kid was still obsessed with mini-golf from the day before, so our first stop was Pirate's Cove Adventure Golf—located right by the famous Old Orchard Beach. Perk: Parking is free for mini-golf players! After the game, we walked to the beach and the amusement park’s arcade 🎮—perfect for burning off more kid energy. Next, we navigated to Barnacle Billy's for a meal. They offer free valet parking (tipping is appreciated!). After eating, we walked the Marginal Way Trail along the coast to Lobster Point Lighthouse—the ocean views along the trail are beautiful, and the lighthouse is a cute photo spot 🏴‍☠️. Once we finished the walk, we hit the road back home! #TravelWithKids #BostonSurroundings #MaineTravel #Maine #BostonWeekend