10 Top Things to Do in Ogunquit With Kids

Have a Blast at Wonder Mountain Fun Park

At Wonder Mountain Fun Park, kids can spend an afternoon taking part in several activities like go-kart riding and playing mini-golf. The park even features a human-sized maze, which can be quite fun to run about in. This life-size puzzle is always changing, so if you've been before you'll have a new challenge to take on. The park has two mini-golf courses and gives out daily prizes for the best scores, but the go-kart track is the big draw. With both single and double-seat carts, plus 700 feet of track with lots of curves and elevation changes, this is a great way for little ones to have some safe thrills behind the wheel.

Ride a Trolley

An icon of the city, the Ogunquit Trolley connects all of downtown to Ogunquit from Perkins Cove to Footbridge Beach. Not only is it a great way to avoid looking for a parking space, but it's also a fun way to see the town thanks to its open-air cabin and kids will really remember this unique experience. Originally, these historic trolleys were a part of the Atlantic Shoreline Railway and connected Ogunquit to Kittery, Wells, Kennebunk, and Kennebunkport. You can hop aboard at one of the designated trolley stops.

Stroll by the Sea

One of the most picturesque coastal walks in New England, the 1.25 mile Marginal Way, is a seaside path that stretches along the granite shoreline of Ogunquit. It's paved, mostly flat, and stroller-friendly (although skateboards, bikes, and rollerblades are banned). This walk offers more breathtaking vistas than any other trail you’ll find on the southern Maine coast, and there are almost 40 benches, coves, and (at low tide) tiny beaches along the way where you can stop to admire the view or explore. The path begins in downtown Ogunquit and ends at the lively community Perkins Cove.

See a Musical

The Ogunquit Playhouse is one of the last remaining New England summer stock theaters still producing live musical theater, offering Broadway shows aimed at adults and family fare through its impressive children's theater. The endeavor that has earned recognition throughout the country and internationally first started in 1933 out of a renovated garage in the town square. The historic building has been named a structure of National Significance on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Enjoy a Local Beach

The town has several year-round beaches to enjoy, but check the tide charts before you head out. Beachgoers plan their day by the tides in Ogunquit, which can rise and fall 9 feet on average in a single day. At high tide, Ogunquit Beach can look like no more than a picturesque spit of rocks jutting into the sea. But come low tide, an enormous stretch of clean, hard-packed sand appears and families take to one of the beaches with their towels, umbrellas, boogie boards, and sand toys.

The most popular Main Beach is within walking distance to many town accommodations and has restaurants and beach equipment rentals. On the river-side of Main Beach, families have fun with stand-up paddleboards and inner tubes in the slightly warmer water.

Learn About Lobster

Sailing out of Perkins Cove, Finestkind Scenic Cruises offers several different boat excursions, from breakfast cruises to cocktail cruises to lighthouse cruises. But the most fun for kids is the 50-minute lobstering trip, where you get to watch as experts haul in their lobster pots. You'll learn quite a bit about lobster, including facts such as that the creatures are nearly blind and may have cannibalistic tendencies, but they are not scavengers.

Go Kayaking

Kayaking is a staple of a Maine summer vacation and something fun to experience with kids. World Within Kayak Rentals has an ideal location in the heart of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge on the Ogunquit/Wells border. You'll paddle at high tide (the only time the business is open, so check the tide chart) on the safe, quiet, and beautiful Ogunquit River and its maze-like estuaries that lead through Ogunquit down to the Atlantic Ocean. 

Stock up on Saltwater Taffy

You can get delicious, homemade saltwater taffy in a dozen flavors at Perkins Cove Candies, an adorable shop that started in a renovated lobster shack in 1980 before moving to its current location. The business also makes to-die-for salted caramels, gourmet chocolates, and penny candy to delight kids of all ages. 

Learn to Surf or Paddleboard

If your children want to learn to catch a wave, Liquid Dreams Surf Shop offers three- and five-day camps for kids age 5 and up that teach the fundamentals of surfing and paddleboarding. If you're short on time, you can also opt for a private lesson or two. The business also offers women's evening surfing lessons, paddleboarding lessons for all ages, and other options.

Scream for Ice Cream

Every great beach town needs a highly-rated ice cream shop—especially for warmer summer days—and tiny Sweet Pea's Ice Cream is the real deal in Ogunquit for kids and adults alike. Choose among numerous flavors of ice cream, frozen yogurt, sherbet, and non-dairy sorbet. Or you may want to buy a hot coffee for sipping as you stroll through the town.