Old Orchard Beach with Kids: Four Days of Food, Fun, and Fairy Houses
- Sarah Jayne
- Jul 15
- 5 min read
I couldn't tell you what the official theme of this trip was. Tacos? Maybe. Keeping the kids entertained? Definitely. Eating our way through Old Orchard Beach while squeezing in a splash pad, an amusement park, a library, a children's museum, and a waterfall? Apparently, yes.
We packed a surprising amount into four days exploring Old Orchard Beach with kids, but somehow, it never felt like one of those vacations where we were sprinting from one reservation to the next.
Our days were all completely different. One involved pool time and a playground. Another ended with pier fries and pizza. We spent a morning at the library, an afternoon exploring a children's museum, and our final adventure looking for fairy houses on the way to a waterfall.
Looking back, the itinerary sounds slightly random. Living it? So much fun. So rather than give you a perfectly polished "ultimate Maine itinerary," I'm sharing the one we actually did. The food stops, the kid-approved activities, and the adventures that filled our four days around Old Orchard Beach.
Day 1: We Arrived Hungry. Obviously.
I've learned not to ask too much of arrival day. Get there. Check in. Feed everyone. Anything beyond that feels like a bonus.
We checked into Sun Outdoors Old Orchard Beach Downtown, dropped our bags, and officially started our trip the way many of our family adventures seem to begin: figuring out where to eat.
Our answer was Taqueria 207. Tacos and drinks were exactly what we needed after traveling, and the casual atmosphere made it an easy first-night stop with the kids.
Then came ice cream. Because once you've already declared yourself "on vacation," dessert becomes less of a question and more of an itinerary item. We stopped at Fielder's Choice Ice Cream before calling it a night. No major sightseeing. No ambitious first-day plans. Just tacos, ice cream, and three kids who knew the vacation had officially started.
Day 2: Swim, Play, Repeat
If the kids had been in charge of the itinerary, I'm fairly certain Day 2 would have been repeated for the rest of the trip.
Pool. Splash pad. Playground. And repeat until an adult finally insists it's time to move on.
We spent most of the morning at Sun Outdoors Old Orchard Beach Downtown, where the kids were more than happy to bounce from one activity to the next. There was no need to rush off or load everyone into the car, which made for a surprisingly easy start to the day.
Eventually, we convinced everyone to trade pool time for some classic Old Orchard Beach fun and headed toward the pier.
Pier Fries Absolutely Count as Sightseeing
Old Orchard Beach has exactly the kind of energy you'd expect from a classic beach town. There's the beach, the pier, amusement rides, and food everywhere you look.
We explored the Old Orchard Beach Pier and spent time around Palace Playland, where the kids had plenty to keep them entertained. And then there was the food, Pier French Fries and Bill's Pizza.'
I
'd love to say we carefully researched our food choices that day, but we definitely did not. Pier French Fries caught our attention, and honestly, fries by the beach didn't require much convincing. Bill's Pizza followed shortly after because apparently, we were fully committed to the vacation food theme.
Between the rides, the beach-town atmosphere, and plenty of good food along the way, Day 2 felt like summer vacation in all the best ways.
Day 3: Yes, We Went to the Library on Vacation
Hear me out. We started Day 3 at the Old Orchard Beach Library. I know a library may not be the first place that comes to mind when you're planning a family vacation, but traveling with kids has taught me to appreciate a good change of pace.
After pool time, rides, and all the excitement of the previous day, a slower morning worked surprisingly well. The kids had time to play and explore, and nobody was rushing anywhere. Then we headed to Portland for the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine.
From Library Books to Hands-On Everything
The pace changed very quickly once we arrived at the children's museum. There was plenty to touch, explore, and investigate. When you're traveling with kids, that's always preferable to spending an afternoon saying, "Please don't touch that."
The kids could move from one exhibit to the next at their own pace, following whatever caught their attention. And there was always something catching their attention. It was a fun way to spend the afternoon and completely different from our beach day.
That's probably what I liked most about this trip. No Two days looked the same.
Day 4: Plot Twist, We Ended the Trip in the Woods
After tacos, ice cream, splash pads, amusement rides, pier fries, pizza, books, and a children's museum, there was obviously only one logical way to end the trip.
A waterfall hike.
See? Slightly random. We headed to Cascade Falls in Saco, Maine for a kid-friendly walk through the woods. We went for the waterfall, but somewhere along the trail, the kids found something that quickly became a very serious distraction.
Let's just say tiny houses were involved. 🤭
We did eventually make it to Cascade Falls, and it was such a fun way to wrap up four completely different days in Maine.
I've shared the full story of our hike, including the unexpected stop that nearly stole the show, in my Cascade Falls kid-friendly hike in Maine blog.
And yes, we did see the waterfall.
Why Old Orchard Beach with Kids Worked So Well for Us
Looking back at our Old Orchard Beach itinerary, I'm not sure I could have intentionally planned four more different days.
We had an easy arrival night built around food.
A pool and beach-town day.
A library and museum day.
And a hike through the woods to a waterfall.
Looking back, I think the variety is what made the trip work so well for us. Every day brought something different, and we never felt like we were following a schedule just for the sake of checking things off a list.
We picked activities that sounded fun, left room to enjoy them at our own pace, and let the days unfold from there. Of course, the tacos, pier fries, pizza, and ice cream probably helped too.
Our Old Orchard Beach Family Itinerary at a Glance
Day 1: Check in at Sun Outdoors Old Orchard Beach Downtown, tacos at Taqueria 207, and ice cream at Fielder's Choice.
Day 2: Pool, splash pad, and playground time before exploring Old Orchard Beach Pier, Palace Playland, Pier French Fries, and Bill's Pizza.
Day 3: A slower morning at the Old Orchard Beach Library followed by an afternoon at the Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine in Portland.
Day 4: A kid-friendly hike at Cascade Falls in Saco, complete with the Fairy House Village and waterfall views.
Four days, three kids, plenty of exploring, and more snack stops than we probably planned for. Then again, I'm not sure you can really have too many snack stops on vacation.
Would We Do It Again?
Absolutely. Four completely different days gave us plenty to laugh about, explore, and enjoy together.
What I loved most was that there was something for all five of us. The kids got to swim, play, and explore, while we enjoyed the food and adventures right alongside them. The itinerary may have looked a little random on paper, but somehow, it worked perfectly for us.
If you're planning Old Orchard Beach with kids, make a few plans, leave room for the unexpected, and never underestimate the power of a well-timed snack stop.
Pick a few things your family will enjoy.
Leave a little room to change plans.
And when in doubt?
Find ice cream. 🍦
This sounds absolutely amazing