Between York and Rye, there aren't many places to swim. Seapoint is "swimmable" during the summer, but "walkable" all year. It's rustic and primal, which makes it ideal for an off-season or after-hours summer stroll with your four-legged companions.
Residents of Kittery have exclusive access to the town's sole beach. Seapoint Beach, like the town itself, is a tough little spot. The flies are likely to be the first thing you notice. In the summer, greenheads can carry a large bite of flesh away, and flies swarm in a dizzying fog among the seaweed. Seaweed is clumped on the beach in thick bundles that resemble raked leaves. There are a lot of seagulls, and there are a lot of rocks, too.
Despite the basic pebbly beach, Seapoint is encircled by a slew of warning signs, numbering in the hundreds, that spell out the requirements for parking and visiting. Even the crucial view from the beach's little parking area is obstructed by tall metal signs.
The Seapoint site, on the other hand, is famous not just because it is a unique swimming spot, but also because of its dog-friendly policy. Dogs are only prohibited during peak summer daytime hours and are permitted on leashes the rest of the time.
Then there's the vista, which is mostly an open panorama of the azure Atlantic. Between the pebbly low tide area and the dunes, there is a short belt of white sand. Getting to Seapoint along Route 103 is a lovely drive or bike ride in and of itself, and well worth the effort.
2. FORT FOSTER – KITTERY, MAINE
The best place to spend the day with your dog is Fort Foster in Kittery, Maine. Kittery Beaches, paths, picnic sites, and a playground are all available for a fantastic family day with your dog. Fort Foster is an 88-acre dog-friendly hiking trail, beach, and a former fort to explore on Gerrish Island, with views of lighthouses, a historic life-saving station, and the Isles of Shoals.
But the best thing is that dogs are welcome all day! Unlike most nearby beaches, where dogs are only allowed early in the morning or late in the evening during the summer, Fort Foster welcomes dogs all year. The catch is that dogs must be kept on a leash during open hours, and there are several signs reminding dog owners of this need. Fort Foster is an unofficial dog park before the park opens from dawn until 10:00 a.m. We go early in the morning before the park opens, and the dogs enjoy racing around with their pals. Then we leash them and spend the day relaxing with our exhausted dogs while taking in the scenery.
The park is open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. A $20 admission fee per vehicle is required. Pedestrians and bikers are $5 each for adults and $1 each for children under the age of 12 if you want to park outside the park. There are restrooms available, as well as an outside shower for rinsing sandy dogs before the voyage home. Fort Foster also features a pavilion that may be rented for events, as well as coal barbecues and picnic tables. There is also a playground and a beach area reserved for children, where dogs are not permitted. Despite that one exception, the majority of the beaches and coves welcome dogs.
3. Crescent Beach
Crescent Beach is a beautiful beach, however it is rocky. There are a lot of rocks both in and out of the water, and swimming can be dangerous due to the tide. As it comes to the tide, there's nowhere to sit on the beach when it comes in. While it's beautiful to watch the waves crash against the concrete, you can't sit on it until the tide goes out. After that, the sand is completely saturated.
![Kittery Maine Beaches [Seapoint Beach & More Near Kittery Maine] (2024)](data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAEAAAABCAQAAAC1HAwCAAAAC0lEQVR42mP8/h8AAvMB+NzmkbcAAAAASUVORK5CYII=)