There’s a particular kind of nostalgia that lives at Old Orchard Beach. Maybe it’s the scent of fried dough and salt air, or the distant clang of a game inside Palace Playland. Whatever it is, this seven-mile stretch of sand has been drawing travelers off Route 1 for generations.

The Old Orchard Beach Pier juts 500 feet into the Atlantic, a mix of weathered wood and glowing signs that come alive at sunset. In summer, it’s a blur of neon, laughter, and the sound of gulls circling above the food stands. Off-season, the scene quiets into something cinematic, the tide rolling in under the pier’s supports, waves echoing through the empty arcade.

If you’re exploring the Maine coast, this stop offers a perfect slice of vintage Americana. Walk the boardwalk early in the morning when the beach is empty and the ocean feels endless, or come at night when lights shimmer across the water and the smell of popcorn drifts through the breeze.

It’s less than a mile from Route 1, but it feels like stepping straight into a summer memory.