Cold, Quiet, and Beautiful: Why Maine Beaches Are Winter’s Best Kept Secret

Let me get right to the point: I would rather visit a beach in Maine in the winter than in the summer.

You might think that's crazy, and maybe it is. However, not to me. I would rather spend time on a freezing cold beach in the middle of January than spend an entire beautiful day in July.

No, I'm not just writing this to be contradictory—it's a pure fact, and there are a number of reasons why this is the case.

First off, nothing ruins a beach more than people.

Don't get me wrong, I'm a people person, an extrovert through and through. But I'm also a sneaky, hardcore biophile. I'll take a quiet, remote day out in the wild over a night out in Portland. This includes a quiet, empty, desolate day on a Maine beach. Since this isn't possible in the summer, I guess the winter will do.

A winter beach experience is beautiful, incredibly dog-friendly, and—did I mention—quiet? Plus, parking is very easy, considering there's no competition with tourists for spaces.

Honestly, I'm not sure what’s so great about a summer beach day.

Catching rays? More like catching cancer.

Swimming? Yeah, let’s go swimming in 55-degree water. Sounds great! I’ll skip that and swim in a warm lake.

Dogs not being allowed? What a miserable rule.

I’m starting to wonder why I ever consider going to the beach in the summer. What’s actually better?

I can tell you what's better in the winter. In fact, there are numerous reasons why the beach is a much better place in the colder months than in the summer. You can find them below.

It's time to join the winter beach movement. I know your dog wants to.