Drakes Island Beach

Located within the community of Wells in York County, Drakes Island Beach is a 2800-foot-long and wide beige sand beach with a pebbly portion.  The beach is positioned on Drake Island, which is a barrier island along the shores of the Atlantic Ocean.  The beach has a beautiful backdrop of many oceanfront homes, apartments, and a few shops.

Drakes Island Beach has several amenities including seasonal lifeguards, picnic areas, and restrooms.

Drakes Island Beach offers several fun activities, including swimming, sunbathing, beachcombing, strolling, building sandcastles, tidepooling, and picnicking.  If you are planning to go into the water, the waves are usually calm, making it a perfect spot to swim.  However, we recommend being careful during high tides. It is an ideal spot for windsurfing due to its frequently windy weather.  If you enjoy tidepooling, you may spot an array of marine life, making it a fascinating spot for nature enthusiasts.  Hikers can enjoy the nearby hiking trails, which offer unique insights into the local biodiversity.  This beach is ideal for visitors looking for a quieter experience, as it sees fewer visitors than other nearby beaches.  Dogs are not allowed here, and it is open from sunrise until sunset.

Drakes Island Beach does not offer an access path for people with disabilities.

Getting to Drakes Island Beach is easy - the beach has a paid parking lot located at 24-2 Grasshopper Lane, which provides easy access to the beach.

Drakes Island Beach is named after Sir Francis Drake, the famous English explorer and sea captain from the 16th century.

There are many attractions near Drakes Island Beach.  Wells Harbor Park is a harborfront park that offers many amenities, including benches, a gazebo, pavilions, picnic tables, a large playground with a swing set, electrical outlets, a fishing pier, restrooms, an observation deck, walking trails, water fountains, and a free parking lot.  Goat Island Lighthouse is a 25-foot-high cylindrical-shaped lighthouse built in 1859 that is positioned on the eastern side of the Kennebunk River on Goat Island.  This coastal landmark is crucial for safe maritime navigation for vessels entering the waters of Cape Porpoise.  Brick Store Museum is a small museum that showcases the history, heritage, and culture of the Kennebunks through artifacts, documents, photographs, and related memorabilia.  In addition, it hosts interesting events and educational programs throughout the year.  Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge is a protected natural area spread over 5,400 acres that is home to salt marshes, forested uplands, estuaries, tidal creeks, coastal meadows, and barrier beach islands, making it a unique marine ecosystem.  Visitors can enjoy many fun activities, including hiking, biking, picnicking, bird watching, and boating.  If you are looking for another nearby attraction, Palace Playland is a family-friendly beachfront amusement park that features a splash pad, train rides, and many other fun rides, including a carousel, Ferris wheel, roller coasters, and a gaming arcade. 

If you get hungry, there are many great restaurants within a four-minute drive of Drakes Island Beach.  Litchfield's Bar and Grill offers an outdoor seating area and serves pizzas, mussels, quesadillas, soups, sandwiches, burgers, steaks, seafood, meat, and poultry dishes.  Angelina's is an upscale Italian restaurant that is recognized as the “Best Italian Restaurant in Ogunquit” and serves amazing soups, salads, pastas, lasagna, spaghetti, risottos, meat, and poultry dishes.  Billy's Chowder House serves amazing seafood.  Bull N' Claw serves amazing salads, soups, burgers, steaks, prime ribs, sandwiches, mussels, meat, seafood, and poultry dishes.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby restaurant, Pedro's Mexican Restaurant serves enchiladas, Chile Rellenos, tacos, burritos, nachos, chimichangas, quesadillas, seafood, and poultry dishes.

If you are looking for a hotel near Drakes Island Beach, there are many great options nearby.  If you are looking for an upscale hotel, the 4-Star White Barn Inn, Auberge Resorts Collection, is 13 minutes away by car and offers many amenities including whirlpool tubs, fireplaces, an outdoor pool, a spa, and a restaurant.  The Inn at English Meadows, which offers several amenities including fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and a complimentary breakfast.  A more affordable hotel is the 4-StarKennebunkport Captains Collection, which has a few amenities, including gardens and a complimentary breakfast.  Another moderately priced option is the 4-StarThe Inn at English Meadows, which has several amenities including fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and a complimentary breakfast.  A more reasonably priced option is the beachfront 3-Star Hampton Inn & Suites Wells-Ogunquit, which offers many amenities including an indoor pool, hot tubs, a restaurant, and complimentary breakfast.  If you are looking for another good and affordable nearby hotel, the 3-StarThe Kennebunk Inn has many amenities including a fitness center and a restaurant.