Deborah & William Hillyard
Deborah & William Hillyard
Deborah & William Hillyard
Deborah & William Hillyard
Deborah & William Hillyard
 

Vacations - Orchard Beach, ME

The Bush compound taken from a lookout just across the bay. 
Here I have chosen to show some of the more downmarket aspects of nearby Old Orchard Beach.  We ate at Rick's Fried Clam emporium when we visited.  It was one of very few places open out of season.  They have even taken the seats off the ferris wheel!  Otherwise, the town is just a tourist destination.  Unfortunately, the Pier, and most of the rest of Old Orchard Beach, was closed during our visit.  The upside was no crowds; the place heaves in the season. 
This page includes a small selection of pictures from Old Orchard Beach and Kennebunkport.  Old Orchard Beach is on Saco Bay on the Atlantic Ocean.  First settled in 1631, though the first official settlement was in 1657, it quickly established itself as a vacation destination.  By the mid 1800s, there were pubs, hotels and a rail link from Boston to nearby Portland.  By the turn of the nineteenth century, there were many grand hotels, though most were destriyed in the fire of 1907.  Today, it has moved somewhat "down market", and one of the main attractions is the amusement park "Palace Playland".  It has a pier that was first built in 1898, but this has been damaged by the elements and re-built a number of times.  Most recently, it was destroyed by a storm in 1978, and rebuilt in 1980. 

Kennebunkport's main claim to fame is that George H. W. Bush has a vacation compound at Walker's Point just outside of town.  It is, of course, very heavily guarded, and you can not get anywhere near it.  There are some very expensive properties on Ocean Avenue and other roads around Kennebunkport itself, and it is known as a summer resort for the wealthy who maintain holiday homes here.  The various hotels and Bed & Breakfasts accomodate the needs of those of us who are less finacially fortunate!