One of our favorite walks along the lower Maine Coast is Marginal Way in Ogunquit. At only 1.25 miles, it is quite short, but it is a perfect travel destination for multi-generational families looking for stunning views without a huge hiking commitment. Even better, many parts of the path are paved, and all of it is reasonably flat, so there should be no worries about bringing a stroller or exhausting either your kids or their grandparents.
The Logistics
As long as you can find parking (avoid holiday weekends, and get there early on regular summer weekends), either Perkins Cove Parking or Obed’s Parking Lot are the best place to start. Note that these can be pricy and/or fill up quickly, but if you are okay with a longer walk you can find other parking options on the city website.
If you happen to be visiting around meal time, there are a few restaurants with amazing views in Perkins Cove. The Oarweed is a good choice if you care most about the view and aren’t a foodie – the food can be hit or miss on the quality.
Walking Marginal Way
As you walk along the water, you will encounter beautiful cliffs and rocky landscapes.
While you will feel like you are surrounded by nature, there will be plenty of benches where you can simply sit and enjoy the scenery, or enjoy a simple picnic. Just make sure you carry out your trash.
May is a little early for colorful flowers in Maine, but we enjoyed the plants that had blossomed early and are looking forward to taking a family trip again a little later in the year.
The beach houses and hotels are also very pleasant to enjoy.
If you like rocky beaches, there are plenty of access points to go and explore.
And if your preference is for sandy beaches, continue past Obed’s Parking Lot, and continue until you get to Ogunquit Beach – which you can see in the top right part of the photo below.
At one point, we passed the lighthouse.
We walked the full length of the path, then turned around and returned to the car.
What a lovely day!
Next time your family is considering where to go, visit Ogunquit on your next day trip or road trip through Maine!
Keep reading our travel blog for more adventures in New England:
Adventures of the 4 JLs 
It’s my favorite place to take a relaxing ocean walk with great views. We also, enjoy having lunch at the various restaurants along the way.
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