Plus, you’ll be entered into the Coast Text Club and eligible for lots of other great prizes too!

Learn more about SoleMates, Wednesday, June 19th at Maine Running Company on Marginal Way in Portland.  Stop by anytime between 5:30-7:30pm.  There will be two led group runs: 6:00pm – 4 mile run and a family friendly 1-2 mile run lead by a Girls on the Run coach.  Post-run snacks provided!

SoleMates are adults who take part in area athletic events to raise money for Girls on the Run, a development program for girls in 3rd-8th grade, which teaches life skills, and builds confidence through interactive lessons and running games, culminating in a celebratory 5k.

Become a SoleMate!

NORTH OF PORTLAND

Pemaquid Beach Park (Bristol) Off Route 130. The beach is a quarter mile of soft white sand. There is a snack bar, a changing room with showers, and a rental shop in case you forgot your chair! According to Maine Healthy Beach Program, Pemaquid beach is also Maine’s cleanest beach!

Reid State Park (Georgetown) Take Route One North to 127 South, just after Bath. Price of admission to the park is $4.50 for Maine residents, $6.50 for non-residents and $2 for non-resident seniors; admission is $1 for children ages 5 to 11 and free for children 4 and under and for Maine residents 65 and older. Park is open from 9:00 am to sunset, 7 days a week. Snack bar, bathhouses available.

Popham Beach (Phippsburg) Beautiful beach but often windy. Take Route One North to 209 east, before you get into downtown Bath. Admission is $2 for adults and $.50 for kids 5 to 11. 65+ are free. Beach is open from 9:00 am to sunset, 7 days a week.

IN AND AROUND PORTLAND

East End Beach (Portland) On Portland’s Eastern Prom. Facilities, no lifeguards. Free parking. Picnic tables, boat launch ramp, changing rooms, restrooms. Admission is $5 for Portland residents, and $10 for none residents. Beach is open from 6:00 am to 10 pm Beaches on the islands Take the ferry to Peaks, Long Island, or Chebeague; these all have public beaches.

SOUTH OF PORTLAND

Willard Beach (South Portland) Parking for 75 cars. Views of Spring Point lighthouse. Playground, picnic tables, restaurants, lifeguards. Between May 1 through September 30, dogs are NOT allowed EXCEPT between the hours of 7 A.M. and 9 A.M., and 7 P.M. and 9P.M.

Kettle Cove (Cape Elizabeth) Take Route 77. Free parking. Ice cream nearby. Open from 9:00 am to one half hour before sunset, from the 3rd weekend in June until the 3rd weekend in August.

Crescent Beach State Park (Cape Elizabeth) 8 miles south of Portland. 1 mile of beautiful sand! Lots of parking; Entry fee $4.50/person. Gentle waves. Snack Bar, picnic tables, bike racks, grills, restrooms and lifeguards

Higgins Beach (Scarborough) Off of route 77. Limited Parking, $10 per car. Large waves. No public restrooms. Great for kayaking and other beach sports as well as fishing. June 15th to Sept. 15th from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. dogs are prohibited; 5 p.m. to Sunrise dogs must be leashed; Sunrise to 9 a.m. dogs maybe off leash but under voice control, responsible party must have a leash in hand (leash to be 30′ or less in length). All pet waste must be removed.

Scarborough Beach State Park (Scarborough) Parking for 500 cars with fee. Admission is $4.50 for residents ages 12-64 and $6.50 for non-residents ages 12-64. Children ages 5-11 are $2, and under 5 years old are FREE. Senior citizens (ages 65+) are free if they are residents, and $2 if they are not residents. Good surf, warm(er) water. Concession stand, public showers, lifeguards, restrooms and bike racks. Hours vary during the year. Hours: April – 9 am to 5 pm; April 30/June 15 – 9 am to 6 pm; June 16/Aug.10 – 9 am to 8 pm; Aug. 11/Sept. 15 – 9 am to 7 pm; and, October 9 am to 5 pm

Ferry Beach (Scarborough) Town beach. Off Black Point Road. Restrooms, boat launch ramp. Parking $10. Parking lot hours from 8 am to 5 pm. No parking in the parking lot from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Pine Point Beach (Scarborough) Beautiful wide beach. Parking is $10/car. Walk along the ocean from this beach to Old Orchard (about 3 miles). Parking lot hours from 8 am to 5 pm. No parking in the parking lot from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m.

Old Orchard Beach (Old Orchard Beach) 7 miles of wide beach! There is a pier and downtown area along the beach that features games, food, and Palace Playland, an amusement park. Parking is $3-$10/day. Metered street parking, with several lots as well.

Ferry Beach State Park (Saco) Off Route 9 on Bay View Road between Old Orchard Beach and Camp Ellis in Saco. Fee charged.

Biddeford Pool (Biddeford) 2 mile sandy beach. Gentle surf. Sticker parking only, and stickers are available at Biddeford City Hall. Bathhouse and lifeguard. Parking after 5 pm is free.

Fortunes Rocks Beach (Biddeford) Small sandy beach. Sticker parking only, and stickers are available at Biddeford City Hall. Portable toilet, lifeguards. Lifeguards are on duty from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm.

Hills Beach (Biddeford) Great for bird watching. Access from UNE campus. Parking stickers available at Biddeford City Hall, parking after 5 pm is free.

Kennebunk Beach (Kennebunk) Three stretches of beach: Middle Beach (no lifeguards, sticker parking only, stickers avail. at town hall) Mothers Beach (lifeguards, sticker parking only) Gooch’s Beach (largest part of the beach, facilities)

Goose Rocks Beach (Kennebunkport) Sticker parking only. Stickers avail. at town hall weekdays and police station weekends. $5/day.

The Colony Beach (Kennebunkport) Limited on-street parking.

Arundel Beach (Kennebunkport) Access from Ocean Ave.

Cleaves Cove Beach (Kennebunkport) Access from Ocean Ave. Very small and secluded.

Ogunquit Beach (Ogunquit) Many town and other parking areas, or accessible by trolly. There is ample parking (fee charged), a boat ramp for launching small boats, and restrooms.

Foot Bridge Beach (Ogunquit) Part of Ogunquit beach, accessible by a footbridge. Beachgoers walk over footbridge to get to this less crowded section of beach. Snack bar and restrooms. Lifeguard patrolled.

Drakes Island Beach (Wells) Limited Parking, toilets, lifeguards.

Wells Beach (Wells) Parking is $6/day, and you can get stickers at Town Hall. Lifeguards, restrooms, sand dunes, restaurants, arcade, souvenir shops, Parking after 4 pm is free.

Crescent Surf Beach (Wells) Access from Eldridge Rd. off route 1. salt marshes, tidal pools, seal-watching and restrooms. Limited free parking on Gold Ribbon Drive.

Laudholm Beach (Wells) Access from Rte 1 & 9. Great bird watching. Salt Marshes. Free Parking. York Beach (York) Three stretches of beach: Short Sands Beach (private and public metered parking) Long Sands Beach (metered parking along the beach) Harbor Beach (limited parking)

Camp Ellis Beach (Saco) Access from Rt. 9. Beach with fishing on the rocks, Hourly Parking available.

Bayview (Saco) Access Rt. 9. Small Beach. Public Parking. Beaches are guarded from 10am – 5pm from Late June to Mid August, 7 days a week.

WEST OF PORTLAND

Range Ponds State Park (Poland) Near Lewsiton/Auburn. Fees are $4.50 for an adult resident, $6.50 for adult non resident, and $2.00 for a Senior non resident.

Dundee Waterfront Park (Windham) South of downtown Windham on the Presumpscott River. Take River Road.

Tassle Top (Raymond) Take 302 west from Portland. It’s another beach on Sebago, but you get to it before you get to the state park.

Sebago Lake State Park (Naples) Take 302 west from Portland. Fees are $4.50 for an adult resident, $6.50 for adult non resident, and $2.00 for a Senior non resident.

Mackworth Island (Falmouth) Access from Route 1. Rocky beach with views of Casco Bay, bird-watching, hiking and fairy homes. This walk circles the island and is about 1 1/2 miles long. You can park from sun-up to sun-down in the parking lot to the right after crossing the causeway, before entering the Baxter School area.

Other Lakes in the “Lakes Region” Panther Pond, Little Sebago, Long Lake, Thompson Lake, Coffee Pond, Brandy Pond, Long Lake, Moose Pond, Pleasant Lake, and Crescent Lake.