Unearth The Voyage
A single American village just earned a coveted spot among the world’s most beautiful, and it sits right on Maine’s sparkling coast. Welcome to Ogunquit, where granite cliffs meet a mile-wide sky and a beach that actually feels soft underfoot. From cliffside strolls to a century-old theater scene, this tiny place packs huge charm. Here are twelve reasons travel editors and everyday visitors keep falling in love with this beautiful place by the sea.
1. It’s Official: Forbes Put Ogunquit on a Global Beauty Pedestal
Forbes included Ogunquit in its World’s 50 Most Beautiful Villages, placing it as the only American village on the list and crowning it the most beautiful village in the United States. The recognition places Ogunquit in the company of storybook destinations like Bibury and Hallstatt. The Manual and Time Out Worldwide echoed the acclaim, noting Forbes sought old-world whimsy with lived-in charm. This coastal gem fits perfectly, with natural beauty that never feels staged. Media momentum matters too. When multiple outlets align, it signals more than hype. It signals a genuinely extraordinary sense of place.
2. A Name That Literally Means “Beautiful Place by the Sea”
Ogunquit’s name traces to the Abenaki language and translates to beautiful place by the sea, a description that feels undeniable once you arrive. The broad sweep of beach, the tidal river curling toward the Atlantic, and the knuckled granite headlands give the village an immediately cinematic presence. Travel and Leisure highlights this origin story because it aligns perfectly with the coastal scenery. It is not a slogan. It is a truth. Each tide redraws the shoreline like an artist’s brush, turning a linguistic heritage into a living landscape you can walk, breathe, and photograph.
3. The Marginal Way: A Cliffside Walk Straight Out of a Postcard
Marginal Way is the village’s showstopper, a paved path hugging granite cliffs for roughly 1.25 miles with uninterrupted Atlantic views. Forbes, Time Out, and Maine tourism sources all rave about this cinematic stroll. Benches invite lingering over sea breezes, gulls, and bobbing lobster buoys. The route links downtown to Perkins Cove, so your walk naturally becomes an experience from one charming scene to the next. In spring and summer, wildflowers punctuate the vista with color. In fall, the light sharpens and the air turns crisp. Every season, it feels like walking inside a postcard.
4. One of New England’s Best Beaches (That’s Actually Sandy)
Ogunquit Beach stands out in a rocky-coast state precisely because it is a broad, soft-sand barrier beach that runs for miles. Time Out calls it long and wide, while Travel and Leisure, Real Simple, and Tripadvisor routinely include it among America’s best beaches. The tides sculpt gentle crescents and tidepools, perfect for sunrise walks and family play. On foggy mornings the sand glows softly, and by afternoon the ocean opens into big-sky blues. Easy access, clean facilities, and lifeguards in season make it inviting. It is beauty you can feel under your feet.
5. Perkins Cove: A Tiny Harbor With Big Storybook Energy
At the southern end of Marginal Way, Perkins Cove concentrates everything you picture in a Maine harbor into one tiny, walkable pocket. Colorful boats bob against weathered wharves. A petite drawbridge frames shingled cottages, galleries, and seafood shacks selling fresh lobster rolls. Travel and Leisure and local guides name it a must-see for good reason. It is both working waterfront and postcard set, animated by gulls, salt air, and the clink of rigging. Grab ice cream, watch the tides shift, then browse art studios. It is compact, charming, and profoundly photogenic.
6. A Longtime Artist Colony Turned Open-Air Gallery
Ogunquit’s creative soul dates to the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when painters arrived for the crystalline Atlantic light and rugged coastline. That tradition continues in galleries, pottery studios, and shops overflowing with Maine-inspired work. Forbes and the local chamber emphasize how this heritage differentiates Ogunquit from generic beach towns. It is a place where you might watch a plein-air painter at sunrise, then bring home a piece of that light. The entire village feels like a curated open-air gallery, where the subject matter is waves, granite, and ever-changing sky.
7. The Ogunquit Playhouse: Broadway by the Sea
For a village of roughly 1,500 year-round residents, the Ogunquit Playhouse delivers surprising cultural clout. Founded in 1933, it stages Broadway-caliber productions through summer and early fall, drawing talent and audiences from across New England. Travel and Leisure consistently praises its professional polish and seasonal energy. The Playhouse adds depth to a beach trip, transforming evenings into encore-worthy memories. Musicals, comedies, and revivals share the marquee, while the historic building anchors the experience with nostalgic charm. It is Broadway by the sea, elevating Ogunquit from pretty getaway to performing-arts destination.
8. A Walkable, Human-Scaled Village Center
Ogunquit’s layout invites strolling rather than driving. You can wander from inns and cafés to the beach, continue along Marginal Way, and finish in Perkins Cove without ever starting your car. Islands magazine and Time Out emphasize that walkability as a defining trait. Narrow streets, human-scaled buildings, and independent shops foster that elusive village feel Forbes highlighted in its rankings. Sidewalks hum in summer and quiet down in shoulder seasons, but the proportions remain friendly year-round. It is the kind of place where a morning coffee effortlessly turns into an all-day ramble.
9. Year-Round Accolades From Big-Name Travel Outlets
Ogunquit’s reputation is not a fleeting headline. Travel and Leisure, Real Simple, and Tripadvisor regularly praise its scenery and beach experience, while Islands and others dub it one of the nation’s standout coastal towns. The Ogunquit Chamber aggregates much of this acclaim, showing consistent, multi-year recognition. Forbes calling it the most beautiful village in the United States simply amplifies a narrative that was already strong. When major outlets converge on the same verdict, travelers can trust the signal. Beauty, accessibility, and atmosphere combine here in a way that keeps winning attention.
10. Classic Coastal Maine Food (Hello, 100-Year-Old Lobster Pound)
Food in Ogunquit channels classic coastal Maine. Travel and Leisure highlights the century-old Ogunquit Lobster Pound, where tradition simmers in saltwater kettles just a short walk from the shore. Around town, you will find harborside shacks, creamy chowder, salt-water taffy, and tiny candy shops that taste like summer vacation. Morning bakeries and modern coffee bars keep things lively from dawn onward. The result is nostalgic yet fresh, a culinary rhythm that matches the tides. Whether you want a butter-dripping roll or a refined dinner, the village delivers with genuine flavor and place-based pride.
11. Big-Sky Ocean Views at Every Turn
Ogunquit’s scenery is defined by big-sky horizons and a dynamic shoreline. From Marginal Way’s benches to the long arc of Ogunquit Beach, views expand in wide cinematic frames. Near Bald Head Cliff by the Cliff House resort, waves detonate against rock, delivering drama to balance the beach’s serenity. Time Out notes this rare blend of sandy sweep and rugged headlands. It is coastal theater in every direction, with light that shifts by the minute. These outsized vistas are a key reason global editors place Ogunquit beside Europe’s legendary village landscapes.
12. Small Population, Huge Sense of Place
With around 1,500 year-round residents, Ogunquit swells in summer yet retains a tight-knit character the rest of the year. Low-rise buildings, classic architecture, and a lived-in feel create authenticity rather than a manufactured resort mood. Time Out and Secret NYC both note how time seems to slow here, giving visitors room to savor details. That intimacy is the special sauce behind Forbes’s recognition. The village feels both treasured and everyday, polished yet practical. It is a rare balance, proving that the smallest places often carry the strongest identities and the most enduring memories.
