Ferry Beach, Scarborough, Maine: Family Vacation Guide
Planning a Ferry Beach family vacation in Scarborough? Learn how the sheltered Scarborough River channel setting, $20 daily parking, season passes, tides, dog hours and nearby Pine Point and Higgins beaches affect your stay.
Scarborough
Families · calmer sheltered water · shallow at low tide · simple town-run beach day
Check Maine beach advisories ↗Last reviewed: October 24, 2026
How these guides are researched →AT A GLANCE
The quick answer
Best for: Toddlers and families who want calmer, sheltered water on the Scarborough River channel. In my opinion, the best toddler-friendly beach in Southern Maine.
Parking: Town lot at 50 Ferry Road; 2026 daily parking is $20 for cars and motorcycles, collected 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Setting: A town-run Scarborough beach with seasonal restrooms and showers, but no lifeguards, snack bar or picnic area.
Plan around: Parking and pass rules, strict summer dog hours, the tide and bringing your own food and shade.
BEFORE YOU GO
PARKING PREVIEW
Parking map & walking route
See the parking layout before you go, then open the full guide for costs, access details and walking directions.
Open the full parking guide →Is Ferry Beach good for a family vacation?
Ferry Beach suits families who want a simple, town-run Scarborough beach day. The town describes a sandy beach along the Scarborough River channel, known for calm waves, with shallow water at low tide and a jetty on the far side of the channel that buffers it from stronger ocean waves.
The beach is at 50 Ferry Road. For the 2026 season, May 22 through September 7, it is open sunrise to sunset. Daily parking is $20 for passenger cars and motorcycles, collected 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., the same hours the seasonal restrooms and showers are open. Ferry Beach has no lifeguards, so families should plan their own water supervision. There is no snack bar and no picnic or BBQ area, and trash barrels are limited to the parking lot, so plan to carry out what you carry in.
The tide matters here. The town notes shallow water at low tide, so check lower-water windows before planning time with younger children. The Southern Maine Tide Planner includes Ferry Beach and uses the nearby Pine Point NOAA station (8418445) in Scarborough as a regional reference. Conditions in the channel can differ.
If you're comparing nearby options, see the Pine Point Beach guide and the Higgins Beach guide, and use the Southern Maine Beach Parking Guide to compare parking costs.
Choosing where to stay
Ferry Beach is a day-use town beach, so the stay decision is mostly about distance and parking. A rental within walking distance can avoid the $20 daily fee. Scarborough's season pass covers Ferry, Higgins and Pine Point, but non-resident passes were limited to 350 and sold out for 2026 as of April 30, so most visitors should plan on daily parking.
Ferry Beach tide chart: planning around low tide
With shallow water at low tide, the tide is worth a look before you pack. The Southern Maine Beach Tide Planner shows NOAA-predicted high and low tides for each day of your trip: choose Ferry Beach and enter your dates. The times come from the nearby Pine Point station, so treat them as a planning guide rather than an exact match. The planner's family window runs from about two hours before through two hours after low tide, within typical beach hours of 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Ferry Beach with toddlers and younger kids
My top pick for toddlers. In my opinion, Ferry Beach is the best toddler-friendly beach in Southern Maine, with Mother's Beach a close second.
The town describes calm waves and a jetty that buffers the beach from stronger ocean waves, with shallow water at low tide. That is a gentle setup for small children, but there are no lifeguards, so an adult needs to stay within reach.
Seasonal restrooms and showers are open 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with portable toilets available outside those hours during the season. There is no food stand, so bring snacks, water and shade.
Ferry Beach with teenagers
Ferry Beach is a low-key choice for teens. The town allows surfing, though the sheltered location means limited wave action, and surfers must use a leash 7 to 10 feet long. Surf casting is also listed.
For a busier day, Old Orchard Beach has the Pier and Palace Playland and works well as an add-on outing.
Can you walk to restaurants from Ferry Beach?
The town lists no food or snack bar at Ferry Beach, so plan to bring food or drive. To see what is open nearby, with current hours and reviews, use Google Maps: restaurants near Ferry Beach, and check the actual route before relying on a walk.
What families should know before booking Ferry Beach
No lifeguards are stationed at Ferry Beach. Plan direct supervision in the water.
Daily parking is the practical option. Non-resident season passes were capped at 350 and sold out for 2026 as of April 30; daily parking is $20, and RVs, buses and campers cannot park.
Summer dog hours are strict. From May 15 to Labor Day, dogs are not allowed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., may be off leash under voice control from dawn to 9 a.m., and must be leashed from 5 p.m. to dusk.
Facilities are simple. Expect seasonal restrooms and showers, but no food, no picnic or BBQ area and limited trash barrels.
Scarborough beach rules are firm. Alcohol, smoking, fires, camping and entering the dunes are prohibited, and protected wildlife areas apply from April 1 to Labor Day.
Browse independent local rental companies serving this beach area. Availability, rates and booking terms are handled directly by each provider.
Last reviewed: October 24, 2026
Sources & verification
Planning details are checked against the Town of Scarborough beach and parking information, Maine Healthy Beaches, and NOAA Tides & Currents. Rules, fees, access and conditions can change, so confirm current posted information close to your trip.