Countryside town near coastal Southern Maine
Arundel is a quaint countryside town in Southern Maine not far from the coast. “It’s adjacent to Kennebunk and Kennebunkport, and although it doesn’t have any ocean frontage, there is some frontage on tidal rivers that lead out to the ocean,” says Helen Curry, a local broker with Kennebunk Beach Realty who's a Southern Maine native. Running through the middle of Arundel is Route 1, which is lined with antique shops and local eateries. "This is a nice area for commuters looking for a more rural location," Curry says. "There are bigger lot sizes and a wider selection of homes that are more reasonably priced." Arundel has an overall CAP Index crime score of 1 out of 10, which is the lowest score possible and significantly less than the national average of 4.
Miniature golf at Raptor Falls
The Edwin L. Smith Preserve, which is part of the Kennebunkport Conservation Trust, is partly located within Arundel. It includes several trails, including one that goes through a sea of ferns. Locals can go running, hiking and biking there in the warmer months or, in the wintertime, enjoy snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Curry also notes that the Eastern Trail runs right through the town and extends to neighboring communities. “You can get on your bike or walk or hike or run and go for miles and miles — you can go up to Portland,” she says. There’s also a public 18-hole golf course at Dutch Elm Golf Club, which is located off Limerick Road. Curry also notes a miniature golf course located off Route 1 called Raptor Falls, a popular family-friendly destination where visitors can also enjoy local ice cream from Shaker Pond.
New subdivisions and seasonal residential communities
“The town is being developed with a bunch of new subdivisions as people are starting to go a little further inland,” Curry says. She also adds that Arundel is home to a handful of seasonal residential communities, where homeowners stay in their properties from May through October and leave during the winter months. “The seasonal communities allow for a different type of clientele, and the taxes are lower,” she says. Most single-family homes in this area cost between $400,000 and $800,000, and prices typically start getting higher the closer the houses are to the coast. Housing ranges from colonial-inspired dwellings and farmhouse-style homes to classic Cape Cods and ranch-style properties. With the recent subdivision development, there are also a number of new builds cropping up around Arundel.
Top school district in York County
“Arundel is part of the Kennebunk/Kennebunkport school system, so families here have access to an excellent school system,” Curry says. Students in this area can attend schools within Maine Regional School Unit 21. It receives an overall A-minus rating from Niche, which also rated it the top school district in York County in 2024. Based in Arundel, Mildred L. Day School is an A-rated institution for kindergarten through fifth grade that was also rated the best public elementary school in York County by Niche in 2024. Students can then head to the A-rated Middle School of the Kennebunks before moving on to Kennebunk High School, which earned a B-plus; both the middle and high schools are also rated the top public middle and high schools in York County by Niche.
Antique shopping along Route 1
Route 1 is lined with several local eateries — Bandaloop specializes in organic and vegetarian dishes and features a large outdoor patio space. "There’s also Mike's American Diner, where my husband and I go for breakfast,” Curry says. Farther down the road is Arundel House of Pizza and The Hidden Café, a coffee shop. “Part of the town is very close to a shopping center in Biddeford, which has a Target, Market Basket, Michael’s and Walmart,” Curry says. “Near the shopping center is also where all the chain restaurants are.” Arundel is also home to numerous antique shops, including Antiques USA, Arundel Antique Village and Melissa’s Mighty Finds Thrift & Antique Store. It’s a quick 5-mile drive into nearby Kennebunkport, which has a wide range of boutique shopping and dining.
Trolly rides at the Seashore Trolley Museum
There are two popular museums in Arundel: The Seashore Trolley Museum and the Maine Classic Car Museum. “The Seashore Trolley Museum has trolleys from all over the United States," Curry says. "You can go out and ride on the trolley through the woods, and in the fall, families can take the trolley out into a pumpkin patch and get a pumpkin. It’s really a neat place to go." At the Maine Classic Car Museum, visitors can check out automobile exhibits that house 50 total classic cars that range in years from 1913 to the 1990s. The Maine Classic Car Museum also hosts community events, such as holiday celebrations and Cars & Coffee, a live showcase and catering event.
Route 1 connects to nearby towns
Using Route 1, residents here can travel north into nearby Biddeford and south into Kennebunk; Interstate 95 also runs through Arundel and connects to the cities of Portland and Portsmouth. “For people working in Portland or Portsmouth, it’s about a 20-minute drive both ways,” Curry says.
Photography Contributed By
Jeff Tippett
