Arundel

Goose Rocks Beach is a quiet neighborhood in Maine defined by the rarity of its sand and the calm of its community. “It’s a slow-moving coastal town,” says Corey Tracy, Broker and co-owner of Pack Maynard and Associates Real Estate and life-long resident. “It’s 6 miles from Kennebunkport, so it’s pretty secluded.” During the summer, the neighborhood is packed with tourists and residents alike who crowd onto the sandy beach and splash about in the Atlantic. Year-round, Goose Rocks Beach is desirable due to its favorable location and strong public school system. Many folks from away, as the locals call them, pass through Goose Rocks Beach for a day, a week, or a season, but some choose to stay for a lifetime. While most Maine beaches are notoriously rocky, neighborhood namesake Goose Rocks Beach bucks this trend. “It’s a three-mile stretch of white sand beach,” Tracy says. “It’s a bit of a rarity and it’s absolutely beautiful. I take my kids there to explore the tide pools.” The soft, sugar-white sand draws massive crowds, meaning that summers are defined by unavailable parking spaces and tourists eating lobster rolls on the beach. Visitors can get seasonal parking passes, while residents can usually walk and save the hassle of finding a spot. There are several islands beyond the waves that are not entirely out of reach. “At low tide, you can actually walk to Timber Island,” Tracy adds. Locals who make the trip across the sandbar might see a herd of seals sunning on the island shore. Goose Rocks Beach is the picture of a coastal New England town, where Cape Cods and Victorian cottages are most common. “There are quite a few Modern Traditional homes going up, though,” Tracy says. “People come in and either renovate the older houses or take them down and build new ones right by the water.” A three-bedroom Cape Cod built in 1953 begins at around $1.4 million, while a five-bedroom Modern Traditional home built in 2023 can reach price points over $4 million. Homes are often surrounded by woodland and are hardly ever more than two miles from the beach. Between early summer and Labor Day, residents can pick up groceries, snacks, essentials and beach supplies from Goose Rocks Beach General Store, located just 50 yards from the beach. This old-school storefront is managed by Mornings in Paris, a coffee shop and bakery in nearby Kennebunk that creates unique coffee blends for each of its active communities. When the General Store is closed, or when in need of fresh produce, locals head 4 miles into Kennebunkport to Bradbury Brothers Market. The closest Target is 10 miles away in Biddeford. When looking for fresh seafood, though, residents do not have to leave the neighborhood. “The Tides Beach Club is the main restaurant,” Tracy says. “You can have dinner, get drinks and sit on the beach.” In the height of summer, the Goose Rocks Beach Association offers recreational programs for children and families. “It’s sort of like a summer camp,” Tracy says. “It’s always busy during the season.” Hosted events include a Fourth of July bicycle race, weekly movie nights, yoga classes and a carnival. Members also have access to the Association’s tennis, pickleball and basketball courts. In nearby Kennebunkport, events take place year-round, from a winter carnival in February to an annual golf tournament in June. Goose Rocks Beach is served by Regional School Unit 21, Niche’s No. 1 overall school district in York County. Children begin by attending Kennebunkport Consolidated School, rated B-plus, for kindergarten through fifth grade. They then move to Middle School of the Kennebunks, which scores an A. They finish by attending Kennebunk High School, which earns a B-plus and is Niche’s No. 1 best public high school in the county. Route 9 is the main thoroughfare of Goose Rocks Beach, connecting residents 6 miles south to Kennebunkport and 9 miles north to downtown Biddeford. Portland International Jetport is 25 miles away via Interstate 95, which is also easily accessible.