Maine's Southern Coast: Dogs on the Beach

If you're a dog lover, as I am, you will enjoy visiting Gooch's Beach just to dog watch.  Dogs are allowed on the beach before 9 am and after 5 pm in the summer and at all times during the rest of the year.  The best part about dog watching on Gooch's Beach?  Every dog I saw was happy! 

For more photos of dogs enjoying Gooch's Beach, see the book Gooch's Pooches:  The Dogs of Kennebunk Beach by Robert Dennis and Annette Hall Quezada.  Great photos of some adorable dogs!

Maine's Southern Coast: Gooch's Beach

About 100 yards from our rental house is a beautiful little stretch of sand called Gooch's Beach.  On Beach Street just about a mile east of downtown Kennebunkport, Gooch's Beach is a wide crescent-shaped space that is seems to be well-loved by the locals.  Lots of runners, dog walkers, and surfers use this beach, but it never seemed crowded.  The Kennebunk River meets the Atlantic Ocean at one end of the beach while a peninsula of jagged rocks juts out into the ocean at the other end.  The sea wall, Beach Street, and pretty homes wrap around the rest of the beach.  Clean, unspoiled, and completely free of commercialization, Gooch's Beach is simply a beach--and that's what I loved about it. My husband and I made our way to Gooch's every day and enjoyed all it had to offer no matter what the weather was.

Kennebunkport & the river sit at this end of the beach.  The huge white building is the grand Colony Resort.

Homes on the far side of Beach Street and the sea wall

A taste of Maine's dramatic rocky coast

Watch the seagulls

Or watch the ships on the ocean

Enjoy the dogs playing in the surf

Surf--or enjoy watching the surfers

That's former First Lady, Barbara Bush, getting into her car after walking her dogs on Gooch's Beach.
And, yes, that's a local surfer changing at the car right beside her!

See what the sea brings to the shore

Leave your mark

Just enjoy all the moods of Maine

There's No Place Like Home

Home in time to celebrate my husband's birthday with our boys

Sadie loved her new collar and her blue crab from Annapolis!

Annapolis, Maryland: Spring Is In The Air

Spring To Do List in front of a store on Main Street

Flowers!

Shorts!

Flowers

Sailing Lessons in Annapolis Harbor

Flowers

Ready for a Ride

Flowers

The Easter Bunny and his Eggs, and. . .

Flowers!

Annapolis, Maryland: First and Lasting Impressions

Annapolis welcomed us.  People were friendly, gracious, and helpful.

The dome of the Maryland State House dominates the skyline day. . .

. . .and night.
Photo by Chip Southworth

Crab is king.

History is everywhere--and it is preserved, respected, and displayed.
The William Paca House, c. 1763

All kinds of history abounds!

Wherever you are in Annapolis, you're never far from the water.

Annapolis has a large Irish population--and lots of Irish pubs.

This is a fun city around St. Patrick's Day!

Perhaps the most telling and endearing impression we had of Annapolis
is that it is a very dog-friendly city.

In the front window of a local bookstore