What Makes Higgins Beach So Captivating?
There’s something about Higgins Beach that slows your heart rate the moment you arrive. Maybe it’s the way the ocean breeze slides between the cedar-shingled cottages. Or the way early light dances on the crests of the waves. But mostly, it’s the quiet. Not empty, lonely quiet—but the kind that makes you feel present. Awake.
Walk down the narrow road that leads to the beach, and you’ll hear it before you see it—the rhythmic hush of surf meeting sand. You might pass a local returning from an early paddle, wetsuit peeled down to the waist, board under arm, nodding a friendly good morning. At Higgins, strangers greet each other like neighbors.
What Does a Morning at Higgins Beach Feel Like?
Soft fog often clings to the treetops at dawn. The air smells faintly of salt, pine, and woodsmoke from a nearby cottage chimney. If you slip off your shoes, the sand feels cool and powdery underfoot—finer than you’d expect in Maine. Gulls cry overhead, not obnoxiously, but like punctuation marks in the peaceful stillness.
And the surf? It’s gentle here. Waves roll in slow and smooth—perfect for beginner surfers and families with small kids. You’ll often see a circle of parents in camp chairs, chatting as their kids chase foam and squeal with delight. Higgins doesn’t brag. It just is.
Are There Hidden Gems Around the Beach?
Absolutely. Just past the western bend of the beach lies Thunder Cove—a jagged stretch of bedrock where locals hunt sea glass at low tide. It’s not marked on any signs, but if you follow the line of wet footprints and listen for the echoes of waves crashing on stone, you’ll find it. It’s rugged and quiet, a perfect spot to sit and think.
At the northeastern end, where the Spurwink River meets the sea, the landscape changes. Kayakers glide past in silence, moving upstream under the wooden bridge toward the marshes. That brackish mix of fresh and saltwater teems with birdlife—egrets, osprey, and the occasional blue heron standing like a statue in the reeds.
What’s the Culture Like at Higgins?
No commercial sprawl. No chain coffee shops. Higgins Beach is fiercely local. Most homes here are seasonal, passed down through generations. You’ll find handwritten signs advertising fresh blueberries or used kayaks, and maybe a kid selling seaweed-wrapped shells for 25 cents.
If you visit in early fall, you might catch the neighborhood clambake—a low-key gathering where lobsters are steamed in seaweed right on the sand. Conversations float in the air like gulls riding thermals. Everyone is welcome, even if you’re just in town for the week.
Can You Visit Without Leaving Home?
Yes—and no. The Higgins Beach Webcam offers a live view of the beach that’s surprisingly moving in its simplicity. You can see the tide coming in, watch a dog chase a ball into the surf, or witness the golden hour light touching the rooftops of the cottages. It’s a balm on stressful days.
But to really know Higgins? You need to breathe in the salt air, feel the sand stick to your ankles, and sit quietly with a lobster roll from a cooler, watching the waves erase footprints.
