This city whose name means “Beautiful Place by the Sea” certainly lives up to that description. Ogunquit, situated on Maine’s beautiful southern coast, is a true treasure. This seaside town is small, with less than 2,000 year-round residents, but that doesn’t keep it from being full of charm, and offering plenty to see and do. Whether you’re in the mood for a relaxing day on the beach, an afternoon trolley ride through town to enjoy its many restaurants, shops, and museums, or anything in between, you can do it here. Even better, Ogunquit is a town long-known for celebrating diversity, and it has a thriving LGBTQ community, and many of its restaurants, shops, and bars are gay owned and operated. It’s truly a beautiful place in more ways than one.
A Brief History of Ogunquit
Prior to the time that colonists arrived in America, Ogunquit was home to generations of the Algonquin tribe, who gave the town its name, “Beautiful Place by the Sea”. After colonization, Ogunquit eventually became part of the local town of Wells, until it was incorporated on its own in 1980. Ogunquit has always been home to a thriving community of artists, and its Ogunquit Artists Colony was founded in 1888. Fisherman and artists would frequently come to Ogunquit to sell and trade, and eventually, seaside hotels, inns, and restaurants were built to accommodate this growing community. Today, Ogunquit remains a thriving and diverse community of artists and others, and it is a coastal resort destination for many.
A Few Fun Facts About Ogunquit
Find more fun facts about Ogunquit here.
The LGBTQ Community in Ogunquit
Ogunquit is known for being a LGBTQ destination, and for good reason. It has an active and very healthy LGBTQ community that is involved and well-supported in many ways. A couple of community groups that help provide this support include:
Pride Across Maine is a collaboration of organizers across the state of Maine who are committed to keeping the LGBTQ community connected and involved. From support groups, social events, educational offerings, fundraisers, and more, the organization dedicates itself to maintaining a network of thriving LGBTQ communities in Ogunquit and all over the state of Maine. You won’t want to miss your opportunity to be involved.
Equality Maine prides itself on being the oldest and largest statewide organization dedicated to creating a fair and inclusive society for the LGBTQ community. Working in collaboration with a variety of other progressive organizations across the state, Equality Maine offers events, support groups, educational opportunities, advocacy services, social networking opportunities, events, and more.
Ogunquit Weather
Ogunquit residents can expect very cold, snowy winters – as is the case with many New England locations. The trade-off, however, is that the other three seasons are particularly beautiful and mild. Summers are rarely too hot, fall is stunningly beautiful, and spring is mild and full of beautiful blooms. Ogunquit gets a significant amount of rain each year – around 50 inches on average, which is significantly more than the United States average of 38 inches. Winters can be cold and very snowy, with an average of 48 inches of snow per year.
Must-Try Ogunquit Events
As Ogunquit is such a small town, it doesn’t have its own Pride event per se – but not to worry! Many Ogunquit residents and visitors alike enjoy Equality Maine’s annual Pride celebration, which typically takes place in June of each year.
Located less than an hour from Ogunquit, Pride Portland is an annual celebration, parade, and festival to celebrate the LGBTQ community, to raise awareness, and to foster connectivity and inclusiveness. You don’t want to miss your chance to participate in the festivities!
New England winters may be cold, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t include their fair share of festivities, and Christmas by the Sea is one annual event in Ogunquit that everyone loves and looks forward to. The entire town is lit up and decorated for the holidays, and festivities include caroling, hayrides, art shows, concerts, a parade, candlelight walks, and more.
A Look at the Best Ogunquit Neighborhoods
Ogunquit is a small place – only four square miles in total. It only makes sense then that unlike bigger cities, there is no one particular “gayborhood” – instead, the whole town is a gayborhood! Perkins Cove and The Village comprise the two main sections of town. While Perkins Cove has many wonderful shops and restaurants to explore, The Village is the area of town where most of the gay nightlife and activity is centered. The real estate market in Ogunquit is understandably limited due to the town’s size, and the homes that are available tend to sell fairly quickly, as is often the case in beautiful coastal resort towns. Whether you want a historic home, a beach cottage, or a condo, you’ll want to keep your eye out and act quickly when you find the home that’s right for you. The median list price of homes currently for sale in Ogunquit is $675,000.
Arts and Entertainment
The Ogunquit Playhouse is an icon in the Ogunquit community, and for over 80 years it has been entertaining and enriching the community with excellent live musical theatre. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, seeing a show at the Ogunquit is truly a unique experience and one that you won’t want to miss.
Ogunquit has a strong and thriving artistic community, and since 1928, The Barn Gallery has featured a wide variety of amazing work from local artists. It’s also the home of the Ogunquit Art Association, which was Maine’s original artists’ group. You’ll definitely want to stop in and see all of the local talents on display.
Parks and Recreation
Ogunquit Beach is 3.5 miles of white, sugary sand beach in the heart of Ogunquit. With its gentle surf and frequent sunshine, it is the most popular stretch of beach in the area, perfect for a day of fun in the sun. It was even named one of the Top 25 Beaches in the United States by Trip Advisor.
Marginal Way is a historic and stunningly beautiful path that winds its way along the coast for about a mile and a half. Some have described it as one of the most beautiful walks on earth, and it’s not hard to see why. It’s the perfect way to get some exercise and feast your eyes on the scenery on a beautiful New England day.
A Look at Ogunquit’s Nightlife
MaineStreet is a staple of gay and lesbian life in Ogunquit. It offers dance music, fantastic drag shows, pool, strong drinks, and friendly people, as well as a beautiful spacious porch to enjoy a pleasant Maine evening outside.
The Front Porch is one Ogunquit nightspot that you won’t want to miss. Whether you’re in the mood to enjoy a great meal, join in a festive piano sing-along, or simply share a drink with friends, you can do it here.
Contact an Ogunquit Realtor Today
If you are considering moving to Ogunquit, you’ll want the assistance of a realtor who knows the community and understands the market and can help you find a home and a neighborhood you’ll love. Contact an Ogunquit gay realtor for a free, no-obligation consultation today!
