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Swim in Greater Portland
Lakes, ponds, pools, and the ocean: where to actually get in the water near Portland, with the honest catches.
Swimming Sebago Lake: A Local's Guide to Maine's Cleanest Big Water
An honest local guide to swimming Sebago Lake near Portland, Maine: where the public beaches actually are, what it costs, how clean the water really is, and the closer alternatives worth knowing when the drive feels too long.
8 min read · Read the guideMore swim guides
The Best Beaches Near Portland, Maine
An honest, local ranking of the best beaches within 25 minutes of Portland, with the real story on parking, cold water, and resident-only lots.
6 min read SwimWhere to Swim Near Portland, Maine: Pools, Ponds, and Swim Spots
A straight-talking guide to where you can actually swim near Portland, from the city's lone open pool to the warm freshwater ponds that beat the cold ocean.
6 min readQuick picks
Our standing recommendations. Nobody pays to be on this list.
- Sebago Lake State Park Casco day-use beach. The cleanest big water in the state, lifeguarded sand, worth the forty-minute drive.
- Crescent Beach State Park Cape Elizabeth. The closest genuinely great ocean beach to downtown.
- Warmer neighborhood ponds When the ocean is too cold and Sebago too far, the closer freshwater spots and the city pool.
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The beaches worth the drive, the lakes worth the early start, and the water clean enough to see your feet. One email a week.
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