Maine's Best-Kept Holiday Secret Is A Coastal Town Transforming Into A Lively Christmas Getaway

Snow-covered houses, beautifully decorated trees, twinkling lights in the town square — there's nothing like winter holidays in New England. The state of Maine hosts a number of traditional celebrations, like the Christmas Prelude in Kennebunkport, during which Santa Claus makes a grand entrance aboard a lobster boat, and Gardens Aglow, a holiday-themed light display at the Maine Botanical Gardens, considered one of the best botanical gardens in America. Better known to locals than visitors is Christmas By the Sea, an annual festival that transforms scenic Ogunquit into a lively Christmas getaway. 

The event, celebrating its 39th anniversary this year, is set to take place on the weekend of December 12 to 14, 2025. The festivities kick off at 4:30 p.m. with a bridge lighting ceremony at Footbridge Beach; complimentary hot chocolate and cookies will be served. Then it's on to Rotary Park in Perkins Cove for an outdoor Christmas tree lighting, holiday carols, and s'mores. 

Participants are welcome to warm up while browsing through local shops, which keep extended hours for the event, before a 7 p.m. holiday concert featuring a youth choir at Ogunquit Baptist Church. Expect more caroling, cocoa, and cookies at the final event of the evening: the downtown tree lighting at Veterans Park. 

Saturday brings another full day of holiday festivities to the coastal town. The morning schedule is family-oriented, with story readings and hands-on art activities at the cheerfully decorated Ogunquit Museum of American Art and an 11 a.m. meet-and-greet with Santa at the local fire station. At 3 p.m., the annual Christmas parade begins, winding from Perkins Cove to the Main Beach, where the event culminates in a bonfire with fireworks. Catch another holiday concert, this time with a men's choir, at the church at 7 p.m.

The final day of Christmas By the Sea is a busy one, starting with a Christmas event at the Beachmere Inn — check out the famous lobster trap tree on the back lawn — followed by an open house at the Lady Mary Inn, a historic estate that's elaborately decked out for the holidays. The Wells Christmas Parade starts at 2 p.m. — this is a smaller Christmas parade for the neighboring town that's less than 5 miles from Ogunquit. The weekend closes with the Big Fat Greek Closing Party sponsored by Nikanos, a local Mediterranean-style restaurant. With so much going on, it's no wonder Ogunquit is one of the most magical towns across America that goes all out for Christmas.

Though Christmas By the Sea may be one of Maine's best-kept holiday secrets, it might be busier than usual this December as more out-of-towners join locals in the weekend-long celebrations. That's because Ogunquit got some great press this year: On Forbes' annual round-up of "the world's most beautiful villages" for 2025, it's the only spot in the U.S. that made the list. Factoring into the distinction were Ogunquit's seaside walking trail, Marginal Way, its picturesque fishing harbor, Perkins Cove, and its appeal as a culinary destination.

If you're in town for the holiday festival, be sure to try local specialties like lobster bisque and New England chowder. For a quick lunch, have a lobster roll at the seafood shack, Footbridge Lobster, with 4.6 stars on Tripadvisor. For a cozy meal after a choir performance or tree lighting, book a table at M.C. Perkins Cove, selected by Food & Wine as one of the most romantic restaurants in the United States. Though some lodgings in town, like the Beachmere Inn, may be fully booked for Christmas by the Sea already, there might still be availability (albeit with elevated rates) at some local spots like Anchorage By The Sea, set on the waterfront with a snow-dusted lawn that slopes down to the sea. 

It takes about half an hour to drive to the nearest international airport in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Another good option is flying into Boston Logan International Airport, renting a car, and making the two-hour drive to Ogunquit.