Old Orchard Beach Officially Reopening Today With Guidelines

Old Orchard Beach draws locals and tourists in droves each and every summer. Of course, this summer has been different. Thus far, people who visit the beach have been asked to only walk the beach.

The current contrast of the town of Old Orchard Beach on normal summers versus this summer has been almost unreal to witness. Memorial Day Weekend is traditionally the first weekend that the state line floodgates open to tourists. Towns like Old Orchard Beach have their motels filled, the bars busy, and the t-shirt shops full. Not this year.

Taking a drive through West Grand Ave this past weekend was bizarre. With all the hotels remaining closed there were parking spaces galore, pay to park lots nearly empty, and minimal foot traffic. Palace Playland was quiet as if it were December. Then coming out onto Old Orchard Street, it was like night and day.

People were lined up at both Rocco's Pizza and Bill's Pizza. Groups of people were sitting around the fountain and picnic tables and one can only assume many were enjoying the beach as well.

It's clear that people want to return to a level of normalcy and with this new change, the beach-goers of Old Orchard Beach will get to feel a little bit of that.

Today, May 27th, Old Orchard Beach announced that they are officially open for general use.

The town is urging those who come to town and use the beach to adhere to the CDC's social distancing guidelines and keep a 6-foot distance from others and keep your group under 10 people.

Get all the details here:

If you do visit Old Orchard Beach this summer please be respectful of others. If we keep that in mind maybe we'll have a fun summer in the sun afterall!