Legendary Old Orchard Beach Amusement Park Sets Opening Date

While the Maine coastline is dotted with some amazing beaches, one of the things that makes Old Orchard Beach so appealing are the other nearby attractions.  Unlike the "state park" beaches, Old Orchard Beach is surrounded by restaurants, bars, stores, hotels, and all that The Pier has to offer.

Then, of course, there is Palace Playland!  One of the only beachfront amusement parks in New England.  Actually, there is a good chance that it IS the only beachfront amusement park in New England.

What is probably most exciting about the park is how long it has been a staple of summers in Maine.  According to Wikipedia, the park has been in operation since the Summer of 1902!

If you have little kids, they've got rides like a carousel, tea cups, a fun house, the euro slide, and the frog hopper.  The park has family rides like the Dodgems (bumper cars), the Tilt-a-Whirl, and the Electra Wheel.  And, for the big kids, they have rides like Pirate, Power Surge, and Matterhorn.

Then, there's the Sea Viper.  The website says:

Enjoy ocean vistas atop 70 feet and speeds up to 42 mph on 1500 feet of track. The first of its kind in the United States, Sea Viper will thrill you at every turn, drop, rise and curve.

Even though Palace Playland's arcade has been open for a few weeks, the rides were still closed.  Earlier this week, the park announced an "opening date" for the rides.

They will be in operation on Memorial Day weekend.  The rides will be open that Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  Then, for the next few weeks, they'll be operating on Saturdays and Sundays.  It will open daily starting June 18th.  Get more details about days and hours HERE.