About this city
Also known as: The Grand Resort of the Southern Coast
Commanding a breathtaking coastal location in southernmost York County facing the Atlantic ocean, York is a historic coastal resort town that stands proudly as one of the oldest European settlements in the nation. Settled in 1624 and originally chartered as Agamenticus (and later Gorgeana, America's first incorporated city), the town was heavily built around early wooden commercial shipbuilding, shipping commerce, and maritime trading. During the post-Civil War era, its spectacular rocky cliffs and expansive sandy crescent shores transformed it into a world-class summer vacation destination. Today, York perfectly presents a postcard-perfect New England layout, pairing its rich colonial-era architectural museum village with bustling beachfront arcades, historic amusement parks, and one of the most iconic rocky lighthouses in the world.
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Practical Tourism Metadata
Suggested stay: 1–3 days
Photograph the legendary, wave-swept beacon from the rocky cliff overlooks of Cape Neddick Nubble Lighthouse. Step back into the 18th century and explore the historic stone jail cells at the Old York Historical Society museum village. Build sandcastles or body-board along the wide sands of Long Sands Beach or Short Sands Beach.
