Beachside independent inns

Set along Kings Highway on Kennebunkport's quieter eastern edge, The Tides Beach Club trades New England fussiness for light, airy rooms and suites. Days can drift from a morning yoga class to an afternoon mixology session, with a lively in-house restaurant anchoring the evenings. Guests rate it 4.5 across some 400 reviews, a consistent showing for a coastal Maine stay.