Visit Campus - Thornton Academy

Start your Thornton Academy journey today!

We want to welcome you safely to our campus! We are currently offering in-person tours weekdays in addition to virtual options like 1:1 zoom calls or virtual campus tours. Contact us to schedule a visit!

Thornton Academy's campus is like a small university. With buildings spanning over 80 acres for students grades 6-12, there is a place for everyone. We have six dormitories, five classroom buildings, a separate middle school building, a gymnasium, a stadium that seats 4,000 with a turf field, and over eight athletic fields. Our campus is safe, green, and a great place to learn and grow.

Thornton Academy is closer than you think: only 90 minutes from Boston, 15 minutes from Maine's largest city Portland (and an international airport!), and 5 minutes from Maine's best beaches.

Take a tour of campus with our student body president!

In This Section

View our campus map

Attend a virtual open house

sChedule a virtual or in-person campus visit

Our beautiful campus!

five students at a picnic table outside a dormitory

a meal in atkinson dining commons featuring roast pork, broccoli, and rice

interior view of garland auditorium featuring stage and seats

students and a teacher work on a project in the new media center

birds eye view of Thornton Academy's newly renovated Hyde Library

a teacher and students share a laugh in class

students walk to class among flowering trees

volleyball team huddles before a match at linnell gymnasium

three students hanging out in a thornton academy dorm room

aerial view of thornton academy's campus

tips for a successful visit

Transportation

Thornton Academy is conveniently located 15 minutes from Portland, Maine and 90 minutes from Boston, Massachusetts.

By Air

Portland International Jetport (PWM): Located 15 minutes from Thornton Academy
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS): Located 90 minutes from Thornton Academy

By Train or Bus

The Amtrak Downeaster train travels directly from Boston's South Station to the Saco Transportation Center, located within walking distance to Thornton Academy.
Concord Coach lines buses leave from Boston's South Station, or Logan Airport, and arrive in Portland. From Portland, it is easy to get a taxi or ride share to our campus.

Thornton Academy

438 Main Street (U.S. Route 1)

Saco, ME 04072

207-282-3361 - Main Office

207-282-5383 - Admissions

Local cuisine & restaurants

Saco & Biddeford

Part & Parcel: A small specialty market and cafe in the heart of downtown Biddeford, perfect for a quick sandwich or pre-made salad.
Quiero Cafe: Savory Latin American cuisine featuring empanadas, burritos, and tamales along with several kinds of coffee, smoothies, and tropical juices.
Rapid Ray's: A family owned business and Saco staple sitting right on Saco's main street; delivering a menu of hot dogs, hamburgers, and onion rings.
Elda: A high-end option to Biddeford’s Main Street, serving a menu of locally-sourced small plates with a seafood focus.

Portland

Dimillo's on the Water: A floating restaurant housed in a former car ferry on Long Wharf specializing in Lobster and classic Maine cuisine.
Duckfat: Pays homage to Maine’s Franco-American heritage by offering its duck-fat fries with a poutine option — smothered in two types of cheese curds and duck gravy.
Boda: A Thai kitchen serving regular specials that remind you of the street vendors of Bangkok.
Eventide Oyster Co: One of the trendiest restaurants in Portland, sample local oysters and some of the best fried fish in Maine.

Tourist attractions

Indoors

Biddeford City Theater: A restored Victorian opera house at 205 Main Street in Biddeford, Maine. City Theater produces and hosts theater, dance and music performances year-round.
Portland Museum of Art: With an extensive collection and nationally renowned exhibitions, the Portland Museum of Art is the cultural heart of Portland, Maine.
Engine: Engine is a non profit art gallery and exhibition space as well as a creation space. The gallery features a media lab with 3D fabrication and printing facilities.

Outdoors

Old Orchard Beach: No visit is complete to Southern Maine without pier fries, a slice of pizza, and visit to Maine's longest beach.
Portland Head Light: Located in Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, this is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the state of Maine.
Ferry Beach State Park: Just 8 minutes away from Thornton Academy, Ferry Beach State Park encompasses a sandy Atlantic Ocean beach, inland hiking trails, and nature center.

Don't forget to stop for some Maine food specialties on your way!

Parking and Arrival on Campus

how to prepare for the admission interview

Be yourself.

We want to get to know the real YOU. The admission interview gives us a chance to see if you would be a good fit for Thornton Academy. At TA, you can be who you are, and become who you want to be.

Be prepared.

Ask us questions. The interview is just as much about you finding out if Thornton Academy is the right school for you. Ask us about classes, sports, extracurriculars, dorm life, weekend activities, food, whatever is important for you.

The admission interview (in person or virtual) usually lasts between 15-30 minutes.

UPCOMING EVENTS