Best Lighthouses to Visit in Maine

Maine is one of those magical states in the U.S. that pulls you in on your first visit and leaves you wanting to plan another trip as soon as you leave.  One of the best surprises I found throughout my trip to Maine were the picturesque lighthouses.  With every lighthouse I stopped at, I fell more in love with Maine and all of the unique beauty the state has to offer.  Here is a list and history of the best lighthouses I saw in Maine. For this article, I start in southern Maine and move up the coast as the list continues.

Nubble Lighthouse

Resting on its own island, only a few minutes above the border of Maine and New Hampshire is Nubble Lighthouse. To get to this lighthouse, you need to drive through a neighborhood. It can be a little confusing, especially since there were some roads closed. If you follow the signs in the neighborhood, not your GPS, then you will be able to find the lighthouse.  People are not supposed to go out to the island, so you will only be able to take pictures of it from the coast.

This lighthouse was built in 1879. Keepers lived on the island to run the lighthouse until 1987 when they changed the light to be automated. To learn more about the Nubble Lighthouse visit it’s website here.

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse

Only a short drive out of the main area of Portland you will find the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse. (This was my favorite of all the lighthouses in Maine.) You will need to drive through the Southern Maine Community College Campus to get to this lighthouse. There are a few parking spots nearby, but they fill up quickly. I parked at a separate, and empty, campus parking lot only a 3 minute walk away from the lighthouse. If you do this too, there is a chance they could ticket your car.  Still, it was worth the risk for me.

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse was built in 1897 after many ships had run aground trying to enter the Portland harbor. The process of building this lighthouse was long and a little dramatic. You can read about the whole ordeal on its official website here. Unlike Nubble Lighthouse, you can walk along the rocks and get up close to the lighthouse. You cannot go inside unless it is a special occasion.

Portland Head Light

Driving 10 minutes South of Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, you will enter Fort Williams Park and see Portland Head Light.  This is a very popular lighthouse and you will need to pay for meter parking here.  There is an award-winning museum inside the lighthouse and there are multiple activities you can do in the park (like hiking), so make sure you give yourself enough time to enjoy all that Fort Williams has to offer.

The construction of Portland Head Light was completed in 1791. Back then they used whale oil lamps as the source of light. The keeper’s house beside the lighthouse wasn’t constructed until 1891 and different lighthouse keepers lived there for over 100 years. Then in 1989, the Portland Head Light was automated and decommissioned. To learn more about the Portland Head Light visit it’s website here.

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Tucked away on a cliff at the base of Acadia National Park, is the Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse. The parking lot for this Lighthouse is small and can get full during the hour of sunrise and during the mid-day, so plan your trip accordingly. There is a short trail off to the left of the parking lot that will give you great views of the lighthouse from the rocky coastline and cliff. (This is where I took my picture from.) On certain days you can tour the lighthouse. To find out when it will be open, call the park office.

This lighthouse was built in 1858 and its light could be seen as far a 13 miles away. Other additions were added onto the lighthouse in later years including the keeper’s house and the bell house. In 1974 the lighthouse became automated.

Acadia National Park

To get to this lighthouse, you will need to drive in Acadia National Park, so you will need to buy their week-long car pass for $30.The only time you don’t need this pass is on certain holidays or if you have a National Park/Federal Lands pass, which gets you into any National Park for a year at the price of $80.  While the entrance fee is steep, it would be worthwhile to spend a few days in this amazing National Park.  There are many other beautiful sites to see here and they have awesome hiking trails! To learn more about Acadia National Park and the lighthouse, visit the NPS’ website or Acadia’s website.

Even, if you cannot stay for multiple days I highly recommend grabbing fresh lobster at Thurston’s Lobster Pound after visiting the lighthouse. Everyone knows Maine for its delicious lobsters, and these are as fresh as you can get. Thurston’s is only a 9-minute drive away.  If seafood is not for you, then I would also recommend eating at an amazing wood-fire pizza bar called Hearth and Harbor.  Located in a little town called Southwest Harbor, you will most likely drive past Hearth and Harbor to go to Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse.

Prospect Harbor Lighthouse

Shining along the coast of Northern Maine, you can find this lighthouse above the Schoodic Point area of Acadia. This lighthouse is not in Acadia, so you do not need Acadia’s driving pass.  To get here you will need to drive through some neighborhood roads. There is not an actual parking lot that is open to the public, but along the road leading up to the lighthouse are some spots you can pull your car over and park for a short time.  I went at sunset and only one couple was visiting the lighthouse, so the area doesn’t seem to get very busy. The lighthouse is currently a Navy installation, no one in the public can go into the lighthouse for tours.

Prospect Harbor Lighthouse was built in 1850; however, in 1859 it was discontinued due to the lack of trade and harbor boat traffic. The lighthouse fell into disrepair until 1891 when it was rebuilt. Some believe that the lighthouse is haunted due to stories of statues moving. There were 10 head keepers at the lighthouse before it became fully automated in 1951. To learn more about Prospect Harbor Lighthouse, go here.

With over 60 lighthouses along the extensive Maine coastline, there are many more to explore than just the 5 I listed here. Even with all that Maine has to offer, make sure to add a few of these lighthouses to your next Northeast trip.

*Sources of information are from plaques/brochures at the lighthouses and websites included in the article.*