Trip Idea: Portland Head Light and Spring Point Ledge

Greater Portland and Casco Bay
Seasonal (late May to mid-October)

Here’s how to plan a day to see two popular lighthouses in the Portland area.

Begin your day in the Old Port. Stop into the now famous Holy Donut, where they make donuts from scratch using Maine potatoes.

Drive to Cape Elizabeth and visit Maine’s most photographed lighthouse, Portland Head Light. Commissioned by George Washington and dedicated by the Marquis de Lafayette, it was built in 1791 and is the state’s oldest lighthouse. Portland Head has a white conical tower and a Victorian keeper’s house with a red roof and eyebrow eves on the porch.

You can visit the museum and gift shop in the former keeper’s house from Memorial Day in May to Indigenous Peoples Day in October. The tower itself is only open in September on Maine Open Lighthouse Day, when access is very limited. Portland Head Light is situated in Fort Williams Park along the rocky coast, where there’s also a children’s garden, hiking trails and a small beach. To see the lighthouse from the water, take a cruise with Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours.

Next, treat yourself to lunch at The Lobster Shack at Two Lights. This local landmark has been serving up fresh seafood since 1920. Then, head to the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, the only caisson-style lighthouse in the U.S. that visitors can walk out to.

Stay at the Inn by the Sea. Be sure to check out their lodging packages, from spa treatments to foodie tours to lobster dinners.

Local Tips:

• Book a tour to the Winslow Homer Studio at Prouts Neck through the Portland Museum of Art.
• Visit beautiful Willard Beach and delicious Willard Scoops!