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Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth, ME

Photo: Chuck Homler d/b/a Focus On Wildlife, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingIconicHistory BuffFree

Portland Head Light

1000 Shore Rd · Cape Elizabeth, ME

Why you should go…

Portland Head Light stands on a rocky headland in Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, and it was first lit on January 10, 1791, making it the oldest lighthouse in Maine. The white conical tower is still an active aid to navigation kept by the Coast Guard. You can tour the maritime museum in the former keeper's house, then wander the park to Battery Keyes, the ruins of Goddard Mansion and the Children's Garden.

  • #lighthouse
  • #maritime museum
  • #coastal park
  • #ocean views

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Portland Head Light, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Tours
    Iconic

    Portland Schooner Co.

    $50+

    Windjammer sails on Casco Bay aboard classic Maine schooners.

    3.1 mi awaySwitch it up: Tours

  • Sightseeing
    Iconic

    Portland, Maine

    Free

    Maine's largest city, known for its Old Port district and food scene.

    3.2 mi awayMore like this

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    The Holy Donut

    Under $25

    A Portland, Maine bakery famous for dense, made-from-scratch potato doughnuts in inventive flavors.

    3.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Eat & Drink

  • Museums
    History Buff

    Victoria Mansion

    Under $25

    Tour an 1860 brownstone Italianate villa that keeps about 97 percent of its original contents, including Gustave Herter furniture.

    3.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Foodie Favorite

    Old Port

    Free

    Portland's waterfront district of cobblestone lanes, 19th-century brick warehouses, shops, restaurants and working piers.

    3.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Saco

    Free

    Historic riverside downtown in southern Maine with shops, restaurants and a self-guided river walking tour.

    15 mi awayMore like this