Maine has more than 60 lighthouses along its rugged coast. After three decades running the Maine Resource Guide, these are the ones most worth seeing – the most beautiful, historic, and easy to visit. Basing yourself in Portland? See the day trips from Portland that include lighthouses and beaches.
The best lighthouses in Maine are Portland Head Light, Pemaquid Point Light, Bass Harbor Head Light, West Quoddy Head Light, Nubble Light, Marshall Point Light, Owls Head Light and Rockland Breakwater Light. Portland Head is the oldest and most famous, and Pemaquid Point is on the Maine state quarter. Each is covered below, followed by lighthouses you can walk to and a few more worth a stop.
1. Portland Head Light
Portland Head Light is the best and most famous lighthouse in Maine. Commissioned in 1791 and Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth is the most photographed lighthouse in the state, set on rugged cliffs in Fort Williams Park with sweeping ocean views. It is , the most of any lighthouse in the state. It sits roughly 15 minutes south of downtown Portland, the park is free to enter, and the old keeper’s house holds a seasonal museum. The tower itself is not open to climb.
2. Pemaquid Point Light
Pemaquid Point Light is the most scenic lighthouse in Maine. Pemaquid Point Light near Bristol sits atop dramatic striated rock ledges dropping into the sea – so iconic it was chosen to represent Maine on the state quarter. It is . The ledges are the real draw, so watch the surf before you walk out. Hours, fees and the small fishermen’s museum are in our Pemaquid Point lighthouse guide.
3. Bass Harbor Head Light
Bass Harbor Head Light is the best lighthouse in Acadia. Bass Harbor Head Light on the quiet side of Mount Desert Island is one of the most photographed spots in Acadia National Park, especially at sunset. It is . The classic photo is taken from the rocks below the tower, so wear shoes with grip, and expect the small parking area to fill up near sunset.
4. West Quoddy Head Light
West Quoddy Head Light is the easternmost lighthouse in the contiguous United States. The candy-striped West Quoddy Head Light in Lubec marks the easternmost point of the lower 48 – a dramatic Downeast setting on the Bold Coast. It is . The lighthouse stands in Quoddy Head State Park, where the old keeper’s house is now a visitor center. Pair the visit with the cliff trails in our Bold Coast hiking guide.
For the easternmost-point story, what is open and the park trails, see our full West Quoddy Head Lighthouse guide.
5. Nubble Light (Cape Neddick)
Nubble Light is the most charming lighthouse in southern Maine. Nubble Light in York sits on its own tiny rock island just offshore – compact, picturesque, and one of the most beloved and accessible lighthouses in Maine, . You view it from Sohier Park across a narrow channel, since the island itself is not open to visitors. It is decorated with holiday lights each winter. Nubble Lighthouse (Cape Neddick Light), York. Photo: Hidden Fox Photography, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.
6. Rockland Breakwater Light
Rockland Breakwater Light is the best lighthouse you can walk to. Reached by a nearly mile-long granite breakwater across Rockland Harbor, this lighthouse offers a memorable walk out into Penobscot Bay, and is . The walk is flat but over uneven granite blocks, so wear real shoes and bring a jacket, because it is windier out there than on shore.
7. Marshall Point Light (Port Clyde)
Marshall Point Light is the best lighthouse for a classic walkway photo. At the tip of the St. George peninsula in Port Clyde, a long wooden walkway leads out to the white tower, and a small museum fills the old keeper’s house. The walkway is where Forrest ends his cross-country run in the film Forrest Gump, which is why it draws visitors who have never heard of the rest of the peninsula. It makes an easy detour from Rockland.
For hours, parking, the Forrest Gump walkway and the museum, see our full Marshall Point Lighthouse guide.
8. Owls Head Light
Owls Head Light is the best lighthouse view over Rockland Harbor. Built in 1825, it stands on a high bluff in Owls Head State Park at the entrance to Penobscot Bay, with ledges and open water below. It is a short drive from Rockland, so it pairs well with the Breakwater walk on the same afternoon.
More Lighthouses You Can Walk To
Besides the Rockland Breakwater, two lighthouses in South Portland are reached on foot, which makes them easy to add to a Portland trip.
Spring Point Ledge Light (South Portland)
A granite breakwater leads out to this lighthouse, with views back across the harbor to the Portland skyline. Park near Southern Maine Community College and walk the shoreline path.
Portland Breakwater Light, “Bug Light” (South Portland)
This small 1875 lighthouse, ringed by columns, sits in Bug Light Park at the end of the same shoreline and is a short, flat visit with harbor views.
More Maine Lighthouses Worth a Stop
Two Lights (Cape Elizabeth)
Two Lights State Park sits on the cliffs a few miles from Portland Head and is a quieter place to watch the surf. The coast here was painted by Edward Hopper, and a lobster shack nearby is a good lunch stop.
Fort Point Light (Stockton Springs)
A small white lighthouse in Fort Point State Park on Penobscot Bay, with a fishing pier and almost none of the crowds of the better-known lights.
Seguin Island Light (Popham Beach)
One of Maine’s oldest lighthouses stands on an island offshore, reached by a seasonal ferry from the Popham Beach area. Check the ferry’s current schedule before you plan around it.
Burnt Island Light (Boothbay Harbor)
A small island lighthouse in Boothbay Harbor visited on seasonal guided tours by boat. Check the current tour schedule, since it runs in summer only.
Lighthouses You Can Stay In
A handful of Maine lighthouses take overnight guests, from a volunteer-run island keeper’s house to a seven-bedroom estate. Most are on islands, so you will need a boat ride, and almost all run only in summer.
- Little River Light (Cutler): June 1 to September 30. In 2026 it was $475 a night for the first room, which sleeps two, and $375 for each extra room, up to three. Volunteers take guests by boat from Cutler, about 12 minutes. No pets.
- Seguin Island Light (off Popham Beach): a two-bedroom suite at $350 a night for up to five guests, two nights maximum. Friends of Seguin Island membership is required, and reservations open May 1. You arrange your own boat and bring all food and drinking water.
- Whitehead Light Station (St. George): the whole seven-bedroom keeper’s house, $8,150 for a six-night week plus 9% Maine lodging tax, June through October, three-night minimum. The station captain picks you up by boat, and linens are included.
- Browns Head Light (Vinalhaven): two bedrooms for up to four guests, seasonal, with prices on its booking site. Parking is above the lighthouse and you walk down a long exterior stairway, which may not suit everyone.
- Burnt Coat Harbor Light (Swan’s Island): an upstairs apartment in the keeper’s house with a queen bed, listed by the United States Lighthouse Society as sleeping two.
- Pemaquid Point Light (Bristol): a one-bedroom apartment in the keeper’s house that the Lighthouse Society lists as sleeping four, rented through L. Dewey Chase Rentals.
Want a look first? Our Maine webcams guide lists lighthouse cams, our Maine ferry guide covers island access, and our Popham Beach guide covers the beach near Seguin Island.
Our details for this section come from each lighthouse’s own booking page and the United States Lighthouse Society’s Maine list, checked in October 2026. Programs, prices and dates change every year, so confirm before you book.
Maine Open Lighthouse Day
Once a year, in early September, Maine lighthouses that are normally closed open their doors, and some let you climb the tower. It was Saturday, September 12 in 2026. The next date will be posted by the American Lighthouse Foundation, which lists about 20 participating lights. Lights are open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. unless noted, and many have their own hours.
The foundation does not state an admission price. Ferry and water-taxi fares apply where noted, and some sites hand out tickets. The details below are from 2026, so check the foundation before you plan a trip.
Easiest to reach by car
- Portland Head Light: about 280 tower tickets are given out first come, first served on the day. Climbers must be at least 48 inches tall and able to manage 85 or more steps without help.
- Spring Point Ledge Light (South Portland): numbered tickets are available near the gift shop from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Climbers must be at least 51 inches tall.
- Pemaquid Point Light: tower tours from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Marshall Point Light: open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Owls Head Light: tower open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Rockland Breakwater Light: reached by a 7/8-mile walk out along the breakwater.
Needs a ferry or boat
- Browns Head (Vinalhaven): Maine State Ferry from Rockland, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Burnt Coat Harbor (Swan’s Island): Maine State Ferry from Bass Harbor, open 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Grindle Point (Islesboro): Maine State Ferry from Lincolnville, open 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Monhegan: boats from Port Clyde, New Harbor or Boothbay Harbor, open 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Little River (Cutler): boat from Cutler Town Landing, open 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
- Burnt Island (Boothbay Harbor): water taxi with tickets required, open 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Whitehead: a free boat from Spruce Head Island with registration required, open 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
- Moose Peak (Jonesport): private boat trips with a reservation required.
Ferry schedules and fares are in our Maine ferry guide. Some keeper’s houses are private residences, so the foundation asks visitors to respect the tenants’ privacy. Questions go to the American Lighthouse Foundation at (207) 594-4174.
Our details for this section come from the American Lighthouse Foundation’s Maine Open Lighthouse Day page for 2026, checked in October 2026. Hours, tickets and the participating lights change every year, so confirm before you go.
Best Lighthouses in Maine: FAQ
What is the most famous lighthouse in Maine?
Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth is the most famous lighthouse in Maine. Commissioned in 1791, it is the state’s oldest lighthouse and the most photographed, set on dramatic cliffs in Fort Williams Park.
Which Maine lighthouse is on the state quarter?
Pemaquid Point Light near Bristol is the lighthouse featured on the Maine state quarter, chosen for its dramatic setting atop striated rock ledges above the sea.
Can you visit lighthouses in Maine?
Yes. Many Maine lighthouses have public grounds and parks – Portland Head, Pemaquid Point, Nubble, Marshall Point, Owls Head and Bass Harbor Head are all easily visited. Some towers open for climbing on select days, though most interiors are not open year-round.
What is the best lighthouse near Portland?
Portland Head Light, about 15 minutes south of downtown, is the best lighthouse near Portland. Two Lights, Spring Point Ledge Light and Bug Light are all close by if you want to see several in one day.
Which Maine lighthouses can you walk to?
The Rockland Breakwater Light, Spring Point Ledge Light and Bug Light are all reached on foot, and Marshall Point Light has a wooden walkway out to the tower.
See also our best things to do in Maine and most beautiful towns in Maine. MaineGuide.com has been Maine’s resource guide since 1995.
Want to watch before you go? Ten Maine lighthouses have live cameras, including Portland Head Light and Nubble Light. See our Maine webcams guide.
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