Scenic Spots & Lighthouses

Explore Maine's most iconic lighthouses and scenic coastal landmarks, from Portland Head Light to the red-striped tower at West Quoddy Head.

All Lighthouses & Scenic Spots

120 locations across Maine

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse

Bass Harbor, acadia

An 1858 lighthouse perched on a cliff at the southern tip of Mount Desert Island in Acadia National Park, with dramatic views and a steep staircase down to the rocks.

easy 0.2 mi acadia

Coastal Cliff Photography

Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light

Cape Elizabeth, greater-portland

Maine's oldest lighthouse (1791) stands 80 feet tall in Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth. The most photographed lighthouse in America with a museum in the keeper's house.

easy 1 mi greater-portland

Coastal Museum Fort

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse

Lubec, downeast

The red-and-white striped lighthouse at the easternmost point in the United States. Built in 1858, with a visitor center and coastal hiking trails in Quoddy Head State Park.

easy 2 mi downeast

Coastal Easternmost State Park

Acadia Carriage Roads

Acadia Carriage Roads

Bar Harbor, acadia

45 miles of car-free broken-stone roads through Acadia National Park with 17 handcrafted stone bridges, ideal for biking, walking, and cross-country skiing.

easy 45 mi acadia

Biking Stone Bridges Rockefeller

Artist's Covered Bridge

Artist's Covered Bridge

Bethel, western-mountains

Maine's most painted covered bridge, built in 1872 over the Sunday River in Newry, named for impressionist painter John Enneking who worked here often.

easy 0.1 mi western-mountains

Historic Photography Sunday River

Bailey Island

Bailey Island

Harpswell, midcoast

The outermost island in the Harpswell chain, connected by the only granite cribstone bridge in the world, with the dramatic Giant's Stairs rock formation, Land's End views, and a lobster pound at...

easy 0.5 mi midcoast

Cribstone Bridge Coastal Geological

Barred Island Preserve downeast

Barred Island Preserve

Deer Isle, downeast

A mossy Deer Isle woods trail to a shore where a low-tide sandbar lets you walk out to wild Barred Island, with sweeping Penobscot Bay views.

moderate 1.5 mi downeast

Deer Isle Sandbar Penobscot bay

Beech Hill Preserve

Beech Hill Preserve

Rockport, midcoast

A 295-acre Rockport hill of blueberry barrens with 360-degree Penobscot Bay views and the historic sod-roofed Beech Nut hut at the summit.

easy 1.2 mi midcoast

Rockport Blueberry Barren Penobscot bay

Browns Head Light midcoast

Browns Head Light

Vinalhaven, midcoast

1832 lighthouse on Vinalhaven's northwest end. Grounds open to the public with wide Penobscot Bay views over the Fox Islands Thorofare; tower closed.

Vinalhaven Penobscot bay fox Islands Thorofare

Bubble Rock

Bubble Rock

Bar Harbor, acadia

A 100-ton glacial erratic balanced on the cliff edge of South Bubble, deposited by retreating glaciers 16,000 years ago with views over Jordan Pond.

moderate 1.8 mi acadia

Glacial Erratic Geology Jordan Pond

Bug Light

Bug Light

South Portland, greater-portland

A small Greek Revival lighthouse in South Portland's Bug Light Park with Portland skyline views, WWII shipyard history, and spectacular sunsets.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Portland Skyline Sunset Cumberland County

Burnt Coat Harbor Light

Burnt Coat Harbor Light

Swan's Island, downeast

Restored 1872 light station on Swan's Island with an open keeper's house, climbable tower, trails and beaches. Free to visit; reached by ferry from Bass Harbor.

easy 2 mi downeast

Swans Island Hockamock Head Hancock County

Burnt Island Lighthouse

Burnt Island Lighthouse

Boothbay Harbor, midcoast

Built in 1821 on a five-acre island near Boothbay Harbor, this living history lighthouse is accessible by boat with nature trails and the original stone tower.

easy 0.5 mi midcoast

Living History Boothbay Harbor Boat Tour

Cadillac Mountain Summit

Cadillac Mountain Summit

Bar Harbor, acadia

The highest point on the North Atlantic coast at 1,532 feet. Famous for first-in-the-nation sunrises, with 360-degree views over Acadia, Frenchman Bay, and the Maine islands.

easy 0.3 mi acadia

Sunrise Panoramic Views National Park

Camden Harbor

Camden Harbor

Camden, midcoast

A picture-perfect New England harbor where tall-masted windjammers anchor beneath the Camden Hills, with a public landing, waterfront park, and views that define the Maine midcoast.

easy 0.5 mi midcoast

Windjammers Waterfront Village

Cape Elizabeth Light (Two Lights)

Cape Elizabeth Light (Two Lights)

Cape Elizabeth, greater-portland

Historic 1828 lighthouse station made famous by Edward Hopper's paintings. The east tower remains active at 67 feet tall, adjacent to Two Lights State Park.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Coastal State Park art History

Cape Porpoise

Cape Porpoise

Kennebunkport, southern-maine

A working fishing village on the eastern edge of Kennebunkport, with a lobster-boat-filled harbor, direct views of Goat Island Lighthouse, and the unhurried pace of a Maine coast that tourism has...

easy 0.3 mi southern-maine

Fishing Village Harbor Lobster

Chebeague Island

Chebeague Island

Yarmouth, greater-portland

The largest island in Casco Bay accessible only by ferry, with sandy beaches, cycling-friendly roads, a historic golf course, and a tight-knit year-round community of about 400.

easy greater-portland

Cycling Golf Casco bay

Cliff Island

Cliff Island

Portland, greater-portland

The outermost and smallest year-round island in Casco Bay, with unpaved roads, about 60 year-round residents, a working lobster fleet, and the feel of stepping back several decades.

easy greater-portland

Remote Fishing Village Casco bay

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens

Boothbay Harbor, midcoast

New England's largest botanical garden: 295 acres of themed gardens, giant Thomas Dambo trolls, and woodland trails along tidal shoreline in Boothbay.

Boothbay Thomas Dambo Trolls Family Friendly

Colby College Museum of Art

Colby College Museum of Art

Waterville, greater-portland

A major art museum on the Colby College campus with free admission, over 800 Alex Katz works, and nearly 8,000 pieces of American art.

greater-portland

art Museum Free Admission Alex Katz

Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery

Craig Brook National Fish Hatchery

East Orland, downeast

The oldest Atlantic salmon hatchery in the US (1871) in East Orland with a visitor center, aquarium, nature trails, and free admission.

easy 2 mi downeast

Atlantic Salmon Historic Free

Cranberry Isles

Cranberry Isles

Northeast Harbor, acadia

A cluster of islands off Mount Desert Island reached by mail boat from Northeast Harbor, with the Islesford Historical Museum, working lobster wharves, and the quiet pace of Maine island life.

easy 2 mi acadia

Island Museum Mail Boat

Crockett Cove Woods Preserve

Crockett Cove Woods Preserve

Deer Isle, midcoast

A 100-acre TNC old-growth fog forest on Deer Isle with rare bryophyte communities, moss-draped spruce, and a self-guided nature trail.

easy 1 mi midcoast

Nature Conservancy old Growth fog Forest

Curtis Island Light

Curtis Island Light

Camden, midcoast

Town-owned lighthouse at the mouth of Camden Harbor. The island is closed, so view the light from Bayview Street downtown or from a harbor boat tour.

Camden Penobscot bay Camden Harbor

Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land

Cutler Coast Public Reserved Land

Cutler, downeast

Over 12,000 acres of Bold Coast wilderness in Downeast Maine with 150-foot sea cliffs, 10 miles of trails, backcountry camping, and 4.5 miles of headlands overlooking the Bay of Fundy.

moderate 10 mi downeast

Bold Coast sea Cliffs Coastal

Damariscove Island

Damariscove Island

Boothbay Harbor, midcoast

Historic island off Boothbay with one of the earliest European settlements in New England (1622), now a land trust preserve with trails and seabird colonies.

moderate 3 mi midcoast

Historic Land Trust Seabirds

Debsconeag Ice Caves

Debsconeag Ice Caves

Millinocket, moosehead

A glacial talus formation that retains ice into summer, located in a 46,000-acre Nature Conservancy preserve near Millinocket in the shadow of Mount Katahdin, reached by a 2-mile round-trip trail.

moderate 2 mi moosehead

Glacial Nature Conservancy North Woods

Deer Isle

Deer Isle

Blue Hill, downeast

A scenic island reached by suspension bridge, home to working fishing villages, the Haystack Mountain School of Crafts, granite quarries, and Stonington harbor.

Island Fishing Village Stonington

Desert of Maine

Desert of Maine

Freeport, greater-portland

A 40-acre glacial sand deposit in the middle of Freeport's forests, with guided tours, gem panning, and one of Maine's strangest geological landscapes.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Geological Oddity Glacial Deposit Freeport

Dice Head Light

Dice Head Light

Castine, downeast

Historic 1829 lighthouse in Castine with public grounds and a short footpath to the rocky shore at the mouth of the Penobscot River.

Castine Penobscot River Hancock County

Doubling Point Light

Doubling Point Light

Bath, midcoast

Picturesque 1898 Kennebec River lighthouse on Arrowsic Island, reached by a short wooden footbridge. Grounds are open to the public daytime in season.

Arrowsic Kennebec River Sagadahoc County

Eagle Island State Historic Site

Eagle Island State Historic Site

Harpswell, greater-portland

The 17-acre Casco Bay summer home of North Pole explorer Admiral Robert Peary, reachable only by boat, off Harpswell. A state historic site in Casco Bay.

easy greater-portland

Robert Peary Casco bay Harpswell

Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad Tramway

Eagle Lake & West Branch Railroad Tramway

Bar Harbor, acadia

A historic narrow-gauge railroad bed along the shore of Eagle Lake in Acadia National Park, now a flat, scenic walking and biking path connecting to the carriage road network with mountain...

easy 3 mi acadia

Railroad History Carriage Road Easy

Eastern Promenade

Eastern Promenade

Portland, greater-portland

A grassy hillside park on Munjoy Hill in Portland with sweeping Casco Bay and island views, the paved Eastern Prom Trail along the water, East End Beach, and the Narrow Gauge Railway.

greater-portland

Munjoy Hill Casco bay Waterfront

Fields Pond Audubon Center

Fields Pond Audubon Center

Holden, aroostook-katahdin

A 192-acre Maine Audubon property in Holden with trails, a nature center, and bald eagle viewing over Fields Pond.

easy 2.5 mi aroostook-katahdin

Birding Nature Center Bald Eagles

Five Islands

Five Islands

Georgetown, midcoast

A tiny fishing village at the southern tip of Georgetown Island with a legendary lobster pound on the dock, panoramic views of five spruce-topped islands, a public boat launch, and the unhurried...

easy 0.1 mi midcoast

Lobster Fishing Village Island Views

Fort Allen Park

Fort Allen Park

Portland, greater-portland

A small historic park atop Portlands Eastern Promenade with Civil War and Spanish-American War cannons, a Victorian bandstand, and one of the best Casco Bay overlooks in the city.

easy 0.3 mi greater-portland

Eastern Promenade Casco bay Historic

Fort Foster Park

Fort Foster Park

Kittery, southern-maine

An 88-acre Kittery Point park with three beaches, a 565-foot pier, World War-era fort batteries, and the best land view of offshore Whaleback Light.

easy southern-maine

Kittery Gerrish Island Whaleback Light

Fort Gorges

Fort Gorges

Portland, greater-portland

An abandoned Civil War-era granite fort on an island in Portland Harbor, accessible only by kayak, with ruins to explore and Casco Bay views.

easy 0.3 mi greater-portland

Historic Island Kayak

Fort Knox State Historic Site

Fort Knox State Historic Site

Bucksport, midcoast

Massive granite Civil War-era fort on the Penobscot River in Prospect with vaulted chambers, cannons, and the adjacent Penobscot Narrows Observatory.

easy 1 mi midcoast

Historic Fort Civil war Granite

Fort Point Light

Fort Point Light

Stockton Springs, midcoast

Maine's first river lighthouse (1836), a unique square brick tower in Fort Point State Park with Penobscot Bay views and the ruins of the 1759 Fort Pownall nearby.

easy 0.5 mi midcoast

Coastal State Park Historic Fort

Fort Popham

Fort Popham

Phippsburg, midcoast

A massive semi-circular granite fort built during the Civil War at the mouth of the Kennebec River in Phippsburg, with climbable ramparts, river views, Popham Beach access, and the history of...

easy 0.3 mi midcoast

Civil war Granite River

Fort Williams Park

Fort Williams Park

Cape Elizabeth, greater-portland

A 90-acre oceanfront park in Cape Elizabeth surrounding Portland Head Light with walking trails, fort ruins, cliff views, and a children's garden.

easy 1 mi greater-portland

Coastal Fort Ruins Family Friendly

Frazer Point acadia

Frazer Point

Winter Harbor, acadia

The first picnic point on Acadia's one-way Schoodic Loop Road: shaded tables, a public pier and dock, tide pools at low tide, and views over Winter Harbor.

Schoodic Winter Harbor Picnic Area

Frenchboro (Long Island)

Frenchboro (Long Island)

Bass Harbor, downeast

One of Maine's most remote year-round islands, population ~30, with a 1,159-acre preserve, dramatic headlands, and ferry service three times per week.

moderate 5 mi downeast

Remote Preserve Blue Hill bay

Georgetown Island

Georgetown Island

Georgetown, midcoast

A long, narrow island south of Bath connected by bridge, home to Reid State Park's rare sandy beaches, the Five Islands lobster pound, and the Josephine Newman wildlife sanctuary, all strung along...

easy 1 mi midcoast

Lobster Wildlife Scenic Drive

Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

Gilsland Farm Audubon Center

Falmouth, greater-portland

Maine Audubon headquarters in Falmouth with 65 acres, 2.5 miles of trails on the Presumpscot estuary, a nature store, and free access.

easy 2.5 mi greater-portland

Birding Estuary Nature Center

Goat Island Lighthouse

Goat Island Lighthouse

Cape Porpoise, southern-maine

The last lighthouse in Maine to be automated (1990), standing 25 feet tall on Goat Island at the entrance to Cape Porpoise Harbor. Viewable from the pier or by boat tour.

easy southern-maine

Coastal Boat Tour Cape Porpoise

Grafton Notch Scenic Drive

Grafton Notch Scenic Drive

Newry, western-mountains

A dramatic mountain pass drive through Grafton Notch State Park on Route 26 between Newry and Upton, with roadside waterfalls, trailheads to some of Maine's best hikes, and the wild beauty of the...

easy 0 mi western-mountains

Mountain Pass Mahoosuc State Park

Great Diamond Island

Great Diamond Island

Portland, greater-portland

A Casco Bay island 20 minutes from Portland by ferry, with the historic Fort McKinley military campus, waterfront dining at Diamond's Edge, and a golf-cart community overlooking the bay.

easy 1.5 mi greater-portland

Historic Fort Restaurant

Great Salt Bay Heritage Trail

Great Salt Bay Heritage Trail

Damariscotta, midcoast

A 3-mile tidal estuary trail in Damariscotta featuring the Glidden Midden, a 2,000-year-old oyster shell heap and National Historic Landmark.

easy 3 mi midcoast

Oyster Midden Tidal Estuary Damariscotta

Grindle Point Light

Grindle Point Light

Lincolnville, midcoast

Islesboro ferry-landing lighthouse with the Sailors' Memorial Museum in the keeper's house. One of the few Maine towers open to climb in summer.

Islesboro Penobscot bay Ferry

Gulf Hagas

Gulf Hagas

Brownville Junction, moosehead

A 3-mile slate gorge known as the Grand Canyon of Maine, with 130-foot walls, cascading waterfalls along the Pleasant River, and National Natural Landmark status since 1969.

hard 8 mi moosehead

Gorge North Woods Slate Canyon

Hamilton Cove Preserve downeast

Hamilton Cove Preserve

Lubec, downeast

A 1,225-acre Maine Coast Heritage Trust preserve in Lubec with cobble beaches, sheer cliffs, and dramatic bluff vistas near the easternmost point of the US.

moderate 3 mi downeast

Lubec Bold Coast sea Cliffs

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

Haystack Mountain School of Crafts

Deer Isle, downeast

A modernist campus on granite ledge above the Atlantic on Deer Isle. Award-winning architecture, craft workshops, and public tours from May through October.

easy 0.3 mi downeast

Architecture Modernist Atlantic Views

Height of Land Overlook

Height of Land Overlook

Oquossoc, western-mountains

A roadside overlook at 2,200 feet on the Rangeley Lakes National Scenic Byway with sweeping views of Mooselookmeguntic Lake, forested ridges, and the surrounding peaks of western Maine.

easy 0.1 mi western-mountains

Rangeley Scenic Byway Mooselookmeguntic

Hendricks Head Light

Hendricks Head Light

Southport, midcoast

An 1829 lighthouse on Southport Island near Boothbay Harbor, famous for the legend of a baby rescued from a shipwreck. Viewable from the beach; privately owned.

easy 0.2 mi midcoast

Coastal Historic Southport

Hirundo Wildlife Refuge

Hirundo Wildlife Refuge

Old Town, aroostook-katahdin

A 2,440-acre wildlife refuge in Alton with boardwalks through bogs, four ponds, and diverse wildlife near the University of Maine.

easy 4 mi aroostook-katahdin

Boardwalk bog Ponds

Indian Point Blagden Preserve

Indian Point Blagden Preserve

Bar Harbor, acadia

A 110-acre TNC preserve on the quiet side of Bar Harbor with forest trails, rocky shoreline, seal-watching, and far fewer visitors than Acadia.

easy 2 mi acadia

Nature Conservancy bar Harbor Seal Watching

Isle au Haut

Isle au Haut

Stonington, downeast

The most remote and least-visited section of Acadia National Park, a wild island reached by mail boat from Stonington with 18 miles of trails, sea cliffs, and roughly 55 year-round residents.

moderate 18 mi downeast

Island Cliffs Remote

Islesboro

Islesboro

Lincolnville, midcoast

A 14-mile island in Penobscot Bay reached by a 20-minute car ferry from Lincolnville, with Grindle Point Lighthouse, quiet roads for cycling, and Warren Island State Park just offshore.

Island Cycling Penobscot bay

Islesford (Little Cranberry Island)

Islesford (Little Cranberry Island)

Northeast Harbor, acadia

A tiny year-round island community reached by mail boat from Northeast Harbor, with a historical museum, lobster dock, and unhurried island atmosphere.

easy 1 mi acadia

Museum Mail Boat Lobster

Katahdin Iron Works

Katahdin Iron Works

Brownville Junction, moosehead

Ruins of an 1843 charcoal iron smelter in the North Woods, featuring a towering stone blast furnace, kiln remains, and the gateway road to Gulf Hagas.

easy 0.3 mi moosehead

Historic Site Industrial Ruins North Woods

Lane's Island Preserve

Lane's Island Preserve

Vinalhaven, midcoast

A 45-acre TNC preserve at the edge of Vinalhaven village with wildflower meadows, rocky coast, easy walking, and Penobscot Bay views.

easy 1.5 mi midcoast

Nature Conservancy Wildflowers Rocky Coast

Little River Light

Little River Light

Cutler, downeast

Island lighthouse off Cutler Harbor, reached by boat and a plank walkway. Open during American Lighthouse Foundation open houses and overnight keeper stays.

Cutler Bold Coast Washington County

Long Island (Casco Bay)

Long Island (Casco Bay)

Portland, greater-portland

A year-round fishing community in Casco Bay reached by a 45-minute ferry from Portland, with singing sands at South Beach, quiet roads, and the independent spirit of Maine's newest town.

easy greater-portland

Fishing Village Singing Sands

Machias Seal Island

Machias Seal Island

Cutler, downeast

Remote island 15 miles off Cutler hosting the largest Atlantic puffin colony in the Gulf of Maine, accessible by guided boat tour.

moderate 0.3 mi downeast

Puffins Seabirds Wildlife

Marginal Way

Marginal Way

Ogunquit, southern-maine

A 1.25-mile paved cliff walk above the Atlantic in Ogunquit, from Shore Road to Perkins Cove. One of Maine's most famous walks, with ocean views the entire way.

easy 1.25 mi southern-maine

Ogunquit Cliff Walk Coastal

Marshall Point Lighthouse

Marshall Point Lighthouse

Port Clyde, midcoast

An 1857 lighthouse in Port Clyde made famous by Forrest Gump. Walk the distinctive catwalk to the tower, visit the free museum, and take in views of Muscongus Bay.

easy 0.3 mi midcoast

Coastal Museum Forrest Gump

Monhegan Island

Monhegan Island

Port Clyde, midcoast

A remote artist colony 12 miles offshore with 150-foot sea cliffs, 17 miles of trails, a working lobster fleet, and over a century of artistic heritage.

moderate 17 mi midcoast

Artist Colony Cliffs Museum

Mount Battie Overlook

Mount Battie Overlook

Camden, midcoast

A 780-foot summit in Camden Hills State Park accessible by auto road or trail, with panoramic views of Camden Harbor, Penobscot Bay, and the Maine islands from a historic stone tower.

easy 1 mi midcoast

Camden Penobscot bay Auto Road

Mount Desert Island Scenic Drive

Mount Desert Island Scenic Drive

Bar Harbor, acadia

A 27-mile scenic drive through Acadia National Park passing Sand Beach, Thunder Hole, Otter Cliff, Jordan Pond, and the Cadillac Mountain summit road.

Park Loop Road Coastal

Moxie Falls

Moxie Falls

The Forks, moosehead

One of the tallest waterfalls in New England, a roughly 90-foot cascade on Moxie Stream reached by an easy 1.4-mile round-trip trail to viewing platforms above the gorge near The Forks.

easy 1.4 mi moosehead

North Woods Easy Hike Gorge

New Harbor

New Harbor

Bristol, midcoast

A classic Maine fishing harbor on the Pemaquid Peninsula with a lobster co-op right on the dock, boat cruises to Monhegan Island, Pemaquid Point Lighthouse nearby, and the straightforward charm of...

easy 0.2 mi midcoast

Fishing Village Lobster Boat Cruises

North Haven Island

North Haven Island

Rockland, midcoast

A quiet island in Penobscot Bay with a summer colony heritage, a craft brewery, a community arts center, and a 70-minute ferry ride from Rockland through the Fox Islands Thoroughfare.

Brewery Community Penobscot bay

Nubble Light (Cape Neddick)

Nubble Light (Cape Neddick)

York Beach, southern-maine

One of New England's most iconic lighthouses, built in 1879 on a tiny rocky island just offshore in York. Best viewed from Sohier Park on the mainland.

easy 0.1 mi southern-maine

Coastal Island Photography

Old Canada Road Scenic Byway

Old Canada Road Scenic Byway

The Forks, moosehead

A 78-mile National Scenic Byway along Route 201 from Solon to the Canadian border, following the Kennebec River through deep gorge country, past The Forks whitewater hub, and into the remote...

easy 0 mi moosehead

Scenic Drive Gorge Whitewater

Orono Bog Boardwalk

Orono Bog Boardwalk

Orono, moosehead

A 4,800-foot ADA-accessible boardwalk through a northern peat bog on the Bangor-Orono line, with seven interpretive stations, carnivorous plants, orchids, and boreal bird habitat.

easy 1 mi moosehead

ada Accessible Peat bog Carnivorous Plants

Owls Head Lighthouse

Owls Head Lighthouse

Owls Head, midcoast

A small 1852 lighthouse perched on a dramatic cliff 100 feet above Penobscot Bay. Short woodland trail, panoramic bay views, and one of Maine's most scenic lighthouse settings.

easy 0.5 mi midcoast

Coastal Cliff Penobscot bay

Owls Head Transportation Museum

Owls Head Transportation Museum

Rockland, midcoast

A world-class collection of pre-1940 aircraft, automobiles, and engines in working condition, with summer air shows and driving demonstrations on the Midcoast.

Antique Aircraft Automobiles air Shows

Peaks Island

Peaks Island

Portland, greater-portland

Portland's most accessible island, just a 17-minute ferry ride from the Old Port, with a 4-mile bike loop, WWII Battery Steele, sandy beaches, and a year-round community of nearly 1,000.

easy 4 mi greater-portland

Bike Loop Wwii Casco bay

Pemaquid Falls

Pemaquid Falls

Bristol, midcoast

A cascading waterfall right in the center of Pemaquid village in Bristol, with a natural swimming hole, remnants of an old covered bridge, and the gentle atmosphere of a forgotten midcoast hamlet.

easy 0.1 mi midcoast

Swimming Village Historic

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse

Bristol, midcoast

Iconic 1827 lighthouse perched on dramatic layered rock formations in Bristol, with a museum, keeper's house, and some of Maine's best tidal pool exploring.

easy 0.3 mi midcoast

Coastal Museum Rock Formations

Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory

Penobscot Narrows Bridge Observatory

Bucksport, midcoast

The tallest public bridge observatory in the world at 420 feet, built into a cable-stayed bridge pylon with 360-degree views of Penobscot Bay and Fort Knox.

easy 0.2 mi midcoast

Fort Knox Penobscot bay Engineering

Perkins Cove

Perkins Cove

Ogunquit, southern-maine

A tiny working fishing cove in Ogunquit with a hand-operated pedestrian drawbridge, lobster shacks right on the water, art galleries, and the southern starting point of the famous Marginal Way...

easy 0.2 mi southern-maine

Drawbridge Fishing Village Lobster

Portland Observatory

Portland Observatory

Portland, greater-portland

Built in 1807 on Munjoy Hill, the last surviving historic maritime signal tower in the US. Guided tours climb to a cupola with panoramic views of Portland and Casco Bay.

greater-portland

Historic Maritime Munjoy Hill

Pumpkin Island Light

Pumpkin Island Light

Deer Isle, downeast

Compact 1854 lighthouse marking Eggemoggin Reach off Little Deer Isle. Now a private home, viewable year-round from the landing at the end of Eggemoggin Road.

Little Deer Isle Eggemoggin Reach Hancock County

Quoddy Head Coastal Trail

Quoddy Head Coastal Trail

Lubec, downeast

A 4-mile round-trip clifftop trail at the easternmost point of the continental US, along 150-foot black volcanic cliffs with Gulliver's Hole, High Ledge, and views to Grand Manan Island.

moderate 4 mi downeast

Easternmost Point Black Cliffs Volcanic

Quoddy Head State Park

Quoddy Head State Park

Lubec, downeast

The easternmost point in the continental US, with 541 acres of coastal trails, subarctic bogs, dramatic cliffs, and the red-and-white striped West Quoddy Head Lighthouse.

moderate 5 mi downeast

Lubec Easternmost Point Coastal Trails

Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve

Rachel Carson Salt Pond Preserve

New Harbor, midcoast

A Nature Conservancy preserve in New Harbor where Rachel Carson gathered material for The Edge of the Sea, featuring a quarter-acre tidal pool rich with marine life and a gentle coastal trail.

easy 0.3 mi midcoast

Tidal Pool Nature Conservancy Marine Ecology

Reversing Falls Park

Reversing Falls Park

Pembroke, downeast

A rare tidal phenomenon in Pembroke where currents reverse through a narrow channel, creating whirlpools and standing waves best seen at mid-tide.

easy 0.5 mi downeast

Tidal Phenomenon Whirlpools Free

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse

Rockland, midcoast

A 0.9-mile walk along a granite breakwater to a lighthouse at the tip, with sweeping views of Rockland Harbor, the Camden Hills, and Penobscot Bay.

moderate 1.8 mi midcoast

Coastal Penobscot bay

Rockport Harbor

Rockport Harbor

Rockport, midcoast

A pocket-sized working harbor in Rockport with a beloved Andre the Seal statue, restored 19th-century lime kilns, a picturesque footbridge, and none of the crowds of neighboring Camden.

easy 0.3 mi midcoast

Seal Lime Kilns Historic

Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village

Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village

New Gloucester, greater-portland

The last active Shaker community in the world, a National Historic Landmark in New Gloucester with museum tours, historic buildings, gardens, and a working farm.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Historic Museum Living History

Scarborough Marsh Paddle Route

Scarborough Marsh Paddle Route

Scarborough, greater-portland

A 3,200-acre salt marsh kayak route in Scarborough with Audubon nature center, kayak rentals, and abundant herons, egrets, and ospreys.

easy greater-portland

Kayaking Salt Marsh Birding

Schoodic Point

Schoodic Point

Winter Harbor, acadia

Wave-swept granite peninsula on the only mainland section of Acadia, with powerful surf, dark volcanic dikes in pink granite, and views across Frenchman Bay.

easy 1 mi acadia

Coastal Granite Surf

Sears Island

Sears Island

Searsport, midcoast

The largest undeveloped, causeway-accessible island on the US East Coast at 940 acres, with walking trails, cobble beaches, tidal flats, and rich wildlife habitat on upper Penobscot Bay.

easy 6 mi midcoast

Causeway Undeveloped Penobscot bay

Seguin Island Lighthouse

Seguin Island Lighthouse

Phippsburg, midcoast

The highest lighthouse in Maine at 180 feet above sea level, housing the state's only first-order Fresnel lens, accessible by seasonal ferry from Popham Beach.

moderate 0.5 mi midcoast

Boat Access Fresnel Lens

Settlement Quarry Preserve downeast

Settlement Quarry Preserve

Stonington, downeast

A former Stonington granite quarry on Deer Isle with a short, easy walk to an open overlook above Webb Cove, Merchants Row islands, and Isle au Haut.

easy 1.6 mi downeast

Stonington Deer Isle Granite Quarry

Songo Lock

Songo Lock

Naples, greater-portland

A hand-operated lock from 1830 on the Songo River, the last surviving piece of the Cumberland and Oxford Canal connecting Sebago Lake to Long Lake.

easy 0.1 mi greater-portland

Historic Canal Engineering

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse

South Portland, greater-portland

The only walk-to caisson lighthouse in the U.S., connected by a granite breakwater with panoramic views of Portland Harbor, Fort Gorges, and Casco Bay.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Coastal Portland Harbor Breakwater

Squirrel Island

Squirrel Island

Boothbay Harbor, midcoast

Maine's oldest summer colony, established in 1871 off Boothbay Harbor, with no motor vehicles, a mile-long wooden boardwalk, roughly 100 rustic cottages, and mailboat access only.

easy 1 mi midcoast

Historic Boardwalk Summer Colony

Squirrel Point Light

Squirrel Point Light

Bath, midcoast

1898 Kennebec River lighthouse at the end of a two-thirds-mile trail through Bald Head Preserve in Arrowsic. Grounds open; buildings and tower closed.

easy 1.3 mi midcoast

Arrowsic Kennebec River Bald Head Preserve

Swan Island Wildlife Management Area

Swan Island Wildlife Management Area

Richmond, greater-portland

A 1,755-acre Kennebec River island managed by MDIFW, known for bald eagle viewing, historic village ruins, and reservation-only ferry access.

easy 6 mi greater-portland

Bald Eagles Kennebec River Ferry Access

Swan's Island

Swan's Island

Bass Harbor, downeast

A quiet island in Blue Hill Bay reached by a free 40-minute state ferry from Bass Harbor, with Burnt Coat Harbor Light, sandy beaches, and a year-round fishing community of about 350.

Free Ferry Fishing Village Blue Hill bay

Table Rock

Table Rock

Newry, western-mountains

A dramatic granite ledge 900 feet above Grafton Notch floor with panoramic views of Old Speck Mountain, the Eyebrow cliff, and the Mahoosuc Range, reached by a challenging 2.4-mile loop.

moderate 2.4 mi western-mountains

Grafton Notch Granite Ledge Overlook

Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary

Thorncrag Nature Sanctuary

Lewiston, greater-portland

The largest bird sanctuary in Maine at 450 acres in Lewiston, with 5+ miles of trails managed by the Stanton Bird Club since 1921.

easy 5 mi greater-portland

Bird Sanctuary Birding Lewiston

Thunder Hole

Thunder Hole

Bar Harbor, acadia

An iconic rock inlet in Acadia where waves compress and boom like thunder, sending spray 40 feet high. Along Park Loop Road, two miles south of Bar Harbor.

easy 0.3 mi acadia

bar Harbor Coastal Waves

Thunder Hole

Thunder Hole

Bar Harbor, acadia

An iconic tidal inlet on Acadia's Park Loop Road where waves compress into a granite cavern and boom like thunder, sending spray 40 feet into the air, best visited 1-2 hours before high tide.

easy 0.3 mi acadia

bar Harbor Tidal Coastal

Timber Point Trail

Timber Point Trail

Biddeford, southern-maine

A Rachel Carson refuge loop in Biddeford through salt marsh, river, and ocean views, with a low-tide land bridge out to wild Timber Island.

easy 1.4 mi southern-maine

Rachel Carson nwr Biddeford Salt Marsh

Two Lights State Park

Two Lights State Park

Cape Elizabeth, greater-portland

A 41-acre rocky headland in Cape Elizabeth with dramatic surf, tidal pools, and the coastline that inspired Edward Hopper's celebrated lighthouse paintings of the 1920s.

easy 0.5 mi greater-portland

Coastal Rocky Headland Edward Hopper

Victoria Mansion

Victoria Mansion

Portland, greater-portland

The finest pre-Civil War Italian villa in the US, with 90% original furnishings, frescoed ceilings, hand-carved woodwork, and tours May through October.

greater-portland

Historic House Architecture Portland

Vinalhaven Island

Vinalhaven Island

Rockland, midcoast

Maine's largest offshore island, reached by a 75-minute ferry from Rockland, with water-filled granite quarries, a working lobster fleet, and a year-round community that swells fivefold each summer.

Granite Quarry Swimming Lobster

Wedding Cake House

Wedding Cake House

Kennebunk, southern-maine

The most photographed house in Maine, an 1825 Federal-style home in Kennebunk covered in ornate Gothic Revival woodwork that looks like cake frosting.

easy southern-maine

Architecture Gothic Revival Historic

Wells Reserve at Laudholm

Wells Reserve at Laudholm

Wells, southern-maine

A 2,250-acre estuarine reserve in Wells with seven miles of trails through salt marsh, barrier beach, forest, and a historic saltwater farm.

easy 7 mi southern-maine

Estuarine Reserve Salt Marsh Barrier Beach

Whaleback Shell Midden

Whaleback Shell Midden

Damariscotta, midcoast

A National Historic Landmark on the Damariscotta River where a 2,000-year-old Native American oyster shell midden rises from the riverbank, one of the largest and most significant archaeological...

easy 0.3 mi midcoast

Archaeological Native American Historic Landmark

Whitehead Light Station

Whitehead Light Station

Tenants Harbor, midcoast

An 1807 lighthouse on a remote island in Penobscot Bay off St. George, accessible by boat with rugged granite shoreline and panoramic views.

moderate 1 mi midcoast

Island Penobscot bay Boat Access

Wilson Museum & Perkins House

Wilson Museum & Perkins House

Castine, midcoast

A free museum campus in the historic village of Castine overlooking Penobscot Bay, with collections spanning geology, archaeology, and maritime history, plus a restored 1763 house and sweeping...

easy 0.2 mi midcoast

Historic Harbor Castine

Wyeth Center at Farnsworth Art Museum

Wyeth Center at Farnsworth Art Museum

Rockland, midcoast

Three generations of Wyeth art at the Farnsworth Museum in Rockland, including Andrew Wyeth's Maine paintings and access to the Olson House from Christina's World.

American art Rockland Knox County

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Wildlife + Lighthouse Viewing Kit

Optics and essentials for Maine's lighthouses, wildlife viewing, and scenic overlooks.

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Nikon Prostaff P3 8x42 Premium

Wildlife & bird watching

Celestron Nature DX 8x42 Premium

Budget-friendly birding

Vortex Diamondback HD 10x42 Premium

Long-distance wildlife viewing

Anker PowerCore 10000 Budget

Best all-around 10K power bank

JOTO Waterproof Phone Pouch Budget

Lake & beach phone protection