Did you know that there are several local lighthouses in Midcoast Maine, and that a number of them are open to the public? Even the lighthouses that don’t have public access are still easy to spot from afar!
In Midcoast Maine, there are 6 lighthouses that are open for a visit:
- Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in New Harbor
- Burnt Island – take the ferry from Boothbay
- Owl’s Head in Rockland – while you’re here, make time for the Maine Lighthouse Museum to learn even more about lighthouse history, and stories of Maine’s lighthouse heroes!
- Rockland Breakwater (also in Rockland)
- Marshall Point in Port Clyde
- Seguin – ferry from Phippsburg
Being based in Boothbay, our favorite lighthouse is Burnt Island Light! We really love the “living history” – that is, how historical interpreters show how the lighthouse keeper’s family lived on the island in the ‘30s and ‘40s. Being the second oldest surviving lighthouse in Maine, there are a lot of stories to share! You’ll also enjoy some natural history as you explore the island, and have a chance to see incredible views of Boothbay Harbor!
With all the lighthouses that are open to the public, many people don’t realize that most of our lighthouses are active! Of the 65 lighthouses on Maine’s coast, 55 are still operated and maintained by the US Coast Guard. Even with the marvels of modern technology, these lighthouses continue their legacy of protecting ships, and bringing into safe harbors, today.