Portland Explorer | Maine History, Culture, & 3 Lighthouses Tour
Description
Skip the city and head straight to the coast on this dedicated lighthouse tour of Maine’s best lighthouses. Explore three iconic beacons that have guided sailors for centuries, each offering a chance to delve into their rich history. While most lighthouses aren’t open for tours, you’ll still get up-close views and plenty of opportunities to admire their stunning architecture and scenic surroundings. As you navigate through Portland’s picturesque coastline, you’ll be surrounded by breathtaking views that are as storied as they are beautiful. This focused, relaxed tour is the perfect way to connect with maritime past while soaking in the charm of Maine’s coastal landscape.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Whether you're visiting for the first time or have called Portland home for years, this tour offers a fresh and engaging way to explore the Greater Portland area. Ride in comfort aboard one of our Ford Transit passenger vans, as we journey through the heart of the city and its scenic surroundings. Starting off on tour, we drive down Fore Street, a charming historic thoroughfare that runs parallel to one of North America's last working waterfronts. We will pass by cobblestone streets, brick row buildings, and some of Portland’s most iconic shops, brewpubs, and restaurants—many housed in the city’s oldest commercial and residential structures. The blend of old-world charm and modern energy makes this neighborhood a local favorite.
Walk around Fort Williams Park home to Portland Head Light! One of the most photographed lighthouses in the world! With cliff walks, memorials, and breath taking views, you will be able to take photos, visit the Lighthouse museum/giftshop "May-September" and also snag a bite/treat at a few of the parks food trucks, lobster Rolls, chowder, gelato, whoopie pies!
Spring Point Ledge Light we will park and stop for 10 minutes. Here your guide will breakdown the importance of this lighthouse which is situated out on a 900 ft. granite breakwater, early 1800's military instalments in the area, and scenic views of our coastal islands of Casco Bay! Please ask your guide for pictures taken during this stop.
Here at Portland Breakwater Light, known as "Bug Light" to locals, you will be given 20 min to visit one of Maine's smallest lighthouses still in commission. With beautiful Greek Corinthian Columns this lighthouse is situated on a much shorter/safer breakwater where you'll be able to walk out and enjoy amazing views of Portland's waterfront!
As we finish our tour, we drive through Commercial Street, you'll get a glimpse of one of North America’s last working waterfronts. This iconic stretch in Portland’s Old Port district features cobblestone streets, 19th-century fishing wharves, and bustling piers still used by lobstermen and local fisheries. You’ll also see a vibrant mix of boutiques, restaurants, and pubs, all set within some of the city's oldest brick/granite buildings.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Tour pick up is approximately 10 minutes walking from cruise ship terminal, less than 1/2 mile.
- Comfortable walking shoes are recommended to enjoy the full experience at the lighthouse!
- This tour is fully on land. We will be driving in a high-end van.
Reviews(974)
great tour loved it great great great thank Very enjoyable very knowlegable tour guide would recomend to anyone
It was wonderful experience and our tour guide was very knowledgeable. The place where we departed from was easy to locate and our tour departed and returned on schedule.
Ally (sp?) was a great guide on our tour of Portland (in the city) and a few lighthouses. She was very knowledgeable of the area and the trips to the lighthouses were especially enjoyable for us. Love the rugged coastline of the area. We did the tour in a comfortable air conditioned van and got out of the van to walk around at the lighthouses. Highly recommend this tour.
This was a nice tour to kickback, learn about the area, and see some lighthouses. Our tour guide was Ali, who is from New England. The van had a PA system and air-conditioning. It’s with a small group (about 10 passengers). The first lighthouse stop let us walk around for about 25 minutes— there was also a food trunk where you could get lobster rolls and gelato. The second stop was 10 minutes, and the final was 15 minutes. In between, as we were driving, Ali provided local history information and suggestions for restaurants. A cold bottle of water was offered, if needed. The trip concluded with a small complimentary pour at the beer hub.
The tour and guide, Erik, was fabulous! Loved that we met at the Portland Beer Hub, and they said that this could now be our home away from home… stop in anytime to use restroom when we're out and about, etc. We learned so much history about Portland and the lighthouses, plus we were given great recommendations for restaurants and other things to do while we were in town. This was the perfect thing to do on our first full day in Portland. Because of Erik's suggestion, we did a day trip to Peaks Island later in the week and that was a true highlight! 100% recommend!
I enjoyed my tour with Eric. He was extremely knowledgeable about the history of Maine and highlighted a lot of Easter eggs along the way. Talk revolved around gelato, sturgeons, and lobsters. He made the tour very personal and we appreciated that. We were blown away by the views and the food stops. The lobster rolls is a must always.
My wife and I enjoyed our lighthouse tour. Our guide Joe was informative and we saw and learned interesting places around Portland
Eric was our guide and is extremely knowledgeable and we would highly suggest that you take this tour on the front end of your trip. He provided us with amazing suggestions on where to eat, what to do and where to go.
Great tour of the lighthouses in the area. We enjoyed our tour guide John. He was personable and drove a spacious sprinter type van. We loved the inclusion of a 5oz pour at the Portland Beer Hub that we could have before or after the tour. Nice touch!
Very enjoyable and informative tour. Highly recommend!
