Portland Head Light

While the Portland Head Light itself is closed to the public, visitors can explore the history of the site and view artifacts like historic lenses, navigational tools, and photographs at a museum inside the former keeper’s house. Most sightseeing tours of Portland and the Maine coast stop at this treasured landmark.

If you’re there during the warmer months, allow yourself time to hang out in Fort Williams Park, a 90-acre (36-hectare) recreation area with trails, picnic areas, an arboretum, a children’s garden, and a small rocky beach known as Ship Cove. And in summer, park vendors dish up Maine favorites like lobster rolls, crepes, and ice cream. Several other historic sites dot the coastline as well, including abandoned gun batteries and bunkers, plus the ruins of the once-grand Goddard Mansion.

• Leashed dogs are welcome in the park.

• The park has no trash cans, so be sure to pack out everything you take with you.

• The museum has a small gift shop selling lighthouse-themed souvenirs.

About a 15-minute drive from downtown Portland, the lighthouse is located in Cape Elizabeth at the entrance to the shipping channel into Casco Bay. Metered hourly parking and all-day parking passes are available.

The Portland Head Light museum is typically open May through November; Fort Williams Park is open year-round from sunrise to sunset. The most scenic time to visit is spring or summer. Bundle up if going in winter, as the Maine coast gets windy and cold.

Maine boasts more lighthouses than any other state on the East Coast, and the shoreline watchtowers are a beloved symbol of the region. The Portland Head Light tops the list, but dozens of others are sprinkled along the jagged Maine coastline. Check out the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse and Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, or farther afield, the West Quoddy Head Light in Lubec, the Monhegan Island Light and Museum, and Cape Neddick Light in York.

The Portland Head Light is located in Fort Williams Park, a pretty place to walk, explore the beach, have a picnic, fly a kite, take photos, and enjoy the playground and children’s garden. There’s also an arboretum, a museum, and seasonal food trucks selling ice cream, lobster rolls, and sandwiches.

Visiting the Portland Head Light and surrounding Fort Williams Park is free, but donations are appreciated. You can’t go inside the lighthouse (except on one day per year in September), so there’s no fee attached. Between April 1 and Nov. 15, you’ll need to pay to park in premium spaces, although free parking is available in the overflow lot.

Portland Head Light is famous as one of the United States' most photogenic (and photographed) lighthouses. It also has a long and interesting history. The lighthouse has long protected this coastal area, and it was initially built in 1790 in a spot where guards had been posted to warn local people of imminent British attacks.

Sunrise and sunset are generally the best times of day to photograph the Portland Head Light because of the light conditions and because it’s less crowded then. The lighthouse is photogenic throughout the day and in all seasons, but it’s also very popular, meaning it’s hard to take photos during the day without people getting in the way.

Yes, you can climb the Portland Head Light, but the opportunities are limited. The lighthouse is closed to the public on all but one day of the year, the Maine Open Lighthouse Day in September. On that day, around 300 tickets are made available on a first-come first-served basis, providing access to the tower.

There are more than 85 steps in the Portland Head Light. However, most visitors won’t need to worry about climbing them because the lighthouse is closed to the public every day except for the annual Maine Open Lighthouse Day in September. Then, would-be visitors can vie for the 300-odd tickets to the tower.