Lighthouses
Lighthouses to Explore in Maine
Maine’s iconic lighthouses are recognized throughout the world. Each one has its own unique history which are worth visiting! Below you will find a link to a map of the region’s lighthouses, find one and go check it out! You won’t be disappointed.
Lighthouses “dot the Downeast & Acadia coastline as beautiful symbols of our heritage. They have led many a weary sailor or fisherman to safe harbor in the fog and dark and still their magic draws people to them.”
Click here for a website where you can search for lighthouses in specific counties or cities. This is the website that has the map on it.
- MAINE OPEN LIGHTHOUSE DAY: Annually in early September
- “This popular annual event, which is sponsored by the United States Coast Guard, the Maine Office of Tourism, and the American Lighthouse Foundation, attracts between 15,000 to 18,000 visitors each year and offers the general public the rare opportunity to climb and learn about over two dozen historic Maine lights.
Down East
- West Quoddy Head Lighthouse: 973 South Lubec Road, Lubec, ME 04652
- This lighthouse was built in 1808 by the order of President Thomas Jefferson, and it is the only “candy striped” lighthouse in the United States. They offer tours typically every Saturday during July and August, the Annual Light House Celebration in July, and the second Saturday in September for Maine Open Lighthouse Day.
- Lubec Channel Lighthouse: 44° 50′ 31″ N, 67° 58′ 36″ W, Lubec, ME 04652
- Located about a mile offshore, this lighthouse is best viewed by boat but can also be seen at a distance from various points along the shore. It was built in 1889 to accommodate shipping from fishing industries, primarily sardines.
- Whitlock’s Mill Lighthouse: Lighthouse Lane, Calais, ME 04619
- This is the northernmost lighthouse and the last lighthouse to be built in Maine. From 1892 to 1910, the “lighthouse” was simply a lantern hung in a tree by Mr. Whitlock, the local mill operator. In 1910, the current lighthouse was actually built.
- Little River Lighthouse: 44.650212, -67.191468, Cutler, ME 04626
- The Little River Lighthouse has a rich history, along with tours, overnight stays, a gift shop, and a beautiful walk to get to the lighthouse itself.
- Moose Peak Lighthouse: 44° 28′ 26″ N, 67° 31′ 54″ W, Mistake Island, ME (off of Jonesport Harbor)
- Located on Mistake Island, which is accessible by the public boat or from a boat tour from the Coastal Cruises & Dive Downeast, where you can explore and view the lighthouse up close. Mistake Island is also one of the foggiest locations in Maine.
- Machias Seal Island Lighthouse: Between Cutler, ME and Grand Manan Island, Canada
- Located between Cutler, ME and Grand Manan Island, Canada, this island has been in an ongoing dispute over which country actually owns the island. The island mainly consists of this lighthouse and many puffins. There is limited access to this island, but there are some boat tours that can be used to access it.
- Nash Island Light: Addison, ME 04606
- A square, pyramidal bright lighthouse tower located 2 miles from South Addison, ME was built in 1873 and was operated until 1958. A woman named Jenny Cirone lived in South Addison and raised sheep on the island, and these sheep and their descendants are still there today.