Open Lighthouse Day is Sept. 14

The State of Maine’s fifth annual Open Lighthouse Day will take place on Saturday, September 14th with lighthouses open throughout the state and free entry available to visitors on this one day.

This event is coordinated by the U.S. Coast Guard in partnership with the Maine Office of Tourism and the American Lighthouse Foundation. Twenty-two light stations along the Maine coast plan to participate in this year’s annual event.

Open Lighthouse Day in Maine is the largest effort of its kind in the country, and is expected to draw hundreds of visitors. All lighthouses will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., unless otherwise noted.

On Open Lighthouse Day, both Mainers and visitors planning a weekend getaway or longer getaway can check out various itineraries and participating lighthouses by consulting Maine’s complimentary Travel Planner, and by going to visitmaine.com/ to click on Explore Lighthouses or visit visitmaine.com/attractions/sightseeing_tours/lighthouse/.

Participating lighthouses include:

South Coast:

Wood Island Lighthouse (offshore at Biddeford Pool)

Greater Portland and Casco:

Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (South Portland) — Tower referred to as Bug Light

Portland Head Lighthouse (Cape Elizabeth) — Tower reached by climbing 85+ steps

Spring Point Lighthouse (South Portland) — Reached via a breakwater

Midcoast:

Burnt Island Lighthouse (Boothbay Harbor) — Reach via Balmy Day Cruises in Boothbay Harbor

Curtis Island Lighthouse (Camden)

Doubling Point Lighthouse (Arrowsic, along the KennebecRiver)

Fort Point Lighthouse (Stockton Springs) — Contains a fourth-order Fresnel lens

Grindle Point Lighthouse (Islesboro) — Reach via the Maine State Ferry from Lincolnville to Islesboro

Kennebec River Front Range Light (Arrowsic, along the Kennebec River)

Marshall Point Lighthouse (Port Clyde)

Monhegan (Monhegan Island) — Reach via Monhegan Boat Line in Port Clyde; Balmy Day Cruises in Boothbay Harbor; or Hardy Boat Cruises

Owls Head Lighthouse (Owls Head) — Contains a fourth-order Fresnel lens

Pemaquid Point Lighthouse (Bristol) — Contains a fourth-order Fresnel lens

Rockland Breakwater (Rockland) — Reached via a 7/8-mile-long walk along the breakwater or boat

Seguin Island (off Popham Beach) — Reached by Seguin Island Ferry; contains a first-order Fresnel lens (the only one of its kind in Maine)

Whitehead Island Lighthouse (near Spruce Head) — Reach via boat (complimentary with reservation)

Downeast:

Bass Harbor Head Lighthouse (Mount Desert Island)

Burnt Coat Harbor Lighthouse (Swan's Island) — Reach via theMaineState Ferry from Bass Harbor

Dyce (Dice) Head Lighthouse (Castine)

West Quoddy Head Lighthouse (Lubec) — Contains a third-order Fresnel lens

Other lighthouse activities during Maine Open Lighthouse Day weekend:

Maine Lighthouse Museum Rockland) — Contains the nation's largest collection of Fresnel lenses

Lighthouse Sunset Cruise (Rockland) — Sunset cruise Sept. 13 departs from Rockland Harbor at 4 p.m. with close-up views of five Midcoast lighthouses

Whitehead Light Station (near Spruce Head) — Offering a special opportunity called "Be a Lightkeeper for the Weekend" stay from Sept. 13 at 4 p.m. through Sept. 15 at 4 p.m.

Whaleback Day – Celebrate the state’s southernmost lighthouse during the first-ever “Whaleback Day” with events on both the Maine and New Hampshire sides of the Piscataqua River. Though the wave-swept lighthouse will not be open to the public, a special cruise will provide the public with an opportunity for a close-up view of Whaleback Lighthouse. To learn more, visit: portsmouthharborlighthouse.org.