Going to Maine without seeing a lighthouse is like bypassing the Colosseum in Rome. With four lighthouses within 20 miles of Kennebunkport, the Cape Arundel Inn & Resort is excellent for lighthouse aficionados. Start your tour of these beautiful, life-saving guiding lights with the two closest to the resort.
Goat Island Light
Pier Road, Cape Porpoise, Kennebunkport, Maine, 207-967-3465
Kennebunkport’s own lighthouse stands on a rocky island in Cape Porpoise Harbor and is easily viewed from the pier in this walkable little coastal village. Established in 1833 and rebuilt several times, Goat Island Light was restored in 2011 to its 1950s appearance. A small dock accommodates boaters who want to visit the island for a closer look. Or stay ashore and enjoy the sights of this working harbor from a table at Cape Porpoise’s Pier 77 restaurant and its more casual The Ramp Bar & Grill.
Wood Island Light
Vine’s Landing, Biddeford, Maine, 207-200-4552
From Route 208 in Biddeford Pool, 12 miles north of Kennebunkport, you may view this 1858 stone lighthouse on Wood Island in Saco Bay. Book a July or August Wood Island Lighthouse tour for a unique lighthouse trip. A 15-minute boat ride on the Light Runner from Vine’s Landing takes you to the island, where you’ll hear heroic tales and hike a half-mile wood-plank trail to the tower.
Climbing the steps offers stunning vistas and lighthouse insider knowledge. The Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse is a volunteer-led nonprofit group whose purpose is to conserve the island and rebuild the lighthouse.
More Lighthouses to See Near Kennebunkport:
Cape Neddick “Nubble” Light in York
Boon Island Lighthouse in York
Whaleback Light in Kittery
