Fort Scammel Tour Casco Bay: Boat Cruise & Island Explore

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/14

Duration2h

GroupUp to 25

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Land on a Private Island Fort Most Portlanders Have Never Seen

A two-hour private boat tour from Portland to Fort Scammel on House Island, where you explore a historic 19th-century stone fort with underground passages and French architectural details. The boat departs from SeaPortland, includes a local craft beverage or non-alcoholic drink per person, and operates with a live English-speaking guide for groups of four or more. The fort itself has been privately owned and closed to the public until now, making this the only way to access it in Portland.

Step-by-step itinerary

Private Island Fort Tour and Cruise

Board the Elizabeth Grace boat
Cruise past iconic lighthouses
Arrive at Fort Scammel on House Island
Explore fort architecture and ruins
Visit catacombs-style underground passages
Return from the island tour

The Experience

Two hours gets you to Fort Scammel and back, which means the tour fits into a morning or afternoon without swallowing the whole day. You board the Elizabeth Grace at SeaPortland and cruise through Casco Bay past the iconic lighthouses on the way out to House Island. The boat ride itself is part of the experience — you're moving through the same waters that required these stone fortresses in the early 19th century, and the guide walks you through that history as you approach.

Once you land on the island, you explore the fort's unique architecture and preserved ruins, including the catacombs-style underground passages that run beneath it. The masonry shows French influences, and the whole structure is built to the scale and detail of a fort that actually saw combat — the only one in Portland Harbor with that distinction. This isn't a museum display or a distant view from the shore; you're walking through the actual rooms and passages, seeing how they were built to last.

A local craft beer or non-alcoholic drink is included with your ticket, served aboard the boat. The Elizabeth Grace has a restroom at the departure location in Portland, though not onboard, so plan accordingly. Groups of six or more can arrange a private charter for the best experience; the minimum to operate is four people.

What’s included

Boat cruise through Casco Bay with views of Portland Harbor lighthouses.
private access to Fort Scammel on House Island.
guided exploration of the 19th-century stone fort with underground catacombs-style passages.
one local craft beer or non-alcoholic drink per person.
live English-speaking guide.

Good to know

Moderate physical levelPets welcomePublic transport nearbyNot for back problemsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by SeaPortland

Is this one for you?At two hours, the tour leaves your morning or afternoon open for other plans in Portland — you're not committing a full day. The four-person minimum means you need a small group, but that's also what keeps the experience genuinely private and the fort from feeling crowded.