Portland Maine: Casco Bay Lighthouse Cruise & Fort Views

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Free cancellationTravelers' pick

1/8

Duration1h

GroupUp to 80

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Casco Bay’s lighthouse stories, sea spray and old forts in Portland

You’ll feel Maine’s maritime history come alive as you cruise Casco Bay for an hour, passing four lighthouses including Portland Head Light and Fort Gorges. With stories from your local guide and a snack bar on board, you’ll spot seals and seabirds while soaking up salty air and city views—leaving you with more than just photos.

Step-by-step itinerary

Scenic cruise to lighthouses and forts

Board scenic cruise in Portland
View Portland Head Light lighthouse
See historic lighthouse from 1897
Pass by Bug Light lighthouse
Observe Civil War era Fort Gorges
Spot 1905 lighthouse on Casco Bay
Watch lobster boats, seals, seabirds
Complete 60-minute narrated cruise

The Experience

The first thing I noticed was the salt in the air — sharp, almost metallic — as we pulled away from Portland’s harbor. There was this low hum from the boat’s engine and someone behind me kept pointing out lobster buoys bobbing between bits of kelp. Our guide (I think her name was Annie?) started off with a story about how George Washington actually commissioned the Portland Head Light. I’ll admit, I didn’t expect to care much about lighthouses but seeing that one up close, with its white tower against the rocky shore and gulls wheeling overhead, kind of got to me.

We drifted past Fort Gorges next, this strange stone shape rising right out of the water on Hog Island Ledge. You can’t land there but you get close enough to see grass pushing through cracks in the old walls. Annie joked that it’s “haunted by bored soldiers,” which made a couple of us laugh. The wind picked up around here — brought a chill even though it was July — and I remember clutching my cup of coffee tighter. There were seals too, just little dark heads popping up near some fishing boats, and one kid shrieked every time he spotted another.

I kept looking back at Portland Head Light as we rounded away; it really does look different from every angle. The commentary was easy to tune in or out of (I liked that), so you could just watch cormorants drying their wings or try to spot all four lighthouses before we looped back toward the city skyline. There’s something about seeing those old towers from the water — you get why they mattered so much. And then suddenly we were docking again, but I still think about that salty breeze sometimes when I’m far from the coast.

What’s included

Your ticket covers a fully narrated 60-minute scenic cruise through Casco Bay with views of historic lighthouses like Portland Head Light and Fort Gorges; there’s a bar and snack bar available on board plus restroom facilities for comfort along the way before returning to Portland harbor at the end of your journey.

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPets welcomeNot for pregnant travelers

Operated by Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours