With 65 lighthouses standing along the coastline, Maine is commonly referred to as The Lighthouse State, but none are as widely recognized and historically significant as The Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Commissioned by George Washington to serve as the entrance to Portland Harbor, it was completed in 1791 and is now the older lighthouse in the state.

I’d recommend at minimum an afternoon to spend enjoying the lighthouse and the 90-acre adjacent Fort Williams Park taking in the stunning views and wandering the picturesque hiking and walking paths.

A lighthouse is the quintessential coastal scene on your visit to Maine, while this illustration is the quintessential way to preserve the memory of the sweeping views, smell of salt air, and sounds of the waves crashing along the rock coastline.