Lighthouses of the Maine Coast
Maine is known as The Lighthouse State, and for good reason. In the heyday of marine transportation as a way of life, at the turn of the 20th century, there were more than 70 lighthouses in Maine, guiding sailors to safety. Today, more than 65 are still in existence and many are open to visitors. The Maine Office of Tourism provides an excellent interactive map of lighthouse locations in the Midcoast, as well as other regions, making for easy trip planning. Below, also courtesy of the MOT, a beautiful shot of the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse (about 15 minutes south of us), and a video with some history on Maine lighthouses in general – fascinating if you can spare the time! Bring sturdy walking shoes and a windbreaker just in case – the walk on the breakwater is about 1 mile roundtrip and rewards the visitor with sights and sounds of Penobscot Bay, its schooners, fisher and lobstermen and wildlife.
