Lobsters & Lighthouses in Portland, ME
Our Day in Portland, ME
Place: Portland. ME
State: Maine
Closest Cities: Boston, MA
Time of Year: May 2023
How we got there: Plane, Road trip
On a gorgeous 70 degree day in May, we left our Airbnb in Boston and drove the 2 hours to Portland, ME. Our destination was Acadia National Park, however I had read so many great things about Portland . We decided to spend a whole day there and what a fantastic day it was! There were two things on our itinerary that day: Lighthouses and Lobsters!
5 Lighthouses Bike Tour
Summer Feet Cycling was the tour company we choose to show us around Portland on bikes. We meet our tour guide John in the Old Port District along the Casco Bay. Parking was $20 for the day and it was easy to find a spot since it was early in the day. After getting fitted for our bikes and helmets we were off. We were the only two on the tour so we had our guide all to ourselves. This was great because we got to see a few extra sites! Right away we crossed the Casco Bay Bridge with the traffic as if we were one of the cars. Soon we were riding on a cute little bike path that took us through Ferry Village where we spotted some baby Canadian geese.
Our first lighthouse of the day was Portland Breakwater Lighthouse also known as Bug Light because it sits in Bug Light Park. Built in 1875, it marks the entrance to the Portland Breakwater and sits about 26 feet tall. Bug Light Park is a popular spot for kite flying and there was a kite flying festival going on during our visit!
Bug Light park was also the location of the ship building effort during World War II. This is where they built the Liberty Ships. We visited the Liberty Ship Memorial where we learned about the men and women who worked hard for the war effort..
As we began riding to our next stop, our tour guide John asked if we liked cookies! Sweet treats are my absolute favorite! We made a small detour into town and stopped by Scratch Baking Co to pick up a mid morning snack! John explained to us that if we waited too long the bakery would sell out and close for the day. He was absolutely right because later that morning when we passed by there was a closed sign in the window. It was only 12:30pm! Their cookies are that good! This is not a regular stop on the tour however since we were experienced riders we had extra time!
Cookies in hand, we peddled to Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse which is located on the campus of South Maine Community College along with the remains of Fort Preble. There were very few visitors during this time so we were able to enjoy a nice walk out to see the lighthouse up close and then wonder around For Preble learning its history which dates back to the early 1800’s. We happened to time this trip just right. Because it was the week before Memorial Day weekend, there were no crowds and the weather was just perfect.
Our next stop would be the big one! We cruised through the streets of a prestigious neighborhood on Shore Drive to reach Portland Headlight. Portland Headlight is Maine’s oldest operating lighthouse. It was built during George Washington’s presidency. If you only have time for one lighthouse when you visit Portland, it must be Portland Headlight! It sits on the rocky shoreline with aqua blue waves crashing on the rocks all around! It is a sight to see. Very picturesque!
Adjacent to the lighthouse is Fort Williams Park where we had a lobster roll picnic! We ordered our rolls from the Fort Williams food truck . They were included in our bike tour. We choose the Connecticut style and the Picnic style. Both were yummy! There were picnic tables overlooking the water and the lighthouse. What more could you ask for! Lobster rolls with a view! In the distance we could see the Ram Island Ledge Light about a mile offshore. This one is only accessible by private boat so we were not able to see that one up close.
After lunch we had extra time so we made our way through downtown Portland and up the Eastern Promenade Trail to Fort Allen Park. The park sat right below the beautiful Munjoy Hill neighborhood with colorful homes. We took in the bay views and reflected on the morning’s activities. We rode at total of 18 miles and our bike adventure was coming to an end.
Lobster Boat
After a brief rest, we were ready for our lobster boat experience with Lucky Catch Lobster Boats. We boarded our boat in the colorful harbor right off Commercial St. in downtown Portland.
As the boat headed out on Casco Bay, we suited up in our bright orange fishing aprons and gloves and got ready to work! You can choose how “hands on” you wish to be! Cesar and I were all in and they literally put us to work! We learned how to haul up the traps, prepare the bait, replace the bail, rescue trapped crabs, measure the lobsters, and toss the traps back in!
We were taught how to identify males and females. A V shaped notch was cut in the tail of the female if she was a known breeder. This tells other lobsterman that she is protected and must be thrown back in so she can help populate the lobster community! We found a female with thousands of eggs on her belly!
I think one of my favorite parts was rescuing the crabs that got caught in the lobster traps! They used their little claws to latch on to the sides of the trap and they would pinch my fingers as I tried to get them to let go! I didn’t get to save them all as there were seagulls waiting in the water for a little afternoon snack! I’ve attached a video of just that!
Lucky Catch did a fantastic job engaging us in the activities of a real working lobster boat. We enjoyed every minute of it! This is a great activity for the whole family and I highly recommend that you not miss it if you ever find yourselves in Portland, ME!
Well that concludes our lighthouses and lobsters day in Portland, Maine! Hope you too get the chance to visit!
