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Private Lighthouse Sightseeing Charter on a Vintage Lobster Boat

Private Lighthouse Sightseeing Charter on a Vintage Lobster Boat

Overview

Step aboard a vintage Maine Lobster Boat for a private, 2-hour lighthouse viewing & sightseeing charter. Leave the crowds behind as we tour the islands of Casco Bay and pass by 4 lighthouses, historic 19th century forts, and the scenic Maine Coast. Book ONE TICKET for a group of up to 6 guests.

Charters depart from Portland's Old Port or from our dock, where free parking is available. Perfect for families and small groups, each charter is private for groups of up to 6.

Customize your charter by adding onboard catering including lunches, charcuterie platters, and snacks. Beer and wine are available on board for purchase as well. Kindly contact us at least 48 hours in advance of your departure to order food.

City: Portland

Sun 23 Feb

Other dates

You can choose the date already on the booking website

Starting at $550.00

Make a reservation

Sun 23 Feb

Starting at $550.00

Make a reservation

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What's Included

Bottled water

Beer and wine available for purchase on board.

All Fees and Taxes

MONHEGAN is equipped with an environmentally friendly composting toilet

This is a private charter for groups of up to 6 guests (including children)

Cooler and ice

Licensed Captain & Local Guide

Additional Info

Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Charters are priced per boat for up to 6 passengers. Select 1 adult at checkout to provide primary traveler information for your party.
Children are welcome, but minors must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Face masks required for guides in public areas
Hand sanitiser available to travellers and staff
Regularly sanitised high-traffic areas
Gear/equipment sanitised between use
Transportation vehicles regularly sanitised
Guides required to regularly wash hands
Contactless payments for gratuities and add-ons
Face masks required by guests/staff when boarding and disembarking vessels and at other times when staff and guests are in close proximity to each other. While vessels are under way, guests are not required to wear face masks should they choose to remove them.

What To Expect

Portland

Board M/V MONHEGAN, a beautifully restored wooden lobster boat, and make yourself at home as you cruise through Portland's Harbor, past wharves dating to the period just after the Revolutionary War. At one point, Portland was one of the busiest harbors in the early decades of the United States, a fact attested to by the incredible stone fortresses protecting the harbor.

Bug Light Park

Marking the entrance to Portland Harbor, this small lighthouse is typically the first of four lighthouses we see on our sightseeing excursions aboard our vintage wooden boats.

Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse

Get up close to Spring Point Light and nearby Fort Preble, a small gun emplacement built as a part of Portland's Harbor Defenses. In the early years, the lighthouse was not connected to the mainland by the granite breakwater that exists today, and ships that went on the wrong side of the lighthouse went aground on shallow ledge.

Portland Head Light

See Maine's most iconic lighthouse from the water. Weather and sea conditions permitting, we spend time in the waters in front of the lighthouse for photos and discussion about the history of the lighthouse. We do not go ashore or tour the lighthouse. Lighthouse is not open for tours as it is still an active navigational beacon.

Ram Island Ledge Light

Marking the opposite side of the harbor channel from Portland Head Light, Ram Island Light sits atop a rocky ledge and at high tide appears to be floating and completely unattached to land. Whereas Portland Head Light has its stately keeper's house and beautiful white washed sides, Ram Island Light is weathered and gray almost inaccessible, with a now-derelict pier leading to a ladder that requires one to climb up 30 feet on the outside of the lighthouse before you get to the door.

Casco Bay

Casco Bay is world-renown for its rugged islands, protected waters, and fantastic scenery. Cruise past some of the bay's 200+ islands boasting tree-covered rocky cliffs, small fishing communities, and cute harbors.

Fort Gorges

As the most conspicuous stone fortress protecting Portland Harbor, Fort Gorges is a landmark visible from much of Casco Bay, which is exactly why it was built on this rocky outcropping a short distance from Peaks and Little Diamond Islands and the mainland itself. The fort could fire more than a dozen cannons on attackers coming from any possible sea route, but was never used in active battle. Technological advancements in artillery during the Civil War rendered it too vulnerable to be useful. The fort did serve as a storage facility for the army during World War II, when underwater mines, electromagnetic sensing cables, and other systems were used to help protect Portland and Casco Bay from German attack. Remember, Portland was home to a large shipyard during WWII and was the start of a pipeline that supplies oil to Montreal and eastern Canada, so the region was of high strategic importance even in more modern conflicts.

Peaks Island

Enjoy fantastic views of the scenic cliffs on Cushing Island and the tree-lined streets and quaint cottages of Peaks Island. Once home to several amusement parks that were served by direct steamer routes from New York, Peaks is now a quiet island neighborhood that is technically part of the City of Portland but has a small-town feel all its own. By the time the fall colors are in full view, most seasonal residents have returned to their usual homes, and Peaks is home to just a couple hundred hearty year round souls who must take a ferry or water taxi to get to the mainland.

Show 5 more stops

Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Traveler Photos

Reviews (35)

kjarmstrong

Jun 2019

This is the second trip I have taken with this charter company and they keep getting better and better. We wanted a special event for my dad's 80th with his daughters and they gave us a wonderful tour of the Portland harbor and lighthouses. They've added some lovely custom features to the boat-- picnic seating and a cover to protect from the weather. They are flexible and accommodating and ordered a special dessert for our celebration. Zach and Nick couldn't have been nicer and helped us create an amazing family memory. We had a blast!

Vacation703431

Oct 2018

Our party of 4 enjoyed a 2 1/2 hr private charter on the Monhegan. We enjoyed a bottle of wine with our lunch as we cruised Casco Bay and took photographs of the lighthouses, forts and wildlife! Our guide, Matt was very knowledgeable and friendly. Our Captain, Nick, provided us with a smooth cruise throughout the afternoon! An outstanding experience! Highly recommended!