2024 Southern Maine and New Hampshire

Day 1 - Sunday - October 6, 2024
We start at Embassy Suites in Portland, Maine, with welcome dinner.

Day 2 - Monday - October 7, 2024
We board the Custom Coach and travel to Rye Harbor, NH, for a 4-hour cruise with a box lunch on board. We will see the following lighthouses from the water:  Portsmouth Harbor #1, Whaleback #2, Isles of Shoals (White Island) #3, Boon Island #4 and Cape Neddick (Nubble) #5. After the cruise we will go to Portsmouth Harbor Lighthouse for a tour on land.  Our next stop will be Cape Neddick (Nubble) Lighthouse from land.  Our final lighthouse of the day will be Cape Elizabeth Two Lights (East) #6 and (West) #7.  Both towers will be opened for us. Then back to the hotel and dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3 - Tuesday - October 8, 2024
After breakfast we head for the glorious Portland Head Lighthouse #8 , where the tower will be opened for climbing (a rare opportunity). Next is Spring Point Ledge Light #9, which is out on a breakwater and will be opened for us. We then travel to the unique Portland Breakwater Light (Bug Light) #10, which will also be open for climbing. Then on to Boothbay Harbor, where we will have a short boat ride to Burnt Island Lighthouse #11, where the tower and keeper's house will be opened for us. This will be followed by dinner at a local Boothbay Harbor restaurant. After dinner, we will travel to the Rockland Harbor Hotel, where we will stay for the next three nights.

Day 4 - Wednesday - October 9, 2024
After a leisurely breakfast, we will travel to the Maine Lighthouse Museum to see the country's largest collection of Fresnel lighthouse lenses. After the museum, we head to Owls Head Lighthouse #12. Here we will enjoy a box lunch. The tower will be open for climbing, and there's a museum and shop in the keeper's house. We will then stop at Owls Head Transportation Museum to view their incredible collection of antique cars and planes. Then it's on to Marshall Point Lighthouse #13, with another museum and shop in the keeper's house. Then we'll head back to the hotel for a nice Italian dinner.

Day 5 - Thursday - October 10, 2024
We head for Camden Harbor Cruises to have a full day cruise in Penobscot Bay. Lunch will be on board. From the water, we will see the following lighthouses: Rockland Breakwater #14, Indian Island #15, Curtis Island #16, Grindle Point #17, Dice Head #18, Pumpkin Island #19, Eagle Island #20, Deer Island Thorofare (Mark Island) #21, Goose Rocks #22, Browns Head #23, and also Owls Head from the water.  After this cruise we will go back to the hotel and have a nice dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 6 - Friday - October 11, 2024
We depart Rockland Harbor Hotel and go to the Maine Maritime Museum in Bath, where we will board a boat to cruise the Kennebec River.  We will see the following lighthouses from the water: Seguin Island #24, Pond Island #25, Perkins Island #26, Squirrel Point #27, the Doubling Point Range Lights #28, and Doubling Point #29. After our return we will spend some time at the museum to view the exhibits, including a beautiful Fresnel lens display. We will have our lunch there. Then it's on to our last lighthouse, the spectacular Pemaquid Point #30. The tower will be open and the Fishermen's Museum is in the keeper's house. We will then travel back to the Embassy Suites in Portland for our last evening together and the farewell dinner.

Day 7 - Saturday - October 12, 2024
Departures for home.