Fort Williams Park and Portland Head Light

by Melody
(Maine)

If you are taking a trip to Maine, the one place that you absolutely have to visit is For Williams Park and Portland Head Light in Cape Elizabeth. This is the kind of place that is perfect for everyone; people with kids, dogs, and elderly parents or grandparents.

The first time I went to Fort Williams Park was with my boyfriend when we were on a trip to Portland. We were in our own car since we were coming from north of Augusta, Maine. To get to Fort Williams, you drive through beautiful Cape Elizabeth with gorgeous multi-million dollar homes on the ocean. The highlight of the park is Portland Head Light, supposedly the most photographed lighthouse in the world.

We actually stopped and bought lunch at a deli on the way out and ate on the picnic tables at the park. It was a beautiful day and we walked along the paths that surround the lighthouse. There are several benches along the way and you can sit and look out at the ocean. Once I had been to the park once, I definitely wanted to go back again.

I went a second time when my parents were visiting Maine and we brought my dog. It was a gorgeous summer day and my dad loved the gift shop that is part of the lighthouse. There was a man sitting just to the left of the lighthouse, painting it. My dog had a blast running around on the gorgeous lawn and we had a really nice time just walking around and taking pictures. I also noticed people lying around reading, writing and playing Frisbee.

The one drawback to the park is that it is about 15-20 minutes from Portland and if you are there on a tour or your cruise has docked in Portland, you may have a hard time getting there. It would be very expensive to take a cab out there, but if you are in Portland for a long weekend and have rented a car, it is definitely worth your time to take a trip out to Fort Williams Park.