Maine's Southern Coast: The Marginal Way

One of my favorite spots on the southern coast of Maine is Ogunquit's Marginal Way.  A paved footpath of a little more than a mile, The Marginal Way winds its way along the coast connecting Perkin's Cove to Ogunquit Beach.  The Marginal Way offers an easy, peaceful walk with stunning, non-stop ocean views.  Don't miss this little piece of paradise!

The Marginal Way, Ogunquit, Maine

Ogunquit Beach from The Marginal Way

Take a peek at the beautiful homes and gardens that back up to The Marginal Way

Find a place to rest at one of the many benches along the way.

Enjoy the view

* Find out more about The Marginal Way and view a live web cam here.

Maine's Southern Coast: Ogunquit

The word Ogunquit means "beautiful place by the sea," and that's certainly an appropriate name for this lovely town.  Full of shops, restaurants, and hotels, Ogunquit also has a wonderful beach and a gorgeous oceanside walking path. Perhaps the biggest draw in town is Perkin's Cove, a pretty inlet surrounded by gorgeous homes and quaint shops.  A small drawbridge connects the two sides of the cove and crosses over the harbor which is full of a variety of boats. Here's a bit of what we enjoyed in Ogunquit.

Ogunquit has a beautiful stretch of beach!

Pretty homes dot the town, especially around Perkin's Cove and along the coastline.

Natural beauty and plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors

The Marginal Way, a one-mile coastline trail, begins at Perkin's Cove.

Perkin's Cove is a great place to book a cruise or tour or just to
watch the boats sail into and out of the harbor.

The footbridge offers lovely views and is a popular place for photos.

Perkin's Cove is also a fun place to shop.

Several good restaurants are located in Perkin's Cove, and good lobster is easy to find.

Don't miss the quirky birdhouses on the Harbor Master's office

and the side of the foot bridge

Maine's Southern Coast: Lighthouses, Part 3

We saw two more lighthouses on a beautiful day when we traveled to the southernmost coast of Maine.  We made our way out to Frisbee Wharf in Kittery which is just north of the Maine-New Hampshire border.  There we saw Maine's Whaleback Light and New Hampshire's Portsmouth Harbor Light.

Looking out from Frisbee Wharf in Kittery, the lighthouse closest to you is actually in
New Hampshire.  This is the Portsmouth Harbor Light.

The present lighthouse was built in 1878 and stands 48 feet tall.

Maine's Whaleback Light as seen from Frisbee Wharf in Kittery.

Whaleback Light 

The present Whaleback Light was constructed in 1872 and stands 50 feet tall.

You can capture a great view of Whaleback Light from Fort Constitution Park in New Hampshire.

Maine's Southern Coast: Lighthouses, Part 2

The Nubble Lighthouse and the Boon Island Light are both located in York, Maine.  We were lucky enough to visit them on two separate occasions during our trip--once on a rainy, windy day and once on a dry, partly sunny day.  Both visits were well worth our time.

Located on a small island just off the coast at Cape Neddick, the Nubble Light is a
popular tourist attraction on Maine's southern coast.  Built in 1879, the light is
41 feet tall.

The rocky north side of the island is a great spot for bird watching.

Look closely and you can see the nests of the cormorants. 

The waves and the weather don't seem to bother the birds.

There are several places to sit and enjoy the scenery.

About six miles off shore from the Nubble Light is Boon Island Light.  The present light
was built in 1855, and at 133 feet it is the tallest lighthouse in New England.

Maine's Southern Coast: Lighthouses, Part 1

Two great things about traveling to see a lighthouse: you're pretty much guaranteed a great view and an interesting bit of history.  The lighthouses we found along Maine's southern coast did not disappoint.  Today's photos are from our visit to Portland on a rainy Monday when conditions were just perfect to experience the drama and majesty of the coast around the Portland Head Light and the Ram Island Ledge Light.

Our first glimpse of the Portland Head Light, Maine's oldest lighthouse (c. 1791). It is located
in the Cape Elizabeth section of Portland in Fort Williams Park.

The keeper's cottage is now a museum, the small building on the left a gift shop.

The museum housed several of the old lights that were once
used in the lighthouse.

A British ship, the Annie McGuire, wrecked on these rocks in front of the Portland Light on
Christmas Eve 1886.  The keeper and his family helped get all the passengers safely
to shore.

The original 1791 lighthouse is still in use and stands 80 feet tall.  Visitors are not
allowed inside the actual lighthouse.

The views are magnificent even on a stormy day.

Ram Island Ledge Light is located about a mile offshore in front of the Portland
Head Light.  Completed in 1905, it is 90 feet tall.