LilyLace

Hello! We are 4 adults traveling from Pennsylvania to South West Harbor in September. We have 2 overnights planned on the way, in hopes that we will have the opportunity to stop and see a couple liighthouses. Any recommendations on the way to Mount Desert Island? Two of us are 50 the other two are 82 but still quite spry. Thanks in advance!

IMDonehere

Where are Southwest Harbor and Mount Desert Island?

http://www.bobspixels.com/lighthouse...?map=northeast

PaulRabe

Here's the place to start for info:

http://www.lighthousefriends.com/pul...e=ME&Submit=Go

at which you can find

http://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?...A.kPprfi1DFr50

For each lighthouse, you can get an idea of how easy (or difficult) it would be to get "close enough" to it (I recognize that these two words mean different things to different people). More importantly, you can see a photo of the LH and decide if you want to even bother to see it.

LilyLace

Thank you Paulrabe. Just what I was needing.

dfrostnh

We have not been on this particular cruise from Portland Maine but have done the mailboat cruise. You can park in the garage next to the dock and also enjoy looking around the Old Port area. It would give you a nice break from driving.
http://www.portlanddiscovery.com/tou...lovers-cruise/

The lighthouse at Fort Williams Park is in a beautiful park with great view of Casco Bay. You can buy lobster rolls at Bite Into Maine food truck that is parked there. We drive around with bag chairs so we can sit and enjoy the view wherever there's a good place. We also take simple picnic supplies so we can picnic at a place like this.

The hike to Owls Head light is short and pretty easy. You have a nice view once you climb the short flight of stairs. This is near Rockland Maine.

Here is information about the lighthouse in New Castle NH. One of our favorite drives is to go to Strawbery Banke/Prescott Park area of Portsmouth and drive route 1B thru New Castle. The directions on the website have you get to 1B from a different end which might be good if you want to end up in Portsmouth where there are some great restaurants and interesting downtown area. The parking garage is within walking distance of several restaurants. I recently had lunch with a friend at Surf. All the restaurants on that street share a back deck area so you can walk along the water from restaurant to restaurant ending in a little parking lot.
http://www.portsmouthharborlighthous...-houses-tours/

BrendaM

One stop I'd recommend is Nubble Lighthouse in York. It's easy to get to and you'll be able to take some great photos from the parking lot. Nubble is quite famous for photos. It sits just off shore on its own rocky island but very close to the parking lot. Your elderly friends will have no problem here.