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A Maine trip is all about lighthouses

JENNIFER BREWER

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For Maine in a nutshell, you can't do better than centering your visit around one of the state's many beautiful lighthouses while enjoying nearby attractions from beaches to amusement parks, lobster restaurants to shopping districts.

Wood Island Lighthouse in Biddeford Pool is one of the few that offer guided tours of the island, keeper's house and light tower. A short boat ride on the 18-passenger ''Light Runner'' takes you to the eight-acre Wood Island, where breeding gulls and other small wildlife abound.

Wood Island sits among a scattering of smaller islands, including one that is reputed to have played a part in the Underground Railroad. Other views on the boat ride include Old Orchard Beach and part of Cape Elizabeth up the coast.

The lighthouse is reached by a half-mile walk across the island on a raised boardwalk. Reaching the lighthouse tower requires a bit more exercise up the short but steep staircase, but the view from the top is worth the effort, including the entire island, plus New Hampshire's Mount Washington on the clearest days.

Tours are operated by the all-volunteer Friends of Wood Island Lighthouse, by advance reservation only on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, for a suggested minimum donation of $10 per person. The entire adventure takes a little less than two hours.

Most lighthouses are far less accessible than Wood Island, but Burnt Island Lighthouse off Boothbay Harbor also offers tours of the island and buildings. Here, volunteers present ''living history'' tours, in costume as the 1950s-era lighthouse keeper and his family. For $22 ($12 for ages 3-11), Balmy Days Cruises ferries sightseers to the island for a three-hour visit and tour, on Mondays and Thursdays only.

This midcoast area (about an hour north of Portland) is dotted with wooded islands, making any harbor tour a treat.

Portland Head Light should be part of any visit to the Portland area. One of the state's most famous lighthouses, the lighthouse (with a museum in the keeper's house) is part of one of the most accessible and scenic properties on the coast: Fort Williams Park on Shore Road in Cape Elizabeth. With free admission and ample parking, Fort Williams offers sweeping grassy hills, explorable fort ruins, a small beach and a spectacular view of the islands of Casco Bay. Fort Williams is cool even on the hottest summer days, thanks to a reliable sea breeze that also draws many kite flyers to the park.

Farther south, in York County, the famous Nubble Light sits on its own tiny island a stone's throw from the coast of Cape Neddick in York. Nubble is considered one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country.

The island is private, but adjacent Sohier Park, on Nubble Road off Route 1A, allows close viewing. For a more thorough look, Finest Kind Scenic Cruises out of Ogunquit's Perkins Cove operates a daily schedule of cruises (one and a half hours) around Nubble Light.

SOME NEARBY ATTRACTIONS

Round out your Maine experience by visiting the beaches, eateries and other attractions near each lighthouse.

The area around Biddeford Pool and Wood Island abounds with the beautiful sandy beaches that characterize Maine's lower coast, in Biddeford, Saco and the Kennebunks. (Some require parking stickers, typically available at the local police station.)

In Kennebunkport, don't miss the harbor and pier in the village of Cape Porpoise, just off Route 9. Goat Island Light and working lobster boats form a quintessential coastal tableau here. Lobster, lobster rolls and other fare are available from the Cape Pier Chowder house right on the pier, as well as Pier 77's upstairs restaurant and downstairs grill.

Kennebunkport, including Cape Porpoise, is full of renowned spots for lobster, all freshly caught. Kennebunkport also has a lovely area of historic shops centered around Dock Square, from which you can reach the rocky coastline of Ocean Avenue (including the Bush family retreat on Walker's Point).

Also near Biddeford, soak up local flavor at Rapid Ray's on Main Street in Saco. (To eat a hot dog like a Mainer, don't forget the celery salt.) Farther up Route 1, Martel's serves its own delicious ice cream just across from Funtown Splashtown USA, an exciting amusement park. The famed Old Orchard Beach is a short ride away, with a shop- and eatery-filled street and pier, Palace Playland amusement park and miles of sandy beach.

Near Portland Head Light, Cape Elizabeth's Two Lights State Park on Route 77 is a favorite for locals, with acres of rocky coastline to explore (but keep away from the surf, which can be unpredictable). One of the two original lighthouses is still operating; the other is a private residence. Farther along Route 77 is Crescent Beach State Park, a popular beach with rest rooms and showers, a snack bar and a large parking lot. Both state parks charge a small admission fee.

TASTES OF MAINE

For lobsters and other seaside must-haves, try a steamed lobster or lobster roll right at the shore at The Lobster Shack at Two Lights. On Route 77 between Two Lights and Crescent Beach, Kettle Cove Take-Out and Dairy Bar serves a less-is-more lobster roll (fresh meat lightly moistened with mayonnaise on a buttered, grilled roll) at a reasonable price, plus more than 30 flavors of ice cream.

Red's Dairy Freeze, just off Broadway on Cottage Road in South Portland (on the way to Fort Williams) is a hot spot for locals wanting to cool down with a soft-serve ice cream.

Boothbay Harbor, the departure point for Burnt Island Lighthouse, is a charming coastal town, with shops with shops lining the narrow, picturesque streets and a variety of restaurants and boat tours. In nearby Boothbay, children will enjoy a stop at the charming Boothbay Railway Village for steam-engine rides, historic buildings and antique auto displays.

Red's Eats on Route 1 in Wiscasset is famous for its lobster rolls and also serves a variety of seafood, hot dogs and more. The traffic and lines can be difficult here, but most visitors find it worth the wait.

The midcoast begins north of Freeport, about a half-hour from Portland. Freeport's Route 1 is lined with outlets for every shopper's taste, anchored by L.L. Bean. ''Bean's,'' as locals call it, has grown from a quaint, single store focused strictly on equipment for outdoor activities to a multi-building shopping hub. Popular for generations as a road trip destination, Bean's remains open 24 hours a day.

If your visit is focused on Nubble Light, explore the towns of Ogunquit, York and Kittery, on the southernmost Maine coast.

York Beach, with metered parking along Route 1A, includes Long Sands and Short Sands on either side of Nubble Light. The beachside village has the feel of an old-time seaside resort, with an arcade, shops and restaurants including The Goldenrod, famous for its saltwater taffy since 1896.

Back on Route 1, York's Wild Kingdom includes both a zoo and an amusement park. In York Village, Old York Historical Society offers tours of historic buildings including a jailhouse and schoolhouse.

In Cape Neddick, the in-the-know eatery is Flo's, for hot dogs with a famous, secret-recipe hot sauce. Like Red's in Wiscasset, Flo's often has long lines at its small building on Route 1.

In Ogunquit, walk on the rocky promontory of Marginal Way, a paved pathway leading from Perkins Cove to Ogunquit Beach. Perkins Cove is filled with shops and restaurants, with a famous pedestrian drawbridge. (Parking directly on the Cove can be challenging, but there are several lots within walking distance.) On Route 1, Ogunquit Playhouse is a traditional summer theater, featuring national companies performing plays and musicals.

In the gateway town of Kittery, shoppers will find retail outlets galore, plus Kittery Trading Post. The store offers a vast array of outdoor gear, plus clothing for men, women and children.

If you don't expect to make it to L.L. Bean in Freeport, rest assured that Kittery Trading Post offers many of the same departments and items.

Jennifer Brewer is a freelance writer who lives in Saco.

Cover photo of Nubble Light

by Andrew Dilley