Cape Elizabeth

Marking the entrance to Casco Bay, Cape Elizabeth is comprised of beautiful beaches and the “beacon,” otherwise known as the Portland Head Light. Cape Elizabeth’s lush landscape is a huge draw for visitors. In fact, the town’s growing season is the longest in the state of Maine. According to the town’s official website, Cape Elizabeth has more parkland and permanently dedicated open space than any other community in Cumberland County.

Cape Elizabeth is an ideal location to visit for outdoor enthusiasts. A quick drive from Portland, you can easily spend the day exploring its parks, monuments and lighthouses, sandy beaches and quaint downtown area. Cape Elizabeth has no railroads for public transportation, so many visitors enjoy exploring the small town by bike or on foot. In fact, the town is a popular destination for many athletes and exercise enthusiasts around the U.S., due to the fact that it hosts the annual Beach to Beacon 10K road race that starts at Crescent Beach State Park (the "beach") and ends at Portland Head Light (the "beacon").

Cape Elizabeth is also home to three parks: Fort Williams Park, Two Lights State Park, and Crescent Beach State Park. Crescent Beach State Park offers gorgeous views of grassy, flowering dunes and beautiful coastline. Beach goers are often seen stopping at the local snack bar, or enjoying a picnic at the picnic tables. With a lifeguard on duty during the summer months and public bathrooms, it’s a wonderful destination for families. According to the town, Cape Elizabeth has 923 total acres of land owned or under easement protection for conservation purposes.

If you’re looking for something fun to do while you’re in town, visit the famous Portland Head Light, which was first lit in 1791. Cape Elizabeth is also home to the lesser known Ram Island Ledge Lighthouse, too.

5 Fast Facts About Cape Elizabeth, Maine:

1. Cape Elizabeth is the birthplace of legendary movie director John Ford, as well as the first winner of the Women's Olympic Marathon, Joan Benoit Samuelson.
2. The town’s Portland Head Light is the most photographed lighthouse in the world.
3. Cape Elizabeth’s largest employer is the Cape Elizabeth School Department. The school district is considered among the best in Maine, where students typically rank first in statewide academic achievement examinations.
4. Additionally, there is only one, single school department in the town. The town’s high school name is the ‘Capers.’
5. According to the town’s official website, Edward Hopper's painting, "Lighthouse Hill", showing Cape Elizabeth Light at Two Lights, is the country's most famous lighthouse painting. It is part of the collection of the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Portland Head Light

Portland Head Light is the most-visited lighthouse in Maine and the second most-reviewed place in the entire state, 4.8 from more than 16,700 Google reviews, behind only Acadia National Park. It stands in Fort Williams Park (4.8 from over 3,700 reviews), which is free to enter and open year-round.

The tower itself is closed to the public; the museum in the 1891 keepers' quarters is the only interior access, and it is seasonal. The classic photograph is taken from the rocks south-east of the light, and the park's main lots are pay-and-display in season. Early morning is both quieter and better lit.

The beaches

Crescent Beach State Park (4.6 from over 1,100 reviews) has the best swimming in Greater Portland: a sheltered cove with a sand bottom, an entrance fee, and a lot that fills on hot weekends. Kettle Cove (4.8 from around 800 reviews) is next door and smaller: rocks, tidal pools and a grassy picnic area rather than a place to spend four hours.

Two Lights State Park is on the same headland but does not contain either of the lighthouses it is named after. Both towers are private, and the view of them is from the Two Lights Road turnaround. It is worth knowing before you drive in expecting otherwise.

Common questions

Is Portland Head Light in Portland or Cape Elizabeth?

Cape Elizabeth. Maine's most photographed lighthouse stands in Fort Williams Park, south of the Portland peninsula, and the address is Cape Elizabeth even though the name suggests otherwise. It rates 4.8 from 16,744 reviews, more than anything else in the state. The grounds and the shoreline path are what most visitors come for, since the tower itself is not open for climbing.

Is there a beach in Cape Elizabeth?

Yes, two good ones. Crescent Beach State Park has the long sand strand, rated 4.6 from 1,110 reviews, and Kettle Cove next door is smaller and rockier at 4.8 from 801. Both fill quickly on hot weekends, so arrive early. The water stays cold well into summer, so expect wading more than swimming and bring a layer for the wind.

Why is it called Two Lights?

Because two towers were built here, so the station showed a pair of lights and could not be mistaken for the single-light stations along the same coast. Only the eastern tower still works as a navigational light; the western one was retired and is now private property. Two Lights State Park, rated 4.7 from 1,578 reviews, sits on the headland nearby with paths over the rocks.

Where can you get a lobster roll in Cape Elizabeth?

The Lobster Shack at Two Lights is the landmark, right on the rocks, at 4.3 from 3,711 reviews. Bite into Maine, which started as a food truck and set up near Fort Williams Park, rates 4.8 from 804 and serves the roll several ways. C Salt Gourmet Market is the quieter option at 4.3 from 542. Lines at the Shack are longest at midday.