Domestic Expeditions
Lighthouses of Maine
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Tour Registration Form
please call the office at 415-362-7255 or email us at jeff@uslhs.org
Dates
October 14th through October 17th, 2011
Itinerary
Fall is the perfect season to visit Maine, one of America’s premier lighthouse states, and the ideal time to see pristine fall foliage. This mini version of our long running Maine Lighthouse Tour is sure to be a winner for those members who can’t get away for our usual week long trip. Yet this tour still packs a wallop of beautiful scenery and loads of lighthouses.
Friday, October 14
The tour begins with a check-in at our hotel near the Portland, Maine airport where we host a welcome dinner. Those who drive to the tour may leave their vehicles at the hotel for the duration of the tour at no cost. Free van service is provided for those members flying to Portland.
Saturday, October 15
After a full breakfast at the hotel we board our coach for a short ride to the Cape Elizabeth Light Station. This station is one of only eight multi-towered stations in America. After a special tour hosted by Bob Trapani of ALF, we’ll head over to nearby Portland Head Lighthouse. Portland Head was the second lighthouse authorized by the new government in 1790 and is one of the most photographed lighthouses in the country. The Coast Guard will provide access to the usually off-limits tower. Additionally, there is a very nice lighthouse museum in the old keeper’s dwelling and a gift shop in the two car garage. After we leave Portland Head it’s just a hop, skip and jump to the Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, a charming, small, one of a kind structure. After a photo op at this stop we’re off to picturesque Pemaquid Point. The lighthouse is situated in a small park and near a dramatic granite shoreline, the perfect location for our picnic lunch. The group will be able to tour the tower and the keeper’s dwelling houses the Fishermen’s Museum which contains information about the lighthouse. Then we head to our hotel for a two night stay at the Samoset Inn, which is one of the premier hotels on the Maine coast. After checking in we’ll have dinner
at the hotel. Those who wish can take a nice walk to the breakwater before dinner to the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse located just beyond the hotel. It will be opened specially for our group.
Sunday, October 16
After breakfast at the hotel we board the coach for a very short trip to the Port of Rockland and board the Elizabeth Ann for a day cruise around Penobscot Bay. Leaving Rockland we head north passing the Rockland Breakwater Lighthouse and then we will see the following lighthouses as we circle the Bay: Indian Island, Grindle Point, Dice Head, Pumpkin Island, Eagle Island, Mark Island, Goose Rocks, Brown’s Head and Owl’s Head as we return to Rockland. A fabulous hot lunch will be provided during the voyage, along with munchies throughout the cruise. A lobster dinner will be held at a local restaurant, a Society favorite (substitutes available for non lobster lovers).
Monday, October 17
Breakfast at the hotel and then we’re off to see Maine’s Lighthouse Museum in Rockland. This is the most comprehensive lighthouse museum in the country. It’s filled with most sizes of lens, uniforms, brass implements, photos, fog signal apparatus and really far too much to see in just a short stop. We know you’ll want to return to this outstanding museum. Next we will take a short ride to the Owl’s Head Lighthouse and a tour of the tower. Then we depart for the Marshal Point Lighthouse. At Marshall Point we will enjoy a picnic lunch on the grounds and tour their museum. The small lighthouse was a feature of the movie Forest Gump. After this stop we head directly to the Portland Airport and then back to the hotel for members to retrieve their vehicles. We should arrive at the airport about 4:30pm for departures home. As we always do, extra days may be booked at the group rate for those members who want to do some Maine exploring before or after the tour.
Double - $2,968
Single - $1,884
Maine in the fall, a beautiful time to view lighthouses against a vivid palette of color. Join us for this visit to one of our premier lighthouse states. During this long weekend you’ll enjoy numerous lighthouses, wonderful scenery, great food and some special museums. A winner of an adventure!
