Port City Lights Cruise
Recommended by 95% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Portland, USA
- 1 hour (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Experience Portland's rich history from its most impressive vantage point: the water. Adventuring along Diamond Pass, you'll glimpse a Civil War–era fort, old-school lobster boats, and all the lighthouses Portland is so famous for, including Portland Head Light, Maine’s oldest. Suitable for all ages, this excursion is both a dive into Portland's past and a sightseeing adventure, a two-fer that’s leisurely, scenic, and fun.
- Snacks, drinks, and restrooms available onboard
- Witness all four of Portland's scenic lighthouses, plus Fort Gorges
- Learn about Portland's maritime heritage and Civil War history
- Catch views of wildlife, from seals to seabirds and more
What's Included
- Bar & snack bar available
- Restroom on board
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- 170 Commercial St, Portland, ME 04101, USA
The middle window at the blue and white kiosk building, marked Long Wharf on top.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse (Pass By)
Portland Breakwater Lighthouse (Pass By)
Portland Head Light (Pass By)
Fort Gorges (Pass By)
Ram Island Ledge Light (Pass By)
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Stroller accessible
- Service animals allowed
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Most travelers can participate
- Rubber soled shoes recommended, high heels not recommended
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 80 travelers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 288 reviews
Sort by: Most insightful
Katherine_G, Jul 2026
Friendly pleasant staff. Nice vessel. Interesting information. Good tour for children. We had 3 adults and one almost-five-year-old who is easily "bored" but enjoyed the boat immensely.
Monica_D, Jul 2026
Loved the lighthouses! I only wish the tour had been longer—it left us wanting more. It was a fantastic excursion, and the captain and crew were absolutely top-notch: friendly, knowledgeable, and made the trip so enjoyable.
One more thing… my friend Dawn may have developed a slight crush on the captain. 😄 She wanted me to mention that if he’s single and looking for a fan club, she’d gladly take his phone number! Thanks for an unforgettable experience!
Jeannette_H, Jul 2026
I nice, hour-long cruise that gives great views of the nearby lighthouses, along with some history about them and other sights in the area.
Jennifer_B, Jul 2026
Great way to see the lighthouses and beautiful Casco Bay. The guide was excellent. Sit on the top level for the best views.
mary_C, Jul 2026
The host was shared history about the light houses and buildings as well as stories that are not well known on the tour.
Tammy_R, Jul 2026
Our tour guide was fantastic - offered interesting history and facts I never knew before even though I grew up in South Portland! The boat ride was smooth and we enjoyed being able to stand out front to get a close up view of lighthouses and islands. Loved that it was just an hour so we could fit lots of other activities into the rest of the day too!
Darlene_P, Jul 2026
Everything was great except we were seated in the main level, enclosed area and we couldn’t hear the narrator.
Kate_C, Jul 2026
The scenery was beautiful but the volume on the microphone was too low for us to hear anything when the engine of the boat was really going. Luckily, we'd already done two other tours so we didn't miss much (I don't think).
Chloe_W, Jul 2026
The scenery was beautiful, with stunning views of the coastline, historic lighthouses, and picturesque islands. The Tour guide did an excellent job sharing the history of Portland Harbor, local maritime traditions, and fascinating stories behind each lighthouse, making the cruise both relaxing and educational. Highly recommend this.
dltsnyder, Jun 2026
The amount of history we received on this tour is incredible. They were informative and friendly. Well worth the money
Douglas_W, Jun 2026
Sit back and take in the scenery and a great speaker.
You cannot imagine how beautiful the Maine coast is until you go for the ride.
Erin_C, Jun 2026
Very informative! Beautiful sights and a nice relaxing activity to do on vacation! Amy was great thank you!
diane_h, Jun 2026
Trip was great. Very informative. It was a little breezy. Would definitely bring a sweater. Saw all the light houses that would have taken longer to view if driving. Did get a chance to see a dolphin. All in all it was a nice time. Would definitely recommend this when in the area.
Kay_K, Jun 2026
This is an hour long tour, which is perfect if you just want to see a few of the highlights of the area. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and entertaining! The weather was perfect!
Lara_T, Jun 2026
Nice little boat tour of Portland Harbour and lighthouses. I personally would have enjoyed a longer tour but this 1 hour was the perfect length for my 8yo’s attention span. Friendly crew.
Kurt_B, Jun 2026
Informative tour guide made it fun. There was a lot to see in 1 hour. The ride was smooth and easy to enjoy.
PAUL_D, Jun 2026
If it is a blue sky day, take a light sweater. We liked sitting on the upper deck.
Mark, our guide, is a Portland native and let us know “lobster” is incorrect whereas “lobstah” is proper pronunciation! He was a wonderful guide - fun and amazingly informative with the history and current stories. The sound system was great.
Hector_P, Jun 2026
This Ferry is very smooth and informative...we love the scenery and the view was really great...we loved it!
Nancy_D, Jun 2026
The boat sailed between islands, along the shore and past various lighthouses. The scenery was beautiful. One of the ship members narrated the tour and was interesting and informative. It made the tour for me. She did have difficulty with the speakers which was a distraction.
Caitlin_M, Jun 2026
Great little cruise around Casco Bay. Saw four (five?) lighthouses and enjoyed the sunny day, the breeze, and the crew commentary. Basically had the whole lower deck to ourselves and did the titanic on the bow. 10/10. Definitely go to the Portland Head Light up close if you have time, but if not this is a good glimpse of the most photographed light house in the US.
Hannah_P, May 2026
This was a great, budget-friendly way to get out on the water in Portland. The booking process was super easy, the tour on time, and the guides very knowledgeable.
Kimberly_B, Oct 2025
Honestly I bet it would have been a great experience. I drove up from RI and got there about a minute late. Coming from out of town I wasn’t sure about parking and then found the parking lot. Then I had to try figuring out which ship was the one I was supposed to be on. By the time all was figured out the ship was leaving and it was only a couple of minutes past 11. I asked to switch my time or for a refund and it was made abundantly clear that I could not get a refund since it was my fault for not showing up on time and I could only switch the cruise time if I was willing to spend more money which I did not have. I understand I was late but it wasn’t that long and I wish there would have been just a small grace period for those of us who have never been to the area.
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you for your feedback. We are truly sorry to hear that you missed your departure and were left feeling frustrated after traveling all the way from Rhode Island.
We understand navigating a new city, finding parking, and locating the correct vessel can be stressful. This is why we strongly recommend all customers arrive 30 minutes prior to the scheduled departure.
We must adhere to the 11:00 AM departure time to ensure the experience is not interrupted for other guests. While we are non-refundable for missed departures, we always offer the opportunity to switch to another tour time if there is availability. We apologize if this was not communicated properly at that time.
Cindy_C, Oct 2025
Wear a jacket! Great views, historical information about the Cape was interesting! Will definitely be back next year!!!!
Bri_R, Oct 2025
If you're looking for a shorter option to still get out on the water and learn fun facts - this is the tour for you!!! Most of the tour options I was looking at were 2 hours+ so I was very grateful to find this one being on a tight schedule!
Debra_R, Oct 2025
Great value, fun to see all the Lighthouses, homes and scenery from the boat. Josh did a great job giving us lots of history and information!
Lynn_A, Oct 2025
The tour is a wonderful way to learn things about the harbor/bay in Portland. Nice crew. Good value for your money
Joyce_B, Oct 2025
We had a great cruise and our guide was very knowledgeable about the lighthouses, forts, city sights, and beaches in the area. She made it enjoyable with a little humor thrown in with the history and our Captain was great as well—highly recommend this cruise!!
Alissa_J, Oct 2025
Both my partner and I agreed this was our favorite thing we did while visiting Portland! The crew was the best
Juliana_H, Oct 2025
We booked this last minute due to cruise port itinerary change and we were glad we did. Nate drove the ship safely and smoothly considering the rocky waves and got the best views of the lighthouses, forts, and Maine shorelines. Steve gave great history and facts to give a great tour of this charming port.
Jenny_K, Sep 2025
This tour was excellent. It started on time, the boat had a wonderful staff, and the info told while we saw the sights was historical and interesting.
From $39.00
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Port City Lights Cruise
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