bug light park

This nearly 9-acre (3.64 ha.) public park at the end of Madison Street overlooks Portland Harbor The park is one of the most photogenic places on Casco Bay. It’s a great place to see the 30-foot (9.1 m) tall Portland Breakwater Lighthouse and the Liberty Ship Memorial. A paved path along the shoreline is the eastern end of the 5.7-mile (9.2 km) Greenbelt Walkway. The park has lots of room to bicycle, walk, fly kites, and picnic. The free parking near the path and the lighthouse fills up at times – it was almost full when we came for a sunset. A nearby seasonal boat launch has its own parking lot. We love the great views of Portland Harbor from here.

This is such a lovely park...to walk, to jog, to sit, to take photographs, to read, to reflect, or to just simply look at the harbor and the boats...the little lighthouse is picturesque and you can walk three miles or more in no time at all. What a great view of Portland, the ocean, and the surrounding area. Parts of the park are full of trees and flowers (flowers in the nicer weather!) and well marked pathways, do there is shade and relief from the sun, if desired. Plenty of free parking and always others there partaking of the park and all it has to offer. This area is a wonderful natural resource in South Portland...don't miss it.

Very charming little light house from the 19th century that’s on the list of USA historic places. There’s a short walk along the water along with a big open green space for running with dogs and kids. I could definitely see this place as a thriving metropolis of kite flyers during the summer. There’s far less walking to be had as compared to the Portland Head Lighthouse, and the setting is less dramatic, but it’s still worth seeing, especially if you’re a softy for lighthouses in Maine.

nice area for a picnic, be careful for the walk to the light.. can be difficult for the challenged. they have a kite day every summer which is fun to watch/ particapate

We go there at least once a month in good weather. Sometimes we even bring a picnic. Nicely laid out tables. Perfect place to see all of the Waterfront in Portland from a different perspective as well as see all the boats in the bay and the harbor. Great place to launch your kites and your boat! The light itself has been a major restoration project for months and the work is excellent.Dont miss this gem!

Parking lot seemed crowded but since it was windy, most people were just sitting in their cars and nobody was at the lighthouse. Good view of the passing cruise ships as they come and go from the port just across the harbor.

This was a cute little lighthouse, but nothing special. We preferred the Portland Head Lighthouse not too far away from this lighthouse.

we had just started looking around when it began to pour, wasn't going to stop soon either, so we moved on. Nice water views, can see a fort and another light house to your right.

Loves it because they allow pets on leashes. The light house is small, but cute and the view is wonderful

The park itself is free to get into which is nice. My GPS couldn't find, but the GPS on my phone did. It is in a nice quiet area and has a nice view of Casco Bay and nice views of Portland. The lighthouse is small, but you can walk right up to it to see it.

This is a good spot with free car parking and a is a nice place for a stroll along to the light house to look at the views across the harbour and back to the outdoor exhibition on ship building in the area.

Right on South Portland harbor with a great view of the city of Portland without being in the middle of it! Nice tarred or grassy area to sit or jog.

Always enjoy walking out to Bug Light. Just beautiful scenery in Portland watching all the boats and planes coming in. What a view! If u get lucky , u may see some kites on the lawn and folks eating lunch even in winter.

Bug Light Park is one of my favorite places in the Greater Portland area. Bug Light Park is part of land once used for shipyards. Today, it is at the eastern end of Portland’s Greenbelt Walkway. It covers about 9 acres. It offers a number of outdoor recreational activities. People fly kites, run, walk dogs, bicycle, picnic, photograph various points of interest in and around the park, and sit on park benches and enjoy the commanding views of Portland Harbor, Casco Bay, and the marine traffic. They also visit two attractions in the park:1) Portland Breakwater Light a/k/a Bug Light - a small lighthouse one can walk right up to2) Liberty Ship Memorial - a monument the World War II Liberty Ships built here See my reviews of both attractions for more details and background on each. The South Portland Historical Society and Museum is near the entrance to Bug Light Park. Bug Light Park is a very scenic and relaxing place. One can spend hours here doing little more than enjoying the sea breeze, taking in the picturesque scenery, and recharging one’s energy. For me and two friends, no trip to the Greater Portland area is complete without a visit to Bug Light Park and several lighthouses within a few miles. On our most-recent visit we happened to arrive just a few minutes before the Portland Schooner Company’s 66-foot schooner Bagheera was returning from a two-hour sail. That made a great addition to photos of Bug Light. Casco Bay Lines ferries passengers to and around the islands of Casco Bay. It seems that one of their distinctive ferries with a white top and yellow bottom passes by every 15 minutes on its way in and out of nearby Portland Harbor. They will make colorful additions to your photos of the lighthouse and nearby Fort Gorges. BRING YOUR CAMERA and BINOCULARS.Most parts of Bug Light Park are wheelchair accessible. Someone in a wheelchair can see everything in the park. The parking lot and walkway along the shore over to Bug Light are paved and pretty level.Interesting fact: The parking lot was paved in the shape of a Liberty Ship. Spring Point Ledge Light, Fort Preble, and Portland Harbor Museum are about 1+ miles away in South Portland. Portland Head Light in Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth Light (a/k/a Two Lights), Two Lights State Park, and Crescent Beach State Park---all in Cape Elizabeth---are just minutes away. And, Portland's Old Port and downtown areas are only about 15 minutes away.During our most-recent visit, we actually did it all on a full daytrip that lasted from morning until 7:00 PM with stops for lunch and a quick, light supper. But, we've been here several times before.Visiting all these places could become a three-day weekend trip for out-of-staters. If you found this review helpful, kindly click YES below.

We did a 5 lighthouse driving tour which I would highly recommend (you can find it on line). This was our last stop. It was very pretty and over looks the city of Portland. A wedding was going on, kites were flying and it was a beautiful day. Check it out.