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    Fort Williams Park

    4.7 (139 reviews)
    Open • 7:00 am - 8:00 pm

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    Michelle F.

    What's not to love about this place; Fort Williams Park is worth the short trip just outside Portland, ME. in Cape Elizabeth. It's a beautiful scenic 90 acre space over looking the Atlantic Ocean. The iconic Portland headlight and historic Fort ruins (former US Army post) are especially notable. The park offers many trails, plant species and wildlife! If you go on the Cliff Walk you get panoramic views of the entire Casco Bay. There are also places to picnic and play various sports. It'd be a great place to spend a summer day!

    Michael H.

    After leaving Willard Beach we made the short drive to Fort Williams. Amazing complex of historic light house, rocky cliffs and beaches. We spent the rest of our day walking around Fort Williams for hours. The beach / coastal trail was spectacular! This park was immaculately clean. As a matter of fact, all the beach areas and parks in Maine were completely free of trash. Kudos to the citizens of Maine. Fort Williams also provided several food trucks around the park. I enjoyed some refreshing Maine blueberry soda and my wife had some local blueberry ice cream. Can't wait to go back!!

    Dwight F.

    I love this park! One of the more photogenic lighthouses I've seen. Park was clean and beautiful. Parking is cheap. Was around $7 for two hrs. It is 2hr parking minimum at the parking spot closest to the lighthouse, keep that in mind. I went here before June, so the museum and museum shop wasn't open. Drive slow as you venture through the park as there aren't a lot of sidewalks so people are walking kinda everywhere. Few food trucks planted around the park, I went to one that had Blueberry Pie ice cream, wow what a treat! Great park!

    Irene Y.

    **November 2025: Saturday Morning Visit** Visiting a lighthouse in Maine was a priority on this trip, so I did a little bit of research and saw that this lighthouse (the Portland Head Lamp) was not only the oldest lighthouse in Maine, but that it was also commissioned by George Washington! It's housed at Fort Williams Park and while we were there for the lighthouse there are other attractions like Fort Williams Museum and Cape Elizabeth History Center there as well. We parked as close as possible to the lighthouse and noticed that that was privately owned. The lowest number of hours you can purchase was 2 hours for $6. Since it was super windy and 30 some degrees we only stayed in the area for 20 mins or so. You can't go inside the lighthouse but you walk right up to it and see the coast. The view from the base of the lighthouse was beautiful and if it wasn't so cold I'd probably stay longer to enjoy the view. Note: They don't have trash cans there. Worth a visit! and maybe next time I'll see some of the other attractions at the park.

    Yeimi D.

    This was such a Beautiful area. It was chilly and windy when I went but beautifuland enjoyablenonetheles. It looks like it can get quite busy but I was passing through on my trip. Lots of room to park

    Mel S.

    Beautiful park with the beautiful Portland Head Light Lighthouse. Multiple parking lots (advice: don't come in a day where there's a marathon like we did - the parking was tough). There are a couple of foos trucks onsite, including the Cousins Maine Lobster truck. Plenty of picnic tables to sit at. Rows of outhouses for bathrooms available. Bring bug spray and sunscreen!

    Melissa B.

    On Mother's Day Sunday, Tony Vanoy Noël Teel Calliope & I visited the Head Lighthouse located in Fort Williams Park in Portland Maine It was free to enjoy the Lighthouse itself is closed to the public. Season doesn't begin until Memorial Day! Because of my handicap plaquard we didn't have to pay fee for parking! We strolled the baby around the park, the cliffs and rock overlooks & the Lighthouse! It was extremely windy & cold! But even still it was a lovely sunny day!

    10/23/25 530pm
    Long H.

    Came around 530pm and was told by the park rangers that the park will close around sundown/sunset, so we had about 30 minutes left. This park is truly beautiful. The light house over looks the beautiful ocean and on a rock cliff. I wish we had more time to explore, but even with the small amount of time we had, we enjoyed it very much, Definitely a must place to come and see. You can easily spend the whole day here, great place to even have a picnic.

    Susan S.

    A definite when in Portland. Beautiful lighthouse and interesting history. Please note that there is nowhere to throw trash. You Carry In - You Carry Out. Plan for that. Idea: take an Uber there and get dropped off right at the lighthouse!

    Kurt V.

    Truly a breathtaking experience. It is almost spiritual to be in Fort Williams Park and see the rocky cliffs and shoreline along with the Portland Head Lamp, which is truly one of the most iconic lighthouses in north America. The park is open daily, year around, sun-up to sundown and is free to visitors. If you are in the area, this is a must-see as it is quintessential New England!

    Shanina S.

    Fort Willams Park is a 90-acre park in Cape Elizabeth, Maine and has numerous historical sites. Fort Williams Park is famous for having the Portland Head Light on its grounds, and the park also houses the decommissioned and largely demolished United States Army post Fort Williams, which was operational during World War I and World War II. Fort Worth Park has trails to walk and there are different parts of the park you can enjoy. The park also has a variety of food trucks so if you're hungry you don't have to worry about leaving the park. Additionally, there is a bus provided in the park to take a tour. The park has a scenic view and the park is free but you do have to pay for parking.

    Proof I was here
    Shannon G.

    Kind of a bummer. We literally just wanted to run up the hill, take a picture and leave. You have to pay for parking. I feel like it used to be free when I lived here. And the minimum time is 2 hours for $5.00 I don't think we were here longer than 15 minutes. We used the porta potty and took our pictures and we left. Not $5.00 worth, and didn't take us 2 hours. Would be nice if you could pick your times in 30 min increments at the very least.

    Sanjay G.

    Cape Elizabeth, Maine is home to Fort Williams Park and Portland Head Light. So history: constructed in 1787 and served through both World War I and World II, Fort Williams was finally decommissioned in 1962. Fort Williams and the surrounding acreage were purchased by the Town of Cape Elizabeth just two years later, in 1964. The former army post is now home to a 90-acre park featuring picnic facilities. small trail- the Cliff Walk begins (or ends, depending on where you start) at Portland Head Light. The .4 mile, one-way gravel trail is rated "easy", Views of Ram Island Ledge Light and Casco Bay Islands can be seen on a clear day. The park includes picnic sites, grills, playing fields, tennis courts, a playground, a beach, sledding hills, historic buildings, and the oldest lighthouse in Maine. It is open year-round, from sunrise to sunset. Dogs are allowed on leash, aside from designated off-leash sections.

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    8 months ago

    Friendly and knowledgeable staff and with the exception of way to many steps it was a great time and place to visit.

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    Great park to visit for the lighthouse, walking paths, and food truck! Paid parking, but very reasonable.

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    “The lighthouse itself is gorgeous, and looks very well maintained for being the oldest lighthouse in Maine!”

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    Two Lights State Park - Exploring the rocky shore.

    Two Lights State Park

    4.3(52 reviews)
    4.3 mi

    This is a lovely state park with stunning views of the coastline and opportunity to scramble along…read morerocks at the water's edge. Although it does not have a beach, Two Lights State Park was a fun place to explore for our family. It has clean restroom facilities and picnic tables if you want to enjoy lunch. Away from the coastline, the park also has a wooded trail that provides respite from the sun. The only downside is that NO lighthouses are visible within the park. Instead, you'll have to turn right just outside the park and drive about a half-mile toward a seafood restaurant and tiny beach. However, the view of the lighthouse is partially obstructed by a mega-mansion under construction. That said, we managed to capture a photo of the famous lighthouse (from the Edward Hopper painting) by going up a private street (Two Lights Terrace) for a quick photo. It's unfortunate the state park did not acquire the land where the restaurant is located and block the construction of private housing.

    The parks in the Cape Elizabeth area are all amazing and the Two Lights State Park is no…read moreexception. This particular park is a bit deceiving in that the name two lights might make you think you are going to see 2 lights, there is only one on the mainland, and the other is 17 miles out to sea. But who really cares when the park gives you the amazing views that it does! The trails wind on the upper cliffs of the shoreline and provide an awesome view of Casco Bay and the ocean. Along the walking trails are benches and picnic tables where you can take pause and be at one with the ocean. The views of the crashing waves and the rocky shoreline are amazing!

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    Two Lights State Park - View of the lighthouse on a private road from outside the park.

    View of the lighthouse on a private road from outside the park.

    Two Lights State Park
    Two Lights State Park

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    Jewell Falls

    Jewell Falls

    4.2(13 reviews)
    6.3 mi•Nasons Corner

    This hike is a nice place to take a short stroll for the locals but not a place I would recommend…read moretourist to come. First off, it is only about half mile from parking to the waterfall. So total hike was only 1 mile. it is a WALK, not hike. Good for families with young ones. Be very aware that the mosquitoes here are super HUNGRY! I have never gotten so many bites within such a short time inside a hike! I got 6-7 bites all over my legs just from hiking here for 30 mins. My husband got 8+ bites all over his body! Luckily my little one only got 1 bite. We were all over Maine in the last 2 weeks including kayaking and out at Acadia national park. All outdoor activities and barely got any bites until now! There are other trails here too but after getting so many bites, we wanted to run away as fast as we could! I wish I didn't come here. View and waterfall are not worth it for trade off of these hungry hungry mosquitoes!! *sooo itchy* :-/ Bring bug spray if you wanna come!

    Jewell falls is a waterfall of water flowing from the Fore River and is named for Tom Jewell who…read morewas one of the founders Portland Trails and very much alive today. Did you know that Portland Trails started in 1991? He donated the land around the falls and the rest of the land the trail walls through is a mix of public and private land. You see evidence of this with many marked signs that designate private property -- good to respect these so we can continue to walk these trails. Somehow I got lost off my usual path I take and ended up going on the greater fore river sanctuary trail loop around and across the railroad tracks, but the boardwalks were great! Back to the falls, if you start at the trailhead near Brighton ave, it's less than 0.25 miles of a walk. The falls are made of horsetails of rushing water over large slabs of rock. The trails are really well maintained and there's not too many people. You can definitely still hear traffic from some parts but there are a few quiet enclaves.

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    Jewell Falls
    Jewell Falls
    Jewell Falls - My friend on the tracks at the entrance!

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    My friend on the tracks at the entrance!

    Peppermint Park

    Peppermint Park

    4.0(2 reviews)
    3.5 mi•East Bayside

    Every time I see this park it looks considerably nicer than it did the time before. It's meant to…read morebe apart mostly for toddlers and grade school children. Although at first I was turned off by the no dogs sign I realized that in Portland with our Somalian community that if dogs are allowed to play in the park Somalian children may not want to or be able to for religious reasons. It's a tiny park not really good for dogs anyway. The first time I saw this park it was midsummer and probably minutes from sunset, it didn't look as nice as it did the next couple times and perhaps it's because it's actually been cleaned up or repainted, or perhaps it's because the rough elements hasn't been seen in any of my following passing by's. I believe now that the neighborhood daycares and/or preschool uses park that parents are getting stricter and the police as well about keeping the drug addict and troublemakers and homeless winos from using the park 4 there less child oriented usages.. The park is at Cumberland and Montgomery and had a to jungle gyms and 10 benches and some grassy areas to sit or play or picnic on. If I was a kid I would give it a 5 star

    This is a good park however there is litter everywhere which is disappointing. The equipment is…read morestill in good condition and they even have a little shower for hot days. If a local organization did a clean up day this park would get 4 stars.

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    Peppermint Park

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    Fort Williams Park - parks - Updated September 2026

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