The Panoramic Views From This City Landmark In Maine Are Second To None

There is no shortage of sights to see when visiting Portland. From museums to shopping to simply enjoying lunch on the working waterfront, you can easily spend an entire weekend just exploring Maine's biggest city. While mostly quaint, even Portland has its moments of hustle and bustle. To combat it, we recommend searching out the more quiet places. The Eastern Promenade is a great place to take in the surrounding beauty of Casco Bay. But, if the views you crave are more expansive head to the Portland Observatory on Munjoy Hill just below the Eastern Prom. Even most locals haven't ventured inside, which is a shame because there are no views like this anywhere else!

The Portland Observatory is the only historic maritime signal station left in America and it can be seen across the city of Portland.

From downtown...

...to Casco Bay.

But, despite it being such an identifiable landmark, its often overlooked as a sightseeing destination even by locals.

First, a little history:

Construction of the building began in 1807 under the orders of Captain Lemuel Moody. The 86-foot high tower was meant to be as a communication station for ships coming in and out of Portland’s harbor. It wasn't simply a public service though. It was also a money-making endeavor for Moody. Ship owners who paid him a subscription fee of $5 per year were alerted when their ships were arriving.

Moody installed a very powerful telescope allowing him to see incoming ships from as far as 30 miles away. Signal flags were used to alert the captains that their vessel was on its way.

In 1923, the invention of the two-way radio made the need for the tower obsolete and it ceased operation.

The tower was abandoned and fell into disrepair until 1939 when restorations were done and the tower was reopened.

In 1984 the tower was opened for tours before folks noticed that it had a moisture problem and restoration was performed again in 1994. Finally, the tower was reopened in 2000.

It became a National Historic Landmark in 2006 and in 2017 it celebrated its 200th year anniversary.

Visiting the Observatory today is a wonderful way to learn its history and see the most sweeping view of Portland.

You'll start downstairs where you will find a history exhibit and small gift shop.

There are also volunteers to help answer any questions.

You'll soon head upstairs for the view of a lifetime!

You'll see everything from Munjoy Hill to Casco Bay...

...and the Back Cove.

The views will remind you that Portland is fortunate to be a Peninsula, almost completely surrounded by gorgeous blue water.

The Portland Observatory is open from May 26th through October 8th this year.

The Portland Observatory is located at 138 Congress St. on Munjoy Hill in Portland. Parking is available via metered spots on Congress Street as well as a few free on-street-parking spaces throughout the surrounding streets. You can also take the #1 Congress Street/Munjoy Hill Bus to the landmark. Admission for non-residents is $10 for Adults, $8 for Seniors/Students/AAA, $5 for Children ages 6-16. Admission for Portland residents is $5 for Adults and $3 for Children ages 6-16. The family rate is $30 and admission for kids under 6 and members is free.

You can reach them at (207) 774-5561 or visit them online here.

For more of the areas perfect views, head to this beach state park in Cape Elizabeth. The breeze is incredible!