Geography of the Maine Coastline

With 3,500 miles of coastline, Maine is one of the most geographically diverse areas where Legendary Lighthouses are located. In the early 19th century, because of its rich fishing grounds and many harbors, it was the sailing and shipbuilding capitol of the United States.

The mixture of rocky coastlines, white sand beaches, small coves, large harbors, and over 2,000 offshore islands made it a treacherous area to navigate. The broad white beaches of the southern Maine coast host famed coastal villages like Kennebunkport , Old Orchard Beach, and Ogunquit. As you move further to the northeast the coastline gives way to Casco Bay and the Greater Portland region with its always busy deepwater harbor.

Further northeast, in the Mid-Coast region, centered around Penobscot Bay, the coastline becomes home to seaside resorts and spectacular offshore islands, ending in the Acadia National Park on Mt. Desert Island. Moving further northeast to the "Downeast" region of Maine, the area is full of offshore communities, medium size towns, small coastal villages, and places with names like Pleasant Bay, Englishman Bay, Frenchman Bay, and Cobstook Bay. Maine’s coast ends at the Quoddy Head Light on the Bay of Fundy, the eastern most point of the United States.