Nubble Light and Sohier Park

The lighthouse was built in 1879 on the small rocky island known as the Nubble, off Cape Neddick, to guide vessels along this stretch of the southern Maine coast and mark the approach to the York and Cape Neddick harbors.

The island's separation from the mainland by a narrow, surging channel is part of its charm and its history. Keepers and their families reached the light by boat or a basket-and-cable system across the gap, an isolated life just a stone's throw from shore.

This coast is part of the homeland of the Wabanaki peoples, whose presence along the southern Maine shore long predates the lighthouse and the resort town that grew up around Cape Neddick.

The Nubble's fame rests on its extraordinary photogenic setting, the compact grouping of tower, keeper's house, and outbuildings on a small island against the open Atlantic, an image reproduced on countless calendars, postcards, and paintings.

Its stature was sealed when a photograph of Nubble Light was included among the images placed aboard NASA's Voyager spacecraft, meant to represent Earth to any who might one day find it, sending this little Maine lighthouse literally out of the solar system.

The town of York now owns and cares for the light, and it remains an active aid to navigation, its beacon still marking the coast even as it draws admirers from around the world.

Sohier Park on the mainland is the place to take it all in, a small park on the rocks directly across from the island with the classic view, a seasonal welcome center and gift shop, and open ledges for watching the surf.

The island itself is closed to the public, so the experience is about the view, the sea air, and the tide pools and rocks along the Sohier Park shore, an easy and free stop on the southern coast.

A cherished local tradition is the lighting of the Nubble, when the lighthouse and keeper's house are strung with lights during the holiday season and again in midsummer, drawing crowds to Sohier Park for the glow across the water.

Summer is the busiest time, when York Beach fills and Sohier Park's small lot turns over quickly, so an early or late visit brings the best light and the easiest parking.

Off-season the Nubble is quieter and often more striking, the little light steadfast against gray autumn seas or dusted with winter snow. The holiday lighting, when the tower and keeper's house glow across the dark channel, is one of the most beloved sights on the southern Maine coast.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

Nubble Light, officially Cape Neddick Light, viewed from Sohier Park in York, Maine, is one of the most famous and photographed lighthouses in the country, a picturesque light station perched on a small rocky island just offshore. From Sohier Park on the mainland, visitors enjoy the classic, up-close view of the charming lighthouse and its keeper's house across a narrow channel, with the surf and rocky coast all around. The park offers viewing areas, a gift shop, and stunning scenery. Beloved in every season, Nubble Light is a Maine icon. With its iconic island lighthouse and scenic park, Nubble Light and Sohier Park offer a delightful destination in Maine.

No, Nubble Light sits on a small rocky island just offshore and is not open to the public to visit directly, as there is no bridge or safe crossing, and the channel between the mainland and the island is dangerous, so visitors admire and photograph the lighthouse from Sohier Park across the water. The close-up view from the park is excellent, giving the classic Nubble Light image. Never attempt to cross to the island, as the water and rocks are hazardous. Enjoying the beautiful view from Sohier Park is the way to experience Nubble Light in York, Maine.

You can admire and photograph the iconic Nubble Light on its island from the excellent viewpoints at Sohier Park, take in the surf and rocky coastal scenery, visit the gift shop, picnic, and enjoy the beautiful setting, which is stunning in every season, including when the lighthouse is decorated and lit for the holidays. The classic lighthouse view is the highlight, a favorite of photographers. It is an easy, rewarding stop. With its iconic lighthouse view, coastal scenery, and park amenities, Nubble Light and Sohier Park offer a delightful experience in York, Maine.

Late spring through fall offers the most pleasant weather to enjoy the park and lighthouse views, with summer lively and fall bringing color and crisp air, while the lighthouse is beautiful and photogenic year-round, including dramatic winter scenes and a beloved holiday lighting. Early morning and evening offer lovely light and fewer crowds. The park can be busy in summer. For the best combination of pleasant weather and the classic view, aim for late spring through fall, though Nubble Light is a beautiful stop any season in York, Maine.

Nubble Light and Sohier Park are in York, Maine, on the southern coast, within reach of Long Sands Beach nearby, the town of York and its historic sites, the Kittery Trading Post and outlets to the south, and Ogunquit with the Marginal Way to the north. That makes Nubble Light and Sohier Park a delightful stop to combine with Long Sands Beach, the York area, and the other attractions of the southern Maine coast on a visit to the state.