Bug Light Park

Bug Light itself is a fairly small lighthouse with views of Portland. It’s not a traditionally picturesque lighthouse, but rather a smaller one. The park though is very nice with plenty of parking, a nice open grassy area, and a nice path with great views of the water. It’s also a great place for a picnic or for watching the fireworks over the city.

Truly lovely park with a mini-​lighthouse on the tip! Don’t overlook the structure of the warship and history of the park, which was built up from the sea during World War II to massively produce warships. There is an awesome running trail [greenway] through the park as well as an incredible view of Portland. Go grab breakfast/​coffee at 158 Pickett Street Café and walk here [ten minutes] or drive and take in the beauty. Also, don’t miss the free museum for a true history lesson. It’s self guided unless you’re lucky and one of the guide-​volunteers is in: that is the true experience! This is a perfect stop for locals and tourists alike, and is truly one of the best views of Portland as well.

Meh. I found this park to be a bit underwhelming. The bf and I were exploring Portland and the surrounding areas and ended up here. It was … okay but vastly underwhelming since I personally don’t find the city of Portland that beautiful. There’s not much to do, the lighthouse is underwhelming… the views are meh. just meh.

Another small lighthouse that could! Buglight has a beautiful park and is a well used space in South Portland. There are sweeping views of the Bay and Portland skyline but this park is more than a spot to come look at Portland…
In the Spring, the Bark for Life, an American Cancer Society 5k is based here where Cancer survivors, canine and human, are celebrated.
The Summer Movie series is held here. Food Trucks move in and a movie is played, for free, in the park.
KITES! Want to go fly a kite, this is your place!
The historical society is located just before the park entrance.
There is a boat launch adjacent to the park as well.
At night some people come here, park, and eat their dinner while enjoying the view.
The Greenbelt Walkway, which connects South Portland from Wainwright (Highland Ave) ends/​starts here. The rules regarding dogs can be confusing. Dogs are required to be on leash along the Greenbelt, however, they are allowed off leash in the park… technically the walkway around and through the park is the Greenbelt Walkway… just use your best judgement and keep your dog under control and not stealing someone’s sandwich.
The big open field is a great place to play fetch, or frisbee, or catch or even to just lay around. The lighthouse here also has open hours and you can tour the little lighthouse along the short breakwater.
After much of the path being washed out during a big storm, they have done a great job of repairing it and making improvements to the area. Benches are available throughout as well as a few tables. You really can’t go wrong here if you enjoy being outside.

We originally was going to go to the lighthouse in cape Elizabeth but parking was terrible so we devised to go to big light park. Free parking. No problem finding parking. Yes the lighthouse is small but it was cute. The walk was nice and there are plenty of benches or rocks to sit on. The park is a nice place to fly a kite or walk a dog.

It’s kinda sketchy late evenings. Sketchy bc I’ve seen people come here, sit in their cars and never get out.
It’s an awesome place to fly your kite. Plenty of parking, and even a lil history of Maine shipping days during WW2.
Great views of Portland East end and 2 lighthouses. Bug light house and Spring Point light house by SMCC.
Nice trail runs n bike trails as well.
I haven’t seen too many dogs there, so not to worry about land mines.

On our way into the Portland area, we decided to take a quick lighthouse tour, which ended at Bug Light Park, and the cute — but apparently functional — Bug Light. This little guy (don’t tell him that) seems like you could reach up and grab him, but is actually only about 30 feet tall. Not sure that would do much good in some areas, but perhaps it works well for this area.
What is perhaps most convenient is that you can drive up to the parking lot, walk a few feet and snap some pictures of the light. Then walk around and see the artwork in the (general) shape of a ship nearby, observe the water of Casco (?) Bay, and hang out to your heart’s content. Or until they kick you out when they close. But it’s a nice park, nonetheless.

Located at the end of the Greenbelt, Bug Light is lovely park with a cute-​as-​a-​button lighthouse, right on Casco Bay. This is definitely one of the nicer spots in South Portland.
Come at the right time, and you’ll be delighted with a fleet of soaring kits flying high above the fields of Bug Light. There’s plenty of room to romp with dogs, kids, or just some pals.
It’s also an excellent spot to hang out and watch the fireworks on the the 4^th of July. When I was there for this I could hear the BOOMs and BANGs of the fireworks reverberate off the sides of the giant oil barges parked in the bay. A very cool experience.
Take a walk on the Greenbelt and end up at Bug Light, or just drive in and take in a view of the water from your car. Either way, there’s nothing not to like about Bug Light.

My synopsis can only echo what Brian S. so eloquently described. In fact he shed some light (pun intended) about the lighthouse history. But my take is this. I can’t freakin’ believe that I have never been here before. Nor did I realize how breathtaking the views are of Casco Bay. Prior to our arrival, I snuck a shot of a large cruise ship from the Ocean Gateway Terminal on Commercial Street that was obscured by street signs and telephone wires. From the vantage of point of Bug Light, I didn’t have to sneak a shot — the ship was there in all its glitzy glory as were schooners and the ferries headed to Peaks and other archipelagic destinations. And historically, the monument to the Liberty Ships is just fantastic with a steel hull and tons of info and pics elegantly laid out. It really is unfathomable (no pun intended) how an entire neighborhood was destroyed for the war effort. Would we do that today? Probably not. Other neighborhoods in Portland that were obliterated and can never be replaced are the area that is now Franklin Arterial which split the Old Port from India Street and decimated the Italian neighborhood and the area surrounding Veranda Street where I295 curves past Tukey’s Bridge. Hundreds of thousands of vehicles swarm through these areas every year without one thought about the homes demolished and sense of community torn apart. But the park is a lovely spot and is frequented by dog lovers, kite flyers and boaters. You can walk out to the light and along the edges. Families have paid memorial stones to loved ones.

An
elegant
lighthouse
Bug Light Park is a very cool little park right on the water. Lots of room to run around, great views and a nice exhibit about all the Liberty Ships are all right here.
But the real attraction, at least for me, is the lighthouse. A bug light, only 26 feet tall but quite distinctive and unique. It was modeled after the Greek monument, Choragic Monument of Lysicrates and designed by the famous architect Thomas Walter. Definitely a cool and special little bug light.
The very first light at this location was built in 1855 and the bug light was constructed in 1875. It served well until 1943 when it was discontinued. The light was restored in 1989 and now is a very popular tourist attraction.
The park is a very cool place with views of the city of Portland across the bay and even the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse only about a mile to the east. If your eyes are good you might even get a glimpse of the the mighty Portland Head Lighthouse down at the end of the bay.
A small light but a unique one. No other lighthouse looks quite like this. A diminutive lighthouse that is definitely worth a trip to see.