Portland, Maine
It is time to get lost in the City of Forests, better known as Portland, Maine, a city that is as resilient as the phoenix on its city�s seal. The beating heart of downtown Portland revolves around its harbor, so much so that its name derives from the Old English �Portlanda�, meaning �land surrounding a harbor�. Portland is fond of its heritage, to the point where it has never shed its working waterfront roots, as it still relies on its bustling seaport industry. There is 19th-century architecture to behold amidst a glowing, modern nightlife that just keeps growing, which is good because Portland is a city that likes to eat.
There is plenty of sightseeing to be had, shows to be enjoyed, and history to be uncovered, but you can be guaranteed you will never do anything on an empty stomach.
Portland at a Glance
Portland is enjoying a housing market boom. Residents have been flocking en masse to the portside city to take advantage of the city�s growing startup scene of biotechnology, artificial intelligence, bioscience, and biopharma industries. The locals are enjoying a swelling job market, appreciating home value, and the thriving brewery and food scene.
The newest visitor to Portland will not disembark in the harbor for long before their breath is taken away. The pristine water, surrounding nature, old brick towering lighthouses, and the fact that every corner of the Portland streets promises one new, enticing delicacy after the next make the city nothing short of enchanting.
Where is Portland, ME?* Portland is approximately 69.44 square miles, 48 square miles of which is water! This means fishing trips, island tours, and lighthouse excursions, not to mention the prospect of fresh seafood when your stomach starts growling. The city borders South Portland, Westbrook, and Falmouth, but never gets lost in the shuffle. The city is technically a humid continental climate, which means prolonged, snowy winters and short, warm summers. The summers are a little dryer than the other seasons, and winter will sometimes witness nor�easters, with high winds and foot-high snowfalls. This can mean winter-season snowstorms from as early as November to as late as March, and into April. Keep your eye on that radar if you are looking to get away to a winter wonderland. Those who are fans of warmer weather will want to keep an eye on May and enjoy it all the way into September fall, where the leaves change and flaunt their colorful reflections in the harbor.
Portland, ME Attractions
Impressive, but under-stated. Trendy, but humble. Nostalgic, but so modern. Portland is a city of many layers: from a seaport to a historical hub laid in brick and memory, to a cultural hotspot that is also beginning to foster a technological boom. You may need to make more than one trip!
You could start your day with a dark chocolate sea salt-speckled donut from Holy Donut before boarding a Casco Bay Lines ferry to Peaks Island for kayaking, a World War II museum, and of course: fresh seafood. Or, you can hit the Old Port, a quaint historic district laden with cobblestone streets and punctuated by red-bricked buildings, boutiques, fishing piers, and award-winning restaurants that are sure to satisfy--especially if you go to the Old Port Festival in June or Merry Madness in December, where you will have more than your fill of local fanfare and grub.
Sail Casco Island or take in the grandeur of the Portland �Bug Light� Breakwater or Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse, to name a couple. Trust your gut and take the Maine Food for Thought tour for an idea of just how big this city�s food scene really is, or mark your calendars for one of the many other food festivals. These are just a few of the adventures you can take while you are in Portland, Maine.
Pettingill Island
Little Stage Island
Goose Rocks Beach
Ossipee Hill Trail
Jenny Island
Hills Beach
Great Diamond Island
Portland Harbor Museum
Scarborough Beach
Inner Green Island
Whaleboat Island
Basket Island
Hunnewell Beach
Moody Beach
Frye Island Golf Course
Jennys Nubble
Fog Island
The Nubbin
The Childrens Museum Of Maine
Pejepscot Historical Society Museum
Mile Beach
Basin Island
Thorne Island
Littlejohn Island
Bragdon Island
Mackworth Island
Obeds Rock
Malaga Island
Andrews Beach
Drunker Ledge
The Goslings
Fort Popham Lighthouse
Little Lines Island
Uncle Zeke Island
Whittum Island
Bickford Island
Phebe Island
Peaks Island
Cliff Island
Scarborough Museum
Merrill Isle
Arundel Beach
Stepping Stones
Little Moshier Island
Woods Island
Little Bustins Island
Willowdale Golf Course
Wells Auto Museum
Flash Island
Vaughn Island
Salter Island
Pound Of Tea
Little Knubble
Lower Mark Island
Sebascodegan Island
Middle Mark Island
Halfway Rock Light
Cape Elizabeth Light
Dogs Head
East Goose Rocks
Bush Island
Lower Goose Island
Back Shore
Ben Island
Ministerial Island
Portland Breakwater Light
Inner Twin Island
Cornish Island
Portland Fire Museum
Fuller Rock
Admiral Robert E Peary Home Museum
Summit Golf Course
Shad Gully
York Institute Museum
Catnip Island
Kennebunk Marine Museum
Parsons Beach
Portland Head Lighthouse
Little Whaleboat Island
Portland Science Center
Maine Archives And Museums
Lanes Island
Read Island
Little French Island
Salmon Falls Resort Golf Course
Goulds Island
Sable Oaks Golf Club
Haddock Rock
Thomas Great Toe
South Sugarloaf Island
Sheep Island
Frye Island
Lines Island
East End Beach
Heath Island
Dollys Island
Cliff House Beach
Georgetown Island
Enoch Harrington House Museum
Hotels in Portland
Schools in Portland