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.
Lord Mansion Museum
Fortunes Rocks Beach
Dingley Islands
Portland Science Center
Cornish Island
Pumpkin Nob
Peary-Macmillan Arctic Museum
Dollys Island
Bangs Island
College Island
Portland Harbor Museum
Brick Store Museum
Brunswick Golf Course
Mackworth Island
Wells Beach
Thomas Great Toe
Back Shore
York Institute Museum
Little Lines Island
Casco Bay Ferry
Moody Beach
Leavitt Island
Mothers Beach
Portland Fire Museum
Western Beach
Hunnewell Beach
Gallows Island
Naples Historical Society Museum
Factory Island
Alum Rock
Beal Island
Jaquish Island
Cliff Island
Perkins Island
Goose Rocks Beach
Drakes Island
Dix Island
Driscoll Island
Bartol Island
Pejepscot Historical Society Museum
Goochs Beach
Vaughn Island
Parsons Beach
Laudholm Beach
Merrill Isle
Little Knubble
Sturgeon Island
Kennebunk Marine Museum
Obeds Rock
Bates College Museum Of Art
Freddy Beach
East Brown Cow
Abenakee Golf Club
Cow Island Ledge
Pound Of Tea
Sisters Island
Moshier Island
Head Beach
Crow Islands
Jewell Island
Little Diamond Island
Old Orchard Beach
Fort Popham Lighthouse
Great Mark Island
Rogues Island
Outer Doctor Island
Thomas Point Beach
Rogue Island
Bombazine Island
Macmahan Island
Stanton Museum
Goose Nest
Big Hen Island
Iron Island
Overset Island
Portland Stadium
Maine Archives And Museums
Richmond Island
Portland Head Lighthouse
Little Iron Island
Tyler Islands
Frye Island Golf Course
Peaks Island Ferry
East End Beach
Webhannet Golf Club
Flash Island
West Goose Rocks
Gooseberry Island
Hog Island Ledge
Martindale Golf Course
Freyee Islands
Fuller Rock Lighthouse
Shad Gully
Cape Elizabeth Light
Rookies Island
Dingley Island
Halfway Rock
Irony Island
Stockman Island
Hotels in Portland
Schools in Portland