Things to do in Portland, Maine
June 13, 2024 11:24 AM Subscribe
A friend and I are flying to Portland, Maine, for a few days in August. Tickets are cheap and this is just a chance to get out of town in August. What are some things we might do? I like the ocean but am not a beach bather. Happy to hear about your favorite things to see and do in Portland or nearby.
If you like beer, there are a ton of breweries in Portland. You can wander down Anderson st to fox st and hit a half dozen. Belleflower, lone pine, goodfire, etc. and more elsewhere around Portland. Most seemed to offer beer flights.
I would also recommend Novare Res, an excellent beer bar. They offer small pours, so you can try more things.
posted by TheAdamist at 11:55 AM on June 13
I would also recommend Novare Res, an excellent beer bar. They offer small pours, so you can try more things.
posted by TheAdamist at 11:55 AM on June 13
Susan’s Fish-n-Chips. Their fish chowder is so good that when I was pregnant I cried because I live far from home now and there was nothing comparable.
posted by donut_princess at 12:05 PM on June 13 [1 favorite]
posted by donut_princess at 12:05 PM on June 13 [1 favorite]
https://www.pressherald.com/2024/02/26/best-75-places-to-eat-and-drink-in-greater-portland-in-2024/ The food scene changes a lot, the Press Herald does a good job of keeping up. They have an events listing, too.
https://www.reddit.com/r/Maine/comments/1awjxtu/megathread_questions_about_visiting_moving_to_or/
https://www.visitportland.com/
Portland, Maine has islands that are part of the city; take the nice boat ride boat to Peaks Island, walk around, go have a drink. Visit the quirky and charming Umbrella Museum. I'm not up to date on restaurants, but there are some.
The Old Port is full of old brick buildings where all the merchant bankers traded with ships. Shopping, food, lively bar scene at night.
Back Cove has a nice walking path around it, links to the walking/ bike path along the Munjoy Hill peninsula. Fort Allen Park has good food trucks and swimming.
You should be able to get to Willard Beach in S Portland by bus, more swimming, walking.
There's a bunch of brew pub clusters in Portland. Start at Rising Tide on Fox St, visit brew pubs and some art galleries. Food trucks accompany brewpubs, as is the custom.
There's an excellent 1st Friday Art Walk. Lots of artists in Coastal Maine, lots of art galleries and studios.
Bayside Bowl is fun, Wilson Cty Barbecue and Batson Brewery are nearby.
There is often music, check calendars.
Have an afternoon pizza or drink at Flatbread and watch boats. Go to Jay's Oyster, recently reopened after flooding, historically a bit of a dive, also fun. Get donuts at the Holy Donut, the donuts have potato in them which I don't love, and the glazes are amazing and totally worth it.
The Art Museum is pretty good.
There's a Cryptozoology Museum, though Yeti is not typically a Mainer.
posted by theora55 at 12:47 PM on June 13 [2 favorites]
https://www.reddit.com/r/Maine/comments/1awjxtu/megathread_questions_about_visiting_moving_to_or/
https://www.visitportland.com/
Portland, Maine has islands that are part of the city; take the nice boat ride boat to Peaks Island, walk around, go have a drink. Visit the quirky and charming Umbrella Museum. I'm not up to date on restaurants, but there are some.
The Old Port is full of old brick buildings where all the merchant bankers traded with ships. Shopping, food, lively bar scene at night.
Back Cove has a nice walking path around it, links to the walking/ bike path along the Munjoy Hill peninsula. Fort Allen Park has good food trucks and swimming.
You should be able to get to Willard Beach in S Portland by bus, more swimming, walking.
There's a bunch of brew pub clusters in Portland. Start at Rising Tide on Fox St, visit brew pubs and some art galleries. Food trucks accompany brewpubs, as is the custom.
There's an excellent 1st Friday Art Walk. Lots of artists in Coastal Maine, lots of art galleries and studios.
Bayside Bowl is fun, Wilson Cty Barbecue and Batson Brewery are nearby.
There is often music, check calendars.
Have an afternoon pizza or drink at Flatbread and watch boats. Go to Jay's Oyster, recently reopened after flooding, historically a bit of a dive, also fun. Get donuts at the Holy Donut, the donuts have potato in them which I don't love, and the glazes are amazing and totally worth it.
The Art Museum is pretty good.
There's a Cryptozoology Museum, though Yeti is not typically a Mainer.
posted by theora55 at 12:47 PM on June 13 [2 favorites]
Tandem Coffee and Bakery at 742 Congress is well known for their breakfast sandwiches, biscuits and coffee. We loved it.
Seconding Novare Res; we hung out on their patio and had some marvelous beers.
I am told that Mount Desert Ice Cream is the best. However, my experience of them is crying outside their door because they were closed when they said they were going to be open, and I'd walked my feet off to get to them. Maybe you can tell me if it would have been worth it?
The Honey Paw was absolutely amazing food and I can't recommend it enough.
IIRC, the adorable gift shop Heritage Seaweed is owned by a MeFite.
If you rent a car, L.L. Bean in Freeport is an experience. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are also supposed to be breathtaking.
The scenic byways are all pretty astounding. It's a good place to drive. The Sokokis Lookout was remarkable.
I asked this question last year and got some great responses.
posted by rednikki at 12:53 PM on June 13 [4 favorites]
Seconding Novare Res; we hung out on their patio and had some marvelous beers.
I am told that Mount Desert Ice Cream is the best. However, my experience of them is crying outside their door because they were closed when they said they were going to be open, and I'd walked my feet off to get to them. Maybe you can tell me if it would have been worth it?
The Honey Paw was absolutely amazing food and I can't recommend it enough.
IIRC, the adorable gift shop Heritage Seaweed is owned by a MeFite.
If you rent a car, L.L. Bean in Freeport is an experience. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are also supposed to be breathtaking.
The scenic byways are all pretty astounding. It's a good place to drive. The Sokokis Lookout was remarkable.
I asked this question last year and got some great responses.
posted by rednikki at 12:53 PM on June 13 [4 favorites]
Do you like knives? You should go buy some knives.
posted by backseatpilot at 1:18 PM on June 13 [1 favorite]
posted by backseatpilot at 1:18 PM on June 13 [1 favorite]
The Art Museum is free on Friday nights. The ocean is very cold.
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:01 PM on June 13
posted by TWinbrook8 at 4:01 PM on June 13
Print Bookstore! There are several good bookstores in Portland, but this one's my favorite.
posted by maryellenreads at 4:30 PM on June 13 [1 favorite]
posted by maryellenreads at 4:30 PM on June 13 [1 favorite]
If you’re there on the evening of Sunday Aug 18, there are still tickets available to see the wonderful Lake Street Dive at Thompson’s Point.
posted by Sublimity at 5:21 PM on June 13
posted by Sublimity at 5:21 PM on June 13
Harbor Fish Market
Lighthouses
Freeport Outlet Stores
Lobster Boat Tour
Acadia National Park
posted by nikoniko at 12:29 AM on June 14
Lighthouses
Freeport Outlet Stores
Lobster Boat Tour
Acadia National Park
posted by nikoniko at 12:29 AM on June 14
Maine beaches tend to be more of the rugged, scenic variety than the sunbathing kind, and I definitely do not recommend anyone (unless you're from Maine, Alaska or the North Sea) try and swim in the ocean, it's way too cold.
If you like animals/nature and you're not prone to sea sickness, you might enjoy a whale-watching tour. August is right in the middle of the season (good chance of whales), it's likely to be hot and muggy inland (ocean breezes!) and in any case Casco Bay has lots of lovely views, birds, islands, lighthouses, etc.
If that's too much boat but you'd like to wander around a cool island, you could take a ferry over to Peaks Island.
posted by radiogreentea at 9:32 AM on June 14
If you like animals/nature and you're not prone to sea sickness, you might enjoy a whale-watching tour. August is right in the middle of the season (good chance of whales), it's likely to be hot and muggy inland (ocean breezes!) and in any case Casco Bay has lots of lovely views, birds, islands, lighthouses, etc.
If that's too much boat but you'd like to wander around a cool island, you could take a ferry over to Peaks Island.
posted by radiogreentea at 9:32 AM on June 14
Take one of the many harbor cruises to enjoy the ocean without having to fool with the beaches. The water is too cold for swimming anyway, unless you have a wetsuit or a very high tolerance. Whale watching is also on offer.
The Portland Museum of Art is lovely -- good size to explore but not so big that you can't do it in an afternoon. The Victoria Mansion is a stunning house museum, and if you can climb stairs, I recommend it highly. I also recommend the Cryptozoology Museum -- it's a tourist trap, but a delight.
Shopping is great. For odds and ends, Renys is a discount store that has Maine souvenirs but also clothes, travelers' needs, and many regular dry goods at nice prices, often because the expiration date is coming close but not quite there.
posted by Countess Elena at 11:20 AM on June 14
The Portland Museum of Art is lovely -- good size to explore but not so big that you can't do it in an afternoon. The Victoria Mansion is a stunning house museum, and if you can climb stairs, I recommend it highly. I also recommend the Cryptozoology Museum -- it's a tourist trap, but a delight.
Shopping is great. For odds and ends, Renys is a discount store that has Maine souvenirs but also clothes, travelers' needs, and many regular dry goods at nice prices, often because the expiration date is coming close but not quite there.
posted by Countess Elena at 11:20 AM on June 14
Well, if you like history, there's the Eastern Cemetery in Portland. We had a wonderful time wandering around - there are some amazing headstones there! Just make sure the caretaker knows you're there - he went to lunch and locked us in by accident! Funny story: we called the police and they called the pizza place across the street... apparantly this wasn't the first time.
posted by annieb at 4:28 PM on June 16
posted by annieb at 4:28 PM on June 16
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Portland is a great foodie city - it's a little while since I've visited though so I don't know what the hotness of the moment is. Two different Portland bakeries just won James Beard awards. Portland Hunt & Alpine Club is one of my favorite bars anywhere.
posted by mskyle at 11:36 AM on June 13