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Portland, ME Travel Guide

USA

#1 in Best Places to Visit in Maine

Free Things To Do in Portland, ME

If you have extra time, Cape Elizabeth is worthwhile.
  1. All Things To Do
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#1
Old Port Free

#1 in Portland, ME

Free
Old Port is without a doubt the beating heart of Portland. This downtown neighborhood is considered the city's center and bustles with things to do left and right, all the while gracefully maintaining its historical facade. The area is lined with cobblestone streets and 19th-century warehouses, and with the wharf just steps away on Commercial Street, the city's heydays as a world-renowned port town are easily felt. Tourists can benefit from ferries and cruise experiences as well as the delectable catches that dock there daily.
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Cafes Type
2 hours to Half Day Time to Spend
Old Port
Old Port is without a doubt the beating heart of Portland. This downtown neighborhood is considered the city's center and bustles with things to do left and right, all the while gracefully maintaining its historical facade. The area is lined with cobblestone streets and 19th-century warehouses, and with the wharf just steps away on Commercial Street, the city's heydays as a world-renowned port town are easily felt. Tourists can benefit from ferries and cruise experiences as well as the delectable catches that dock there daily.
... more

#5

#5 in Portland, ME

Free
Portland's waterfront is at its most picturesque at the Eastern Promenade. Beloved by locals, the Eastern Promenade is a 68-acre waterfront park located on a stretch of land separating Back Cove from the Fore River. The park offers trails, beaches and plenty of grassy areas to simply kick back and unwind. To make the most of your visit, take a stroll along the 2-mile-long Eastern Promenade Trail, which starts in the heart of the Old Port.
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Beaches Type
1 to 2 hours Time to Spend
Eastern Promenade
Portland's waterfront is at its most picturesque at the Eastern Promenade. Beloved by locals, the Eastern Promenade is a 68-acre waterfront park located on a stretch of land separating Back Cove from the Fore River. The park offers trails, beaches and plenty of grassy areas to simply kick back and unwind. To make the most of your visit, take a stroll along the 2-mile-long Eastern Promenade Trail, which starts in the heart of the Old Port.
... more

#6

#6 in Portland, ME

Free
Along with the Casco Bay Islands, Cape Elizabeth is a nice daytrip option for those in search of rolling hills and beaches. The town is located about 9 miles south of Portland and is best known for its lighthouses. You may recognize the Two Lights lighthouse, which is featured in Edward Hopper's well-known "The Lighthouse at Two Lights," a painting housed in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Cape Elizabeth is also home to the Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park. Commissioned by George Washington in the late 1700s, it's Maine's oldest lighthouse. Portland Head Light is also considered one of the most photographed lighthouses in the U.S., and some even say the entire world.
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Beaches Type
Half Day to Full Day Time to Spend
Cape Elizabeth
Along with the Casco Bay Islands, Cape Elizabeth is a nice daytrip option for those in search of rolling hills and beaches. The town is located about 9 miles south of Portland and is best known for its lighthouses. You may recognize the Two Lights lighthouse, which is featured in Edward Hopper's well-known "The Lighthouse at Two Lights," a painting housed in the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. Cape Elizabeth is also home to the Portland Head Light at Fort Williams Park. Commissioned by George Washington in the late 1700s, it's Maine's oldest lighthouse. Portland Head Light is also considered one of the most photographed lighthouses in the U.S., and some even say the entire world.
... more
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