Portland
is a vibrant port town
Welcome to Portland
Seagulls scream, the smell of beer and fish fry flows through the streets like the fog off Casco Bay, and everywhere the salt wind licks your skin. Maine's largest city has capitalized on the gifts of its port history – the redbrick warehouse buildings, the narrow cobblestone streets – to become one of the hippest, most vibrant small cities in the Americas. You'll find excellent museums and galleries, abundant green space, and both a food culture and a brewing scene worthy of a town many times its size.
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Portland, Maine Guided 1-Hour Tour on a Vintage Fire Engine
ItineraryThis is a typical itinerary for this productPass By: United States Custom House, Portland, MaineThe United States Custom House was built from 1867–1872 to house offices of the United States Customs Service, and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. Located near Portland's waterfront, the U.S. Custom House is a testament to the city's maritime history. It was built to accommodate the city's growing customs business, which, by 1866, was collecting $900,000 annually in customs duties—making Portland one of the most significant seaports in the country.Pass By: Maine State Pier, Portland, MaineThe Maine State Pier is a municipal-owned deepwater marine facility and music venue located at the intersection of Commercial Street and Franklin Street on the eastern waterfront in Portland, Maine. It was completed in 1924. In the mid-2000s, competing proposals were examined to redevelop the Maine State Pier into a tourist destination, but difficulties with state regulations and the late-2000s recession halted proposed redevelopment.[2] In 2009, the first annual Portland Lobster Fest was held at the State Pier.Pass By: Casco Bay Lines, Portland, MaineCasco Bay Lines (also known as the Casco Bay Island Transit District, CBITD) is a publicly run transportation company that services the residents of the islands of Casco Bay. These islands include Peaks Island, Little Diamond Island, Great Diamond Island, Diamond Cove, Long Island, Chebeague Island and Cliff Island.Pass By: Ocean Gateway, Portland, MaineThe Ocean Gateway International Marine Passenger Terminal is a cruise ship terminal in Portland, Maine, USA. It was built in two phases; phase 1 being a new terminal building that in 2008 replaced the original International Marine Terminal and phase 2 being a new berth and docking facility for large cruise ships known as Ocean Gateway Pier II. The second phase of the terminal project is Ocean Gateway Pier II, a deep-water pier for large cruise ships that opened in September 2011, allowing more and larger cruise ships to dock in the city.Pass By: Shipyard Brewing Company, Portland, MaineShipyard Brewing Company is a brewery and soft drink manufacturer in Portland, Maine, USA, and founded in 1994. Shipyard is the largest brewer in Maine (owning the Shipyard, Sea Dog Brewing Company,[1] and Casco Bay Brewing Company banners, and bottling under contract with Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company). Shipyard is the fourth largest microbrewery in New England.Pass By: Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Company and Museum, Portland, MaineThe Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Co. & Museum is located and operates out of the former Portland Company Marine Complex, the organization was founded in 1993. The collection consists of passenger and freight equipment, as well as artifacts from the 2 ft (610 mm) narrow gauge railways that ran in the state of Maine in the late 19th century and early 20th century. The organization operates a 1 1⁄2-mile (2.4 km) long railroad that runs along the waterfront of Casco Bay and parallels Portland's Eastern Promenade. Historic steam and diesel locomotives and a variety of restored coaches are used to run passenger services on the railroad.Pass By: Fort Allen Park, MaineFort Allen Park, which covers 9 acres (3.6 ha) and abuts the Eastern Promenade to the south, was built in the 1890s, designed by the city's Chief Engineer William Goodwin and backed by Mayor James P. Baxter, according to a plaque in the park. Fort Allen was probably originally built in 1775, may have served as part of Fort Sumner, and was rebuilt by the city and used to guard Portland during the War of 1812 due to its high vantage point overlooking Casco Bay. The park is home to a 6-inch gun from the USS Maine (the ship whose explosion in Havana, Cuba started the Spanish–American War), the foremast and bridge structure of the World War II cruiser USS Portland (CA-33), two Civil War-era 4.5-inch siege rifles, an American Civil War memorial bench erected in 1929, and an historic bandstand which was built in the 1890s. In 2012, a local non-profit group, Friends of the Eastern Promenade, sought to restore Fort Allen Park to its original look. As of 2016 this has resulted in additional interpretive plaques throughout the park, along with other improvements.Pass By: East End Beach, Portland, MaineEast End beach is Portland’s only public beach. At the bottom of the hill of the Eastern Promenade, East End Beach is the ideal place to take in the panorama of Casco Bay. This stretch of sand and pebbles is easy to get to with parking nearby, picnic tables and benches situated on the grassy hillside, and a boat launch for launching any manner of vessel for a day on the water. Here, sailboats from the local marina breeze in and out of the harbor, and the islands of the bay are in full view. Lucky visitors will spot a seal in the distance, clumsily maneuvering its way onto the shores of a small patch of land or rock.Pass By: Loring Memorial Park, Portland, MaineThe Major Charles Loring Memorial Park was created in 2000 to honor Major Loring. It is dramatic in its scope, sensitive in its purpose, and inspirational to visitors. Created by artist Ann Uppington of Brookline, Massachusetts, and landscaped by the Saco architectural firm of Richardson and Associates, the various elements that make up the installation were chosen in consultation with members of the Loring family, local veterans, and neighborhood residents.Pass By: Portland Observatory, Portland, MaineThe Portland Observatory is a historic maritime signal tower at 138 Congress Street in the Munjoy Hill section of Portland, Maine. Built in 1807, it is the only known surviving tower of its type in the United States. Using both a telescope and signal flags, two-way communication between ship and shore was possible several hours before an incoming vessel reached the docks. The tower was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2006; it is now managed by a local nonprofit as a museum, and is open to the public. The Portland Observatory is the only remaining maritime signal station in the United States. Tower operations were paid with annual fees collected from shipping merchants, who purchased the right to have their flags stored in the building and hoisted up its flagstaffs when their ships were sighted. A telephone was eventually installed, extending the tower's function until 1923, when the reliability of engine powered vessels and communication by radio made it obsolete.Pass By: Eastern Cemetery, Portland, MaineEastern Cemetery is an historic cemetery at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Congress Street in the East Baysideneighborhood of Portland, Maine. Established in 1668, it is the city's oldest historic site,[2] and has more than 4,000 marked graves.[3] It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.Pass By: Maine Jewish Museum, Portland, MaineEtz Chaim Synagogue is a synagogue in Portland, Maine. Located at 267 Congress Street, it is the only immigrant-era European-style synagogue remaining in Maine. It was founded in 1921 as an English-language synagogue, rather than a traditional Yiddish-languageone. Gary S. Berenson presides as Rabbi of the congregation.The building also houses the Maine Jewish Museum.Pass By: The Cathedral Of The Immaculate Conception, Portland, MaineThe church is an imposing masonry structure, built of red brick, with sandstone trim and a slate roof. The main façade has a central entrance recessed in a sandstone Gothic arch, with a large stained glass rose window above. The main tower rises to the right of the main entrance, with buttressed corners, narrow Gothic windows, and an octagonal spire. Windows on the side walls are also Gothic, with buttressing between.Pass By: Lincoln Park, Portland, MaineLincoln Park is a 1.8-acre (0.73 ha) urban park in downtown Portland, Maine. Created in 1866 following the 1866 Great Fire which burned down most of the buildings of Portland, it was named in honor of former President Abraham Lincoln.Pass By: Portland City Hall, Portland, MaineThe Portland City Hall is the center of city government in Portland, Maine. It is located at 389 Congress Street, and is set in a prominent rise, anchoring a cluster of civic buildings at the eastern end of Portland's downtown. The structure was built in 1909-12 and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.Pass By: The First Parish Portland Unitarian Universalist, Portland, MaineFirst Parish Church is an historic church at 425 Congress Street in Portland, Maine. Built in 1825 for a congregation established in 1674, it is the oldest church building in the city, and one of its finest examples of Federal period architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973.Pass By: Portland Public Library, Portland, MaineThe Portland Public Library is the name of the public library system for Portland, Maine, USA. It is also the name of the city's main library which is located at 5 Monument Square on Congress Street in the Old Port neighborhood of Portland. The system also has three neighborhood branch locations: Burbank Branch, Peaks Island Branch, and Riverton Branch.Pass By: Wadsworth-Longfellow House, Portland, MaineThe Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a historic house and museum in Portland, Maine, United States. It is located at 489 Congress Street and is operated by the Maine Historical Society. It was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1962, and administratively added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1966. The house is open daily to public from May through October (half days on Sundays). An admission fee is charged.Pass By: Children's Museum and Theatre of Maine, Portland, MaineChildren's Museum & Theatre of Maine is located in the Arts District of downtown Portland, Maine and features a wide variety of interactive exhibits and activities for children and families. Children's Museum & Theatre of Maine exists to inspire discovery and imagination through exploration and play. The Museum & Theatre serves as an indispensable resource for families and educators, helping to create a broad community devoted to our children's development and learning.Pass By: Portland Museum of Art, Portland, MaineThe Portland Museum of Art, or PMA, is the largest and oldest public art institution in the U.S. state of Maine. Founded as the Portland Society of Art in 1882 It is located in the downtown area known area The Arts District in Portland, Maine.Pass By: One Longfellow Square, Portland, MaineThe Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Monument occupies a triangular plaza formed at the southeast corner of Congress and State Streets in central Portland. The southeast side of the plaza is occupied by One Longfellow Plaza, a large office building. The monument consists of a bronze statue of Longfellow, as seen late in his life, in a seated position, which is mounted on a granite pedestal. The pedestal is about 10 feet (3.0 m) in height, and has carved tablets on two sides, decorated with swags and garlands that frame the name "LONGFELLOW". Above these is a frieze band of anthemion and vines, with a cornice above that.Pass By: Neal Dow House, Portland, MaineThe Neal Dow House, also known as Gen. Neal Dow House, is an historic house found at 714 Congress Street in Portland, Maine. It was built in 1829 for noted politician and prohibitionist Neal Dow (1804-1897), and was later designated a National Historic Landmark for that association. Dow was the author of the first prohibition law passed by the Maine legislature in 1851 (and giving such laws the epithet "Maine law"). He was known as a tireless, internationally known activist for the temperance movement. Dow's house was a center of activism in his lifetime, and is now the headquarters of the Maine chapter of the Women's Christian Temperance Union.Pass By: Western Cemetery, Portland, MaineThe Western Cemetery is an urban cemetery in Portland, Maine. At one time Portland's home for the "poor and indigent", the cemetery is named after for its location in Portland's West End neighborhood and proximity to the Western Promenade. Founded in the 18th century, the land was acquired by the city in 1829. In 1841, the city expanded the cemetery to its present 12 acres (4.9 ha). The Western Cemetery was Portland's primary cemetery from 1829–1852, when Evergreen Cemetery was established in Deering, then a suburb of Portland. It was an active cemetery until 1910. In October 2003, the cemetery began a restoration and reconstruction project was run by the Stewards of the Western Cemetery and the City of Portland and funded with municipal funds.Pass By: Victoria Mansion, Portland, MaineVictoria Mansion, also known as the Morse-Libby House or Morse-Libby Mansion, is a landmark example of American residential architecture located in downtown Portland, Maine, United States.[1] The brownstone exterior, elaborate interior design, opulent furnishings and early technological conveniences provide a detailed portrait of lavish living in nineteenth-century America. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1971 for its architectural significance as a particularly well-preserved Italianate mansion.
Columbia Gorge National Scenic Area: All-Inclusive Day Tour from Portland
The mighty Columbia River cuts a deep swath, over 80 miles long, through the Cascade Mountains. Spend a full day exploring the waterfalls, vistas, pioneer history, and staggering landscapes of the Columbia Gorge National Scenic Areaon this naturalist-guided tour. Start on the western end of the Gorge, where coastal fronts feed the 70+ waterfalls that glide off the region’s basalt cliffs. Travel down the “Waterfall Alley” of the historic highway to experience some of the area’s most spectacular falls on guided nature walks. Gaze up from the base of Latourell Falls on a hot summer day or warm up on a damp morning with a cup of French-press coffee. After exploring the falls, make your way to the wind-surfing mecca of Hood River for a fresh lunch at our favorite local spot, or a picnic lunch served al fresco along the way. In the afternoon, you’ll watch the scenery change as evergreen forests give way to sagebrush and Ponderosa pines and you cross to the dry side of the Cascade Mountain Range. Search for elk, deer, osprey, and bald eagles as you head to the Columbia Gorge Discovery Center for a lesson on the native peoples of the region and Lewis & Clark’s historic travels here. From April to November, you can also see Native American pictographs and petroglyphs at Columbia Hills State Park, before a quick (seasonal) stop at a local fruit stand to grab a snack for the return to Portland.
Private Sunset Charter on a Vintage Lobster Boat
Each charter includes a captain as well as a deckhand who will serve as your guide. You will meet your guide at Bell Buoy Park, 72 Commercial Street, Portland ME. This is adjacent to the Casco Bay Lines Ferry Terminal. Your guide will escort you down the ramp to the water taxi dock and assist you with boarding MONHEGAN, our vintage lobster boat.We will depart Portland Harbor and pass by Bug Light, Fort Gorges, Spring Point Ledge Light, and Fort Scammel as we make our way toward Portland Head Light. Your guide will point out these and other interesting sights as well as any wildlife we encounter. If you wish, you can bring aboard food or beverages, and your guide will be happy to assist in serving. MONHEGAN is stocked with glassware, plates, and utensils. We provide a cooler with ice and bottled water on all charters. Alcohol may be responsibly consumed by our guests of legal age. From Portland Head Light, your captain will navigate through some of the islands of Casco Bay. You will watch Maine's rocky, tree-lined coast slip by as you relax on our deck chairs. MONHEGAN is a very stable vessel, and she is outfitted with a retractable weather cover so your comfort aboard is assured. As the sun gets low and bathes Casco Bay in golden light, your captain will round Great Diamond Island and turn into the setting sun for the final leg of your cruise. You will be treated to views of Portland's skyline silhouetted by the setting sun. Throughout the cruise, guests will find ample opportunities for photos. Can you imagine a more perfect finish to your day in Maine?
Best of Portland Craft Drink Tour
Turns out Portland really does have it all. Find out how our breweries, wineries, and distilleries are turning out amazing craft alcohol products. Enjoy the best of all beverages with this 3-hour tour through some of Portland's best breweries and distilleries! The city may be well known for its beer, but Portland is also home to craft drinks of the wine and spirit variety. We pick up at Old Port Spirits and Cigars on Commercial Street in Portland, the main thoroughfare running along the working waterfront downtown. Hop aboard the bus and we’ll head out on the Best of Portland Tour. All tastings, transportation, food, bottled water, and a take-home souvenir bag are included in the ticket price. This itinerary varies. We will be choosing 3 stops out of the following options (based on availability): Honeymaker MeadHardshore Distilling Blue Lobster WinesShipyard Brewing Urban Farm Fermentory New England Distilling Geary's Brewing Cellardoor Winery Stroudwater Distillery Rising Tide Brewing Foulmouthed Brewing Foundation Brewing Please note that tour venues and details may change without notice due to unforeseen circumstances We’ll drop you back off at Old Port Spirits and Cigars on Commercial Street, where you can continue to explore the downtown area on foot!
Portland Food Tasting Tour in Old Port
Enjoy Seasonal Dishes From Portland's World-Class Restaurants and Discover the Story Behind the PlateMake the most of your experience - enjoy six tastings of locally, sustainably and responsibly sourced food, where each restaurant stop unveils a new dimension of the Maine food system.An authentic experience - discover how Maine’s people, environment, and economy interact to shape a celebrated food destination.Be entertained by our knowledgeable and passionate local guides eager to satisfy your appetite for all things related to Maine food. Important Information Tours run Tuesday - Saturday, 11:00am - 2:00pmTour takes place in rain, snow or shine. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes for walking.Small tour groups of no more than 14 guests and the tour is best for adults and older children.About 1 mile of easy walking.The tour is designed to showcase the Maine food system. We have carefully selected food tastings in partnership with our restaurants that reflect the uniqueness of our area and its’ food scene, and these selections often include seafood, wheat, and dairy products. We can accommodate vegetarian/pescatarian/no shellfish/no nuts diets at our stops. Please understand that we have limited tastings that meet other dietary restrictions.Our restaurant partners tell the story of the Maine food system through their menus; each is unique and each is rich in local ingredients. Blyth & BurrowsBlyth & Burrows is a classic cocktail bar steeped in the traditions of exceptional hospitality and a dedication to craft. The name Blyth & Burrows pays tribute to the two brave captains who perished after the capture of HMS Boxer off the coast of Maine in 1813. The intimate two-level establishment features a raw bar and creative small plates, in addition to perfectly poured cocktails and impeccable service.EVO Kitchen + BarEVO kitchen + bar cooks contemporary Mediterranean and Middle Eastern inspired food using local, seasonal ingredients.MamiMami is accessible sustainable food for everyone. Farm-raised and presented in a casual environment.PiccoloPiccolo is a restaurant where everything is made with the best local produce, fish, meat, and the finest imported Italian ingredients.Solo ItalianoSolo Italiano represents truly authentic, Italian cuisine. All components are prepared by hand and are fresh from the farm and sea.UNIONOur name represents the restaurant’s relationship with the community – the local farmers, fishermen, brewers and craftsmen that create the uniquely Portland experience.
A Comedy of Haunted History
Meet up with your fellow thrill seekers for comedy and fresh Atlantic Ocean breezes as we begin in a small waterfront park in Portland's Old Port at 8:00pm. As your expert guide wends you through dark corners, cobblestone streets and alleys, you will be regaled with a fascinating blend of authentic history, stand up comedy and chilling story telling. With 8 stops, all out of doors but most covered, the half mile of walking is packed with award winning, original material not to be found anywhere else. Tour ends near some of the best seafood, ice cream, nightlife and craft beer in Maine