Our guide to having #LodersofFun
Food scene
People go for the seafood, we go for the view and the onion rings. Also, great desserts! Open May-Oct.
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The Lobster Shack at Two Lights
225 Two Lights RdPeople go for the seafood, we go for the view and the onion rings. Also, great desserts! Open May-Oct.
Our go to for seafood when the weather is too cold to sit outside or it is off season.
19 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Docks Seafood
15 Evans StOur go to for seafood when the weather is too cold to sit outside or it is off season.
Great nearby ice cream shop with dozens of options and lots of special flavors you can only get in Maine. Open May-Oct.
7 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The DAIRY CORNER
612 US-1Great nearby ice cream shop with dozens of options and lots of special flavors you can only get in Maine. Open May-Oct.
Our favorite place to buy fresh, local seafood.
12 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Free Range Fish & Lobster
450 Commercial StOur favorite place to buy fresh, local seafood.
Very good small bites restaurant in Downtown Portland. Make sure you arrive early or book in advance as seating is limited. Somewhat expensive.
74 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Portland Hunt & Alpine Club
75 Market StVery good small bites restaurant in Downtown Portland. Make sure you arrive early or book in advance as seating is limited. Somewhat expensive.
An eclectic mix of food that should satisfy everyone from the pickiest child to the food snob. Casual atmosphere and open every day.
88 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Joe's Boathouse Catering
An eclectic mix of food that should satisfy everyone from the pickiest child to the food snob. Casual atmosphere and open every day.
Maine seafood on a boat in the heart of the Old Port. Free parking while dining. Excellent clam chowder. Reservations recommended.
101 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
DiMillo's On The Water
25 Long WharfMaine seafood on a boat in the heart of the Old Port. Free parking while dining. Excellent clam chowder. Reservations recommended.
Maine-based potato donuts. Favorites included the cannoli, lavender and any seasonal varieties.
220 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
The Holy Donut
194 Park AveMaine-based potato donuts. Favorites included the cannoli, lavender and any seasonal varieties.
Excellent local hibachi restaurant about a 10 minute drive from the house. Very small and unpretentious. We recommend eating there to get the food hot and fresh off the hibachi.
Kirin Sushi & Hibachi
426 U.S. 1Excellent local hibachi restaurant about a 10 minute drive from the house. Very small and unpretentious. We recommend eating there to get the food hot and fresh off the hibachi.
Excellent Japanese restaurant in Downtown Portland that serves fresh sushi and makes fresh buckwheat noodles in house.
44 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Yosaku
1 Danforth StExcellent Japanese restaurant in Downtown Portland that serves fresh sushi and makes fresh buckwheat noodles in house.
Cheese Louise Portland
363 Fore StreetA great local place to grab a gourmet grilled cheese.
The food is great! The drinks are strong and it is located right next to the parking garage. Order the wontons, they have a kick!
Paper Tiger
The food is great! The drinks are strong and it is located right next to the parking garage. Order the wontons, they have a kick!
This is a rum distillery. They make all of their stuff in house. Great place to get a drink with parking! Have a couple of board games in house. Also offer trivia nights, parties and events. They also offer bottomless popcorn for $5!
Three of Strong Spirits
35B Diamond StThis is a rum distillery. They make all of their stuff in house. Great place to get a drink with parking! Have a couple of board games in house. Also offer trivia nights, parties and events. They also offer bottomless popcorn for $5!
Sightseeing
This is the most photographed lighthouse in the country. If you come to Maine you have to go to Portland Head Light.
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Portland Harbor Museum
12 Captain Strout CircleThis is the most photographed lighthouse in the country. If you come to Maine you have to go to Portland Head Light.
Great views of the entire region from the top and very interesting historical tour.
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Portland Observatory
138 Congress StGreat views of the entire region from the top and very interesting historical tour.
A great smaller art museum featuring a mix of world-renowned and Maine-based artists. Always free on Fridays from 5-9 PM.
412 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Iziko lezobuciko ze-Portland
7 Congress SqA great smaller art museum featuring a mix of world-renowned and Maine-based artists. Always free on Fridays from 5-9 PM.
A very small museum in the nearby small town of Saco. A good mix of lesser known history and art.
6 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Saco Museum
371 Main StA very small museum in the nearby small town of Saco. A good mix of lesser known history and art.
A small lighthouse in South Portland with great views of Casco Bay.
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Bug Light Park
A small lighthouse in South Portland with great views of Casco Bay.
Activities
Great parking, wide open beach, great for sand playing and swimming.
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Pine Point Beach
Great parking, wide open beach, great for sand playing and swimming.
Great beach close to the house. Parking can be a pain, there is a lot and one hour parking available. No payment collected outside of memorial day to labor day.
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Higgins Beach
Great beach close to the house. Parking can be a pain, there is a lot and one hour parking available. No payment collected outside of memorial day to labor day.
A great way to spend a Saturday morning. Amazing selection of local produce, meats and prepared foods. Also great opportunity to walk around the park and for kids to play on the playground. Open year round and one of our favorite things to do in Portland!
64 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Portland Farmers' Market
92 Deering AveA great way to spend a Saturday morning. Amazing selection of local produce, meats and prepared foods. Also great opportunity to walk around the park and for kids to play on the playground. Open year round and one of our favorite things to do in Portland!
The best place to see all of Maine’s native animals. Fun for kids and adults.
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Maine Wildlife Park
56 Game Farm RdThe best place to see all of Maine’s native animals. Fun for kids and adults.
Voted among the top 10 orchards in the US. Excellent selection of apples and even better selection of blueberries. The drive from our house is also gorgeous during peak fall foliage season.
8 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Libby & Son U-Picks
86 Sawyer Mountain RdVoted among the top 10 orchards in the US. Excellent selection of apples and even better selection of blueberries. The drive from our house is also gorgeous during peak fall foliage season.
Local drive-in that shows a mix of 2nd-run and classic films, often doing double and triple features. Very reasonable ticket and concession prices.
7 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Prides Corner Drive-In
651 Bridgton RdLocal drive-in that shows a mix of 2nd-run and classic films, often doing double and triple features. Very reasonable ticket and concession prices.
Local creamery with excellent milk, ice cream and cheese. You won’t be able to get enough and will want to take it all home with you. Also features a large barnyard with petting zoo, as well as cross country ski trails during the winter. Less than 20 minutes from the house.
23 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Smiling Hill Farm
781 County RdLocal creamery with excellent milk, ice cream and cheese. You won’t be able to get enough and will want to take it all home with you. Also features a large barnyard with petting zoo, as well as cross country ski trails during the winter. Less than 20 minutes from the house.
A very fun and educational tour where you will learn everything there is to know about lobstering and even get to potentially catch your own lobster. You have the option at the end of the tour to either have a lobster cooked for you at their restaurant or to bring the lobster back home to cook it yourself.
40 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Lucky Catch Cruises
170 Commercial StA very fun and educational tour where you will learn everything there is to know about lobstering and even get to potentially catch your own lobster. You have the option at the end of the tour to either have a lobster cooked for you at their restaurant or to bring the lobster back home to cook it yourself.
A great value for money tour. You will see whales from a distance.
14 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Odyssey Whale Watching
170 Commercial StA great value for money tour. You will see whales from a distance.
Portland’s minor league baseball team. The Double A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. A very affordable ticket.
80 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Portland Sea Dogs
271 Park AvePortland’s minor league baseball team. The Double A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. A very affordable ticket.
Portland’s minor league basketball team. The G-League affiliate of the Boston Celtics. Formerly the Maine Red Claws.
8 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Maine Red Claws
550 Forest AvePortland’s minor league basketball team. The G-League affiliate of the Boston Celtics. Formerly the Maine Red Claws.
Portland’s minor league hockey team. The ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.
6 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Maine Mariners
94 Free StPortland’s minor league hockey team. The ECHL affiliate of the Boston Bruins.
Not your typical bowling, they offer candlestick bowling here. A lot harder than regular bowling but lots of fun.
Big 20 Bowling Center
382 US-1Not your typical bowling, they offer candlestick bowling here. A lot harder than regular bowling but lots of fun.
This is a spacious cocktail bar that houses dozens of old school arcade games. Entrance is 21+ only, but a great place to hang for the evening and they have a small menu for food. Super fun!
25 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Acadia National Bar
504 Congress StThis is a spacious cocktail bar that houses dozens of old school arcade games. Entrance is 21+ only, but a great place to hang for the evening and they have a small menu for food. Super fun!
Shopping
A great place to get all things Maine. This and LL Bean are the two emblematic Maine stores. If you are driving up from the south on I-95, you may hit this, before you arrive.
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Kittery Trading Post
301 U.S. 1A great place to get all things Maine. This and LL Bean are the two emblematic Maine stores. If you are driving up from the south on I-95, you may hit this, before you arrive.
Maine chocolates and gifts. Includes a life-sized moose made out of chocolate.
11 icetyiswa ngabantu basekuhlaleni
Len Libby Chocolates
419 US-1Maine chocolates and gifts. Includes a life-sized moose made out of chocolate.
The store that makes Maine famous. Always open. Lots to see and do. For the best deals, head to the outlet down the street. Don’t forget to take a picture in front of the giant boot!
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L.L. Bean Factory Store
95 Main StThe store that makes Maine famous. Always open. Lots to see and do. For the best deals, head to the outlet down the street. Don’t forget to take a picture in front of the giant boot!
A small boutique that only sells crafts and foods made in Maine. A great place to buy gifts to take home. A bit expensive but has really nice items.
Lisa-Marie's Made in Maine
35 Exchange StreetA small boutique that only sells crafts and foods made in Maine. A great place to buy gifts to take home. A bit expensive but has really nice items.
Cool As A Moose
128 Maine StMaine-based gifts in the Old Port.
The Blue Lobster
177 Commercial StMaine gift store.
Amacebiso ngesixeko
Ukuhamba-hamba
Parking
Parking in Portland is challenging. The streets are very narrow and many areas are off limits to parking and/or have restricted hours. This can make it very difficult to find a spot close to where you want to be. We strongly recommend you leave as early as possible if you need to be somewhere at a specific time. You may end up walking a significant distance to your location if there are no parking spaces close by. Parking on the street is paid for using one of several smartphone apps and is sometimes limited to only 2 hours. Plan accordingly. Parking is free after 6pm, holidays and Sundays.
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Dining out
Fine dining restaurants in Portland are extremely popular. Some restaurants are booked out months in advance. This is especially true in the summer months during peak tourist season. Many restaurants either do not take reservations or only do so for large groups. In this case, it is not uncommon to wait for upwards of 2-3 hours during popular dining times. To make things easier, choose less popular restaurants, eat at less busy times or choose to eat outside of Downtown Portland/Old Port which is less crowded. However, during peak dining times, restaurants everywhere can still be at capacity.
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Stroller advice
Downtown is stroller capable but not friendly. There are cobblestones, construction, and uneven sidewalks. Unless you are going to be out the whole day, a baby carrier is the way to go.