Portland, Maine, and Casco Bay
There’s good reason that the motto of Maine’s largest city is Resurgam, or “I shall rise again.” Portland has burned down four times since its foundation in 1633. Building codes set up after the Great Fire of 1866 created a legacy of handsome Victorian structures. Recent redevelopment has transformed the waterfront with dining and entertainment amid the working docks, and former warehouses have become the boutiques and galleries of the Old Port District. A short drive from downtown lie the parks and sandy beaches of Casco Bay.
Maine Sailing Adventures • Maine State Pier, Commercial St. • 207 749 9169
1. Old Port District
The colorful, jaunty shops of the Old Port District range from dealers in antiques and fine crafts to coffee roasters, clothing boutiques, and candy stores. Both fresh-caught lobsters and harbor island commuters come ashore at the docks.
2. Western Promenade
Ogle the Victorian mansions in the West End en route to the Western Promenade, designed by the Olmsted company famed for New York’s Central Park. Views from the landscaped clifftop reach all the way to the White Mountains.
3. Portland Museum of Art
Set in a complex of three historic buildings, the museum features painters of the Maine landscape, notably Winslow Homer (1836–1910), Marsden Hartley (1877–1943), and Rockwell Kent (1882–1971).
4. Victoria Mansion
Portland-born hotelier Sylvester Morse (1816–93) made his fortune in New Orleans. The elaborate Italianate manse which he built in 1860 as a summer home certainly showed the folks back home how well he’d done.
5. Whale Watch and Windjammer Cruises
You can see humpback, finback, and minke whales roll in the water, spout, and even leap during a four-hour whale watch; or view Portland from Casco Bay on a two-hour sail aboard a gaff-rigged sloop.Odyssey Whale Watch • 170 Commercial St. • 207 775 0727
6. Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine
An ambitious program of plays for children and interactive exhibits that both entertain and enlighten make the Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine an essential place to visit with kids up to age 12.Children’s Museum and Theatre of Maine • 142 Free St. • 207 828 1234
7. Portland Head Light and Fort Williams Park
Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head was erected in 1791 as part of Fort Williams. The fort is in ruins, but the stately beacon marking the entrance to Casco Bay remains one of the most photographed lighthouses in the world.Portland Head Light & Fort Williams State Park • Shore Rd., Cape Elizabeth • 207 799 2661
8. Crescent Beach State Park
Spread out a blanket, search for shells, or take a dip to enjoy the soft sand and safe waters at this park, favored by Portland locals but little known to travelers.Crescent Beach State Park • Rte. 77, Cape Elizabeth • 207 799 5871
9. Two Lights State Park
Sandy dunes and rocky points intersect at this state park, named for a pair of 19th-century lighthouses. Noted paintings of these by Edward Hopper (1882–1967) helped stop their demolition in the 1980s.Two Lights State Park • off Rte. 77, Cape Elizabeth • 207 799 5871
10. Portland Sea Dogs
A minor-league affiliate of major-league baseball’s Boston Red Sox, the Sea Dogs have a loyal, almost fanatical following in Portland. Hadlock Field even mimics the dimensions of Boston’s Fenway Park, with the “Maine Monster” left-field wall.Portland Sea Dogs • 271 Park Ave. • 800 936 3647
Tip: Be prepared for some steep walking, often on cobbles or bricks. Residential Portland occupies a high ridge; downtown sits on the steep slope down to the water. Tip: Get great snacks and meals at Public Market House, 28 Monument Sq., Portland, 207 228 2056.
