4 Reasons to Add Portland, Maine to Your Travel Plans

Whenever I head back Stateside to see my family, I always try to visit somewhere new. This in part is so that the time off to see my family (two weeks usually) has some element that feels like a vacation. The other reason is that there’s a lot of the US that we’d still like to see. This time around, we decided to head up the coast to Portland Maine. I’d been to Maine a few times before to visit my best friend, but we mostly just spent time hanging out with her and her family. There wasn’t much exploring if I’m being totally honest. That’s okay though, because I got to experience so many new things with my husband, who had never been to Maine or the North East in any capacity. Slowly but surely, we’re seeing a lot more, but he was pretty excited about heading to Maine.

The Lighthouses

If you didn’t know, Maine is the furthest Northern state on the East Coast – right up there with Nova Scotia. The coast meets the Altantic Ocean and there’s a hige fishing industry which means, Maine is positively rife with lighthouses. There’s over 65 of them, which is more than the entirety of the United Kingdom. Yes, I know the US is larger but this is just one state! So naturally we decided that seeing a few lighthouses was a must.

My friend’s parents very kindly played tour guide and drove us out to see a number of lighthouses that were a little further afield. If you’re in Maine and planning a lighthouse tour, I’d definitely recommend renting a car so you can see more! We started at the Nubble Lighthouse on Cape Neddick, which is about an hour’s drive. You can see lots of little towns on your drive, which was also nice! Then we headed back toward Portland and stopped at Lobster Point Lighthouse in Ogunquit, and Two Lights on Cape Elizabeth. We had a delightful lunch at the Lobster Shack (more on that later) then headed over to Portland Head just outside of Portland.

From there, we headed north for one moe stop, driving out to Pemaquid Point Lighthouse. It’s much further (about an hour and a half drive from Portland) but the views were incredible at at the lighthouse and along the drive. Plus, it was so great to be able to see a bit more of Maine than we would have been able to otherwise! I’d have had no idea any of these places existed! If you’re staying in Portland, you can book lighthouse excursions but those stay a little closer to home. Though I don’t doubt that would be any less amazing to see! Renting a car is also a great option, even if it is just for a day!

The Lobster

If there’s one cuisine that Maine is known for, it’s seafood. More specifically, lobster. Maine lobster is both coveted and readily available across the state. Now, I personally don’t eat a huge amount of seafood, but I will always make time for lobster. Mr. Actually has had it a few times in his life, but not very often. So we knew that lobster would absolutely be on the menu when we went up to Maine. Now the real way to eat lobster in Maine is by getting a lobster roll. Think meaty lobster in a hot dog bun, sometimes with a little mayo and seasoning, sometimes with a few other add-ons. It depends on the place you go, but it’s very simple. It’s also delicious!

We went to The Lobster Shack and sampled not just their lobster rolls but their New England Clam Chowder as well. We also had a clam bake at The Porthole back in Portland and again, it was delicious! t was all delicious! Lobster is still pricey, but the quality of the lobster makes it more than worth it. We had big meaty pieces of lobster that tasted so fresh! Easily the best I’ve ever had and well worth the price. Sure it’s all at Market Price, but since the lobster is local and likely freshly caught that morning, it’s actually a bit cheaper. And considering how big the lobsters we had were, we definitely got our money’s worth.

One thing to be aware of is that lots of the restaurants in Maine are seasonal – despite lobster being a year round industry, the tourist season still dictates some of the timings. Maine’s population drops drastically out of season, so lots of restaurants shut up shop at the end of October. We made it in the nick of time, and were able to sample the last lobster of the season.

The Landscape

Being on the coast offers Portland some very dramatic scenery. Even just walking along the Eastern Promenade in Portland offered some lovely vistas. And of course as we were driving through Maine we saw some wonderful scenes. We drove over to Plummer’s Island and got an amazing view of the Nonesuch River and Marshes. With all the autumnal colours, it was truly something to see!

There were a few other spots we thought about visiting, but we just ran out of time! Peak’s Island looked very cool and you can take the ferry across the water which would definitely offer some great views. I also wanted to drop by Fore River Sanctuary, in order to get a little more outdoorsy, but we just couldn’t swing it. We sure tried though!

We also heard great things about the Mailboat Tour, which again, if we’d had time we would have been first in line! It takes you around to all the islands in Casco Bay and came very highly recommended, especially as you can bring your own food and drink to make a day of it. It’s a working mail boat that takes mail and freight around the area, so you’ll definitely get in a lot of viewing! If we make it back to Maine, we’ll absolutely have to do this!

The Local Atmosphere

Portland itself is definitely worth a visit, even if you don’t do anything else. Lots of small businesses and plenty of personality, we had fun wandering and just seeing what we could! We found the most amazing AirBnb right in downtown Portland, and it was perfectly placed as a base. The decor was also totally dreamy, and made for a very comfy stay!

My two favorite coffee places were Bard Coffee and Coffee By Design, both of which had great coffee as well as some seasonal offerings (think maple, pumpkin and apple) which I was more than happy to try! We also stopped by Becky’s Diner (a must visit) and had drinks at Henry’s Public House. Though we were so full from our clambake, we didn’t have room for much else! If you want some local confectionery, head to LenLibby’s just outside of Portland or any of the other shops in downtown Portland. There’s definitely plenty of selection! And of course you have to get some pure maple syrup!

A few other places that were recommended to us? Fore Street Restaurant, The Holy Donut, Standard Baking Co, Luke’s Lobster and Eventide.

Maine is absolutely beautiful and driving around is such a great way to see plenty! Plus, if you’re a Stephen King fan, the vibes may seem a little familiar. He did grow up in Maine after all and most (if not all) of his books are set in Maine! Mr. Actually and I both really loved it, and we’d be well up for heading back. If you’re looking for somewhere to visit, I can’t recomment heading to Portland enough! The train from New York takes a little while (6 hours plus a stopover in Boston) but it’s well worth a trek.

Been to Portland before? Drop your recommendations in the comments!