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Portland is the largest
city in Maine with 66,000
residents. Located on the east coast, this port town has much to offer from
the artistic community to the industrious banking community.
In 1632, Portland
was settled by the English who named the area Falmouth. Previous to this, the
First Nations who inhabited the area had referred to Portland as Machigonne.
Destroyed in 1675 during King Philip's War, the town was rebuilt and by 1786
the port's success drove the people of Falmouth to create another town dubbed
Portland. Unfortunately on July 4, 1866 most of the city was engulfed in an
Independence Day fire and, once again, Portland was rebuilt. Due to a few prominent
architects who lived in the city, the new buildings had a more Victorian appearance
and to this day the city strives to protect these historic buildings.
Economically, fishing, manufacturing and agriculture are some of the main industries
in Portland. But, as of late, the service industry has increasingly become more
prominent within Portland's economy and many financial businesses and well-known
companies are headquartered here.
Portland also has a thriving arts scene. Congress street is the heart of all
the art galleries, antique shops and artist studios as well as numerous museums.
On the first Friday of every month, an art walk takes place. Artists display
their work, galleries are open and street performers entertain crowds during
the First Friday Art Walk.
Considering its unfortunate start, Portland continues to build a successful
city with hard work, large industry and lots of great places to play.
This WorldWeb.com Travel Guide article can help travellers with their accommodation
choice with three important information sources.
1) Accommodation Directory—This
is a complete Portland accommodation directory containing detailed information
about hotels, B&Bs, luxury resorts, campgrounds and more. With links to
accommodation websites and interactive maps, this directory is designed to help
visitors find the right place to stay based on their personal preferences.
2) Secure Room Reservations—Check
for Portland room availability and then make secure online room reservations
for participating properties with this convenient link.
3) Maps—The
Portland map can assist visitors in choosing where to stay by not only indicating
where accommodations are located, but also where they are in relation to attractions,
restaurants, shops, tours and transportation.
ACCESS/TRANSPORTATION
Getting there
Portland can be accessed by car from a few highways such as I-95 and US Route
1 as well as US Route 302, the highway between Maine
and Vermont.
Bus service is offered by Concord
Trailways. This bus company connects Portland to 14 other areas in Maine
as well as Boston and Logan International Airport. The Amtrak
Downeaster ferries people from Portland to Boston
by route of New Hampshire.
Both the bus and train terminals are located at the Portland Transportation
Centre.
Vermont Transit Lines also provide transportation to and from the city
of Portland with links to cities like New
York, Boston and
Montreal.
The Portland
International Jetport is located 2mi (3km) west of the city and is the
busiest airport in the state. Both major airlines as well as low-cost carriers,
like JetBlue, service this airport.
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| Cracking
a Maine lobster 2 |
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Getting Around
Portland has ample public transit making it easy for visitors to move around
the city. Metro,
Portland's bus system offers routes around the city, Westbrook, Falmouth and
the Maine
Mall area.
Bus passes can be purchased at specified stores or exact change may be given
when boarding the bus. For those arriving at the airport or the train station
Bus Route 5 heads downtown bringing visitors closer to accommodations, restaurants
and shopping areas.
Bus Route 8 connects to the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal providing island residents
and visitors transportation to and from the islands of Peaks,
Little Diamond, Great Diamond, Long,
Chebeague
and Cliff. Casco
Bay Lines offers cruises along the coast of Maine
from the ferry terminal.
Taxis are available 24 hours a day and are usually waiting in front of the airport
terminals as well as the Portland Transportation Center, International Marine
Terminal and Vermont Transit Center.
For those who prefer to drive, the city has a program called Park & Shop
which allows visitors to get stamps for free parking. Travelers can park in
a garage or lot and ask downtown shop owners for a stamp with each purchase.
Each stamp provides an hour of free parking.
ORIENTATION
Maine is located on the
East coast of the United States and is bordered by Vermont and the Canadian
provinces Quebec and New
Brunswick. It is easily accessed by many major highways from both Canada
as well as other states. Portland is located on a peninsula that is surrounded
by Back Cove, Casco
Bay and the Fore River.
Congress Street takes visitors from the West End to the East End in Portland's
downtown. Commercial Street runs along the ports passing the Old Port, Arts
District and Studio District and eventually meets up with Route I-295, which
runs parallel to the downtown area.
WHEN TO VISIT
Climate wise Portland experiences
a range of temperatures. January is the coldest month with an average low of
12.5°F (-11°C) while July is the warmest month with an average daytime
high of 78.8°F (26°C).
Due to the proximity of the ocean, rain is a common occurrence with the most
precipitation occurring in November with 4.72in (120mm) while August is the
driest with 3.05in (77mm). With all this rain, Portland doesn't get lots of
sunshine, so it is best to pack a rain jacket and umbrella regardless of the
time of year one visits.
Summer is the best time to visit as there is usually more sun and less rain
during July and August.
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DISTRICTS
Arts District
Located a few blocks
from the waterfront is the Arts District. Galleries,
antique shops, and artist studios fill the area. Local restaurants and cafes
in the Arts District provide well-needed resting spots along the route. The
Portland
Museum of Art, the Children's
Museum and the Institute
of Contemporary Art are a few of the attractions found here. Congress
Street is lined with office buildings and historic buildings creating a dichotomy
of new and old within Portland's downtown. Wadsworth-Longfellow
House and City Hall are two buildings steeped in Portland's history.
Old Port / Exchange Street
This revitalized warehouse district combines the working waterfront with the
vibrancy of a shopping and dining district. Running along Commercial Street,
this area
boasts boutique shops, restaurants tempting customers with Maine lobster and
a lively bar scene.
Casco Bay Islands
There are numerous islands off the coast worth exploring. Some of the smaller
islands are not inhabited and therefore do not have tourist facilities. Peaks
Island is the most populated island and has amenities like shops, restaurants
and a grocery store. The other islands are definitely worth checking out, though
visitors should make sure the island they are headed to is open to the public
as a few are privately owned.
Maine Mall
Located in South Portland, Maine
Mall is an enclosed shopping mall and at 1.2 million sq ft (111 483.6
sq m), it is the largest shopping mall in the state. Big box stores like Best
Buy, Macy's and Sears bring visitors in to browse and shop.
ACCOMMODATION
The best place to stay is
downtown Portland,
close to all the local attractions. Within this artsy city, there are many different
accommodation options available to please every visitor from high-end hotels
and cozy bed and breakfasts to vacation rentals.
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Sunset
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Hotels
The Hilton
Garden Inn Portland Downtown Waterfront is located in the historic Old
Port District and offers views of Casco
Bay and the waterfront. Restaurants, boutiques and art galleries are
right outside the door of this hotel. It has all the necessary amenities to
ensure a comfortable and relaxing stay.
For the last 80 years, the charming Eastland
Park Hotel has provided guests with luxury accommodations. Located minutes
away from the Old Port and Portland's museums, this hotel offers beautiful rooms,
a cafe and the well-known Top
of the East Lounge where one can enjoy views of the city and Casco Bay
while sipping a glass of wine. Dog-lovers will be glad to know that their furry
friends are welcome at this hotel. Treats and toys are provided and dog-walks
can be arranged with the bellmen.
Motels
Well-known and reasonably priced, motels are another accommodation option for
those visiting Portland. The
Holiday Inn by the Bay is located on Spring Street and is within walking
distance of the Arts District and the Old Port. Guests can enjoy the fitness
center, indoor pool and all the standard amenities of this hotel chain. Motel
6 is located in the west end of Portland, off of the I-95, and is conveniently
close to the downtown core as well as the airport. As with many accommodations
in Portland, this motel is pet friendly.
Bed and Breakfasts
Many prefer the intimacy of a smaller bed and breakfast rather than the large
hotel and motel chains. The
Pomegranate Inn provides elegant and sophisticated rooms to travelers.
Located in the Western Promenade neighborhood, this bed and breakfast has eight
rooms furnished with antiques and sumptuous linens. Nearby, the Inn
on Carleton occupies an 1869 Victorian home and provides a quiet retreat
from the busy city. The
Chadwick has four rooms, each one representing different corners of
the world, ready for weary guests to relax in after a day spent exploring the
city.
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Munjoy
Hill 5 |
Vacation Rentals
Seventy
Six Cumberland is a fully-furnished apartment located on Munjoy Hill.
This two bedroom lodging comes with all the comforts of home including a full-service
kitchen. With this rental as a home base, visitors are free to explore Portland's
sights at their leisure. Free street parking is available for those with a vehicle.
This apartment can be rented weekly or just for the weekend.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- View of Portland;
Portland, Maine, USA
- Cracking a Maine Lobster;
Portland, Maine, USA
- Shoppers at Exchange
Street; Portland, Maine, USA
- Sunset at Casco Bay;
Portland, Maine, USA
- View of Munjoy Hill;
Portland, Maine, USA
