Where to stay in Portland

View of Portland 1

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.

Cracking a Maine lobster 2

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.

Exchange Street 3

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.

	Sunset at Casco Bay 4

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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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.

1. View of Portland; Portland, Maine, USA
2. Cracking a Maine Lobster; Portland, Maine, USA
3. Shoppers at Exchange Street; Portland, Maine, USA
4. Sunset at Casco Bay; Portland, Maine, USA
5. View of Munjoy Hill; Portland, Maine, USA