Portland, Maine, sits on Casco Bay about a dozen miles from the cold waters of the North Atlantic. A popular destination for summer and fall travelers, the city provides many opportunities to enjoy Maine's largest urban area. Water activities are popular in the summer and early fall, but also of importance is the active Arts District and downtown area that serves as a focal point for a different type of visitor.
Lighthouses and Observatories
Munjoy Hill is the highest point in Portland, which makes it a perfect location for the Portland Observatory, a 65-foot tower that stands high above the city. Built in 1807, this observation post can still be climbed from May to October for an excellent view of the surrounding countryside. Just across Portland Harbor (in South Portland) visitors will find two small lighthouses that were originally built to protect ships entering and leaving the harbor. Bug Light and Spring Point Light offer fine views of the harbor. Spring Point Light is on occasion open to the public, so visitors can see the original keeper's quarters and climb to the top of the lighthouse.
Farmers Market
From spring to late fall, farmers bring their produce to Portland for sale. On Wednesdays the growers meet at Monument Square in the downtown area and on Saturday they can be found along the main paved road in Deering Park. Live performers and local artisans are also present in small numbers. Produce is wide and varied, with Maine specialties such as wild blueberries, honey, pumpkins and apples being available in season.
Maine's 19th Century Literary Heritage
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow and Nathaniel Hawthorne both graduated from Bowdoin College in the same year, 1825. Longfellow was born in Portland in 1807, while Hawthorne moved to the Sebago Lake region in 1812 after his father died at sea. Longfellow's childhood home on Congress Street in downtown Portland is presently a historic site open to the public from May through October. Next door is the Maine Historical Society, a nonprofit organization that maintains an exhibition space and a gift shop/bookstore, which sells many items related to Maine's heritage. In South Casco, Maine (10 miles west of Portland), the boyhood home of Hawthorne is open for summer visits and special events.
On the Water
Before the steam-powered sea vessel, Portland had a waterfront of docks, where sailing sloops and schooners pulled right into the harbor slots. More often than not the bow of one of these sailing ships would protrude far into the main avenue of commerce. These old ships are long gone , but today it is possible to take a sailing cruise around the bay on a two-masted schooner. Cruises depart from the Maine State Pier, next to the Casco Bay Ferry Terminal. Each trip last about two hours and takes in the various islands and lighthouses in the bay. Both Maine Sailing Adventures and the Portland Schooner Company run tours that depart from the Maine State Pier.
Portland Trails
Maine is filled with beautiful, wild mountain trails, which often require a long drive and a rugged walk. Unknown to many visitors is the network of city trails that can lead the casual hiker to a secluded waterfall, tidal marsh or peaceful wooded forest. Portland Trails is a local organization that has worked hard to establish and maintain a network of easy strolls through some of the city's green spaces.
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