A WEEKEND GUIDE TO PORTLAND MAINE

Portland as the name suggests is the land of the port. Known for its beautiful sea space, large coastline and soothing weather, this cute city in Maine is one of the most popular tourist destinations on the east coast. We wanted to experience the rich culture of the city over a weekend. The city of Portland is known for its history, art, and culture and the amazing delicacies it has to offer especially the seafood. Here’s a detailed guide on How to spend a weekend in Portland, Maine.

Day 1 (Friday):

The first stop on our bike ride was Monument Square on Congress Street. An iconic structure to honor the US army soldiers and US navy soldiers, Monument Square is an iconic landmark in downtown Portland. Right across Monument Square are the Temperature Building and the Fidelity Trust Building which also have beautiful architecture and relevance.

After taking a good look at Monument Square and knowing about its history, we proceeded to David’s. David’s is one of the most popular restaurants in Portland run by celebrity chef David Turin and his team. The restaurant offers a great variety of vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes along with some very soothing cocktails to help you beat the heat. It’s perfect to go for lunch there while you overlook Monument Square. We relished the overall experience of the first meal in Portland

The next stop was the Portland Museum of Art. Portland is known for its rich and varied art culture and the Portland Museum of Arts helps in preserving the artwork from the 1800s till today with a collection of more than 20000 art pieces. This is located in the Art District of Portland and is definitely worth a visit if you are an art lover.

Next came the most happening part of the evening, the First Friday Art Walk in the Art district of Portland. This is a market that comes to life between 5 pm to 8 pm every first Friday of the month throughout the year. The Art walk comprises artists, musicians, and food stalls and should not be missed if you are visiting the city on the first Friday of the month. 

To end the evening on a vibrant note, we headed to Luna, the rooftop bar at the Canopy hotel in Portland. The views from the top along with the refreshing cocktails were just the perfect way to end your day 1 in Portland. Luna also offers some delicious food options which complement your drink even more. We called it a day after our evening at Luna.

Day 2 (Saturday):

This was the most important trip of our visit to Portland. We explored most of the city along with some delicious food and drink options on this day.

We started our day early and went to Miss Portland Diner for breakfast. Established in 1949, Miss Portland Diner is famous for its pancakes and coffee along with other items on the menu. The diner is located close to downtown Portland and has been serving the locals of Portland and visitors with mouthwatering breakfast and lunch options 7 days a week. The staff here is very hospitable and there is usually a queue on the weekends so it is advisable to go there early.

Post a scrumptious breakfast, we went to meet Dugan from Portland by the foot. Dugan is the co-owner of Portland by the foot and conducts walking history tours for those who like to know more about this town. His tours are really informative and interesting and it is a very good idea to get to know about the history of the city in 2-3 hours.

We opted for the Black history tour and were amazed to know about the contribution of the black population in carving the shape of the city. You can know more about the tours here.

After a 2 hours tour with Dugan, it was time for lunch at DiMillo’s on the Water, one of the most popular seafood restaurants in Portland. This place is located on the water as the name suggests and is amazingly designed on a boat. The seating options on the outside give you amazing coastline views with lots of boats parked near you.

The place is also famous for its yummy food and is a perfect option to enjoy your lunch with your friends and some cocktails. Our recommendations from DiMillo are Lobster roll, Crab cakes, Sauteed Mussels, and Cheesy Garlic Bread. 

As we had mentioned earlier, Portland is full of art and that includes the murals on the wall by different artists. To view some of the best artwork in murals, we went to Diamond Street to view true art on the streets. The murals designed on this street are from artists all around. There are also murals to honor the local heroes who have made an impact on society with their work. 

Next, we headed to Coffee by Design, a coffee place known for its heart and soul in preparing coffee. Coffee by Design or popularly known as CBD takes coffee roasting very seriously and believes in the concept of bringing the best coffee to you right from the farms. With the variety of roast levels for coffee – light, medium, and dark, you can definitely pick your favorite and sip it while you know more about the history of this place and the process of coffee roasting.

For all rum lovers like Vishu, we moved to Three of Strong after CBD. A place known for keeping the rum culture alive, Three of Strong has some really good authentic rum to look forward to. The staff at this place know exactly what they are doing and they serve some really good cocktails. Our favorite from the list was the Cuba Libre but we also enjoyed the spiced rum for its flavors and smoothness. Nothing better than unwinding yourself with a good rum cocktail at Three of Strong after a good day exploring the town.

Post the cocktails at the Three of Strong during the evening you can enjoy a stroll at Congress Street and Exchange Street. The two very famous streets in Portland are known for their architecture, shops, and some beautiful murals. For dinner, you can head out to the Press Hotel on Congress Street, one of the very old and famous hotels in the city of Portland. 

Union, the in-house restaurant at the Press Hotel is known for its authentic food which is sourced locally. From the honey harvested on the rooftop of the hotel to the seafood, there is freshness in every bite of your meal. We loved the ambiance of the restaurant and enjoyed the food. A go-to place if you are looking for your happy meal at any time during the day.

After a long day of exploring the city of Portland and enjoying the architecture, food, and drinks, it’s time to indulge in more arts in the form of music. We went to the Portland Symphony Orchestra to watch the orchestra performance by the musical band and quite liked it. As it was our first time at an orchestra performance we realized we will be coming here often to feel more about this art. The orchestra lovers in the audience were mostly elderly people who seem to be really enjoying it well. Post the orchestra performance we returned to our base the Canopy Hotel and called it a day.

Day 3 (Sunday):

After a fun-filled Saturday, we wanted to enjoy our last day of the trip slowly before we said goodbye to Portland. We started our day as a usual Sunday and went for breakfast at Salt Yard, the in-house restaurant at Canopy Hotel. The breakfast served at the Salt Yard is amazing with complimentary coffee for the guests who are staying with the hotel. The avocado toast and french toast here are highly recommended for breakfast.

After a fun-filled Saturday, we wanted to enjoy our last day of the trip slowly before we said goodbye to Portland. We started our day as a usual Sunday and went for breakfast at Salt Yard, the in-house restaurant at Canopy Hotel. The breakfast served at the Salt Yard is amazing with complimentary coffee for the guests who are staying with the hotel. The avocado toast and french toast here are highly recommended for breakfast. 

The Canopy Hotel in Portland is one of the best stay choices. Although we checked in late at night, the check-in process was super smooth. The room was super spacious, had all the amenities that you could ask for, and was very comfortable. The room had a dedicated workspace for all those looking to work during their stay as Vishu did. A separate section to store the luggage also made it easier to unpack and pack during the stay. They also believe in sustainable living and growth as they promote the use of glass bottles that can be refilled on each floor through a vending machine. We really like hotels that promote sustainability. Canopy Hotel is a pet-friendly hotel which makes it a perfect choice for all pet parents. 

The food and drink options at the Canopy Hotel are super amazing. One can really enjoy the view, cocktails, and dinner at Luna – their in-house rooftop restaurant and bar. We were totally in love with the breakfast offered at the Salt Yard, another in-house restaurant at the  Canopy Hotel.

The staff at the Canopy Hotel is super helpful, accommodating, and always wear a smile on their faces. They also offer complimentary bicycles for their guests to explore the town. Trust us, exploring Portland on a bicycle can be really fun. Overall our experience with the Canopy Hotel has been one of our best experiences in the US and we look forward to staying with them again soon.

After a fulfilling meal that felt more like a brunch we took the bikes again and went to Congress Street and Exchange Street. The mural in Tommy’s Park at Exchange Street is one of the most famous photo spots in the city.

We went souvenir shopping in that area as they had some really good shops selling handmade souvenirs. We recommend “The Maine Souvenir Shop” for your souvenir shopping.

The next stop for us on that day was the Holy Donuts. This is a famous donut store known for making potato-based donuts. If you enjoy donuts then you should not miss the holy donuts and try the honey lavender donuts offered there. 

 

 

After having the delicious donuts we went straight to Munjoy Hill, the east end of the city. This place in Portland is a must-visit if you want to enjoy some time relaxing, enjoying the grass on the East Promenade, and watching the gorgeous view of Casco Bay. There are ferries also available here that can take you to Casco Bay but we avoided taking the ferry as it was cold and windy on that day. 

We spent almost two hours at the Eastern Promenade enjoying the views and the lovely weather. Another attraction at Munjoy Hill is the food trucks. The food trucks here serve really good food and add to the charm of the location. We tried a Chicken open Burrito Bowl from Tacos la Poblanita and a Chicken Teriyaki Vermicelli Bowl from Vy Banh Mi and we liked both. While Vishu liked the Mexican dish, I enjoyed the Vietnamese more.

Post the lunch at the Eastern Promenade we started visiting the lighthouses in Portland. The first stop was the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse. Located in the South Portland area, the Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse was built in 1897 and is visible from a far distance. This is one of the few lighthouses in Portland that is connected with a breakwater and allows visitors to step inside with an admission fee. The skyline of Portland from this lighthouse is scenic and a treat to the visitors.

The next stop was the Portland Headlight – one of the most iconic and photographed spots in Portland. Located in the Cape Elizabeth area of Portland, this lighthouse has history from the 17th century and has been in existence ever since. The lighthouse is on the shores of Fort Williams park which is also a popular spot amongst both tourists and locals. You can get amazing views of the lighthouse from the park while you spend some time there. 

After spending almost an hour there clicking pictures and admiring the beauty, it was time for us to head back home and say goodbye to Portland. We really enjoyed the weekend spent here and we look forward to visiting Portland again soon.

This blog post is written in collaboration with VisitPortland and GLP films however the views expressed here are sole of the author and are not influenced in any way. 

 

 

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