Holiday Inn By the Bay
The full-service hotel offers stunning waterfront and city views. Come and experience the natural beauty and unique culture of Portland, Maine.
- 88 SPRING ST.
- PORTLAND, MAINE 04101
- 207.775.2311
Experience the best of Portland, Maine. The Holiday Inn By the Bay is set along the picturesque shores of Casco Bay. Conveniently situated in the Downtown part of Portland, Maine, this venue puts you close to attractions and interesting dining options.
Places to Go
Children’s Museum, & Theatre of Maine
Children’s Museum, & Theatre of Maine, https://www.kitetails.org/
All visitors (including members) must reserve tickets in advance online.
250 Thompsons Point Road
Portland, ME
P. (207) 828-1234
Maine Museum of Photographic Arts
MAINE MUSEUM OF PHOTOGRAPHIC ARTS
15 Middle St suite a3
Portland, ME
P. (207) 808-8919
Merrill Auditorium
20 Myrtle St
Portland, ME 04101
https://www.portlandmaine.gov/1144/Merrill-Auditorium
P. (207) 808-5400
A 1900 seat performing arts facility located in the Arts District of downtown Portland. Merrill Auditorium has established itself as one of New England’s finest performing arts centers, with the Portland Symphony Orchestra, PCA Great Performances, and the Friends of the Kotzschmar Organ as its prime tenants.
Moss Galleries
Moss Galleries, https://www.elizabethmossgalleries.com
- 100 Fore Street, Suite B, Portland, ME
- (207)-804-0459
- Tuesday – Saturday: 10am – 5pm (or by appointment)
Portland Museum of Art
Portland Museum of Art , https://www.portlandmuseum.org/
7 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
P. (207) 775-6148
State Theatre
600 Congress St
Portland, ME 04101
P. (207) 956-6001
https://statetheatreportland.com/
In the heart of the Arts District in Portland, the historic State Theatre seats 1,350 and was designed in a beautiful semi-Atmospheric/Spanish style complete with stage and full balcony.
THOMPSON’S POINT
THOMPSON’S POINT
Thompsons Point, Portland, ME
P. (207) 747-5288
https://www.thompsonspoint.com/
With views of and access to the Fore River, unparalleled visibility from I-295, close proximity to downtown Portland and Portland International Jetport we are where the action is with ongoing events, outdoor concerts, skating rink, arts & entertainment.
Places to Eat
PORTLAND LIVES UP TO ITS “RESTAURANT CITY” NAME
Small city, big tastebuds. Long known for serving the freshest of lobster and seafood, Maine has gained a national reputation for innovative restaurants, craft brews, and growing number of award-winning chefs.
Nationally-lauded restaurants, local hidden gems, pubs tucked away in restored historic buildings, street food and lobster shacks – it’s all here to sample or just completely indulge!
All
PORTLAND FOOD MAP
Visit the definitive guide to the Portland food scene, the Portland Food Map. Launched in 2007 this simple directory gives a complete list of the local food community.
BIPOC Owned
- Asmara
- Eritrean cuisine.
- BIPOC owned
- Vegetarian friendly
- 5 min walk
- Papi
- Puerto Rican restaurant and bar in the heart of the Old Port
- BIPOC & woman owned
- GF and vegan friendly
- Yardie Ting
- Jamaican booth on the top floor of the Public Market House.
- BIPOC & Woman owned
- Counter service with tables available
- 15 min walk
Gluten Free Friendly
- Boda
- Thai restaurant with a focus on street vendor specialties and home-style cooking
- GF/Vegetarian/Vegan friendly
- 10 min walk
- Boone’s Fish House & Oyster Room
- Since 1898, a landmark seafood restaurant right on Portland Harbor
- Home of the original baked stuffed lobster
- GF friendly
- 20 min walk
- Green Elephant
- Pan-Asian inspired vegetarian restaurant
- Vegetarian/Vegan & GF friendly
- 5 min walk
- Mi Sen Noodle Bar
- GF/Vegan/Vegetarian friendly
- 10 min walk
- Papi
- Puerto Rican restaurant and bar in the heart of the Old Port
- BIPOC & woman owned
- GF and vegan friendly
- Sisters Gourmet Deli
- Breakfast & lunch. Sandwiches and salads. Willing to adjust ingredients to accommodate all preferences and allergies.
- GF/Vegetarian friendly
- 10 min walk
- Ugly Duckling
- Luncheonette of your dreams
- Woman owned
- GF friendly (House made GF English muffins & GF sweets!)
- 10 min walk
Vegetarian / Vegan Friendly
- Asmara
- Eritrean cuisine.
- BIPOC owned
- Vegetarian friendly
- 5 min walk
- Boda
- Thai restaurant with a focus on street vendor specialties and home-style cooking
- GF/Vegetarian/Vegan friendly
- 10 min walk
- Flatbread Pizza
- Flour from organic and Maine grown grains, baked in a wood fired oven
- Right on Portland Harbor
- Vegan/Vegetarian friendly
- 20 min walk
- Green Elephant
- Pan-Asian inspired vegetarian restaurant
- Vegetarian/Vegan & GF friendly
- 5 min walk
- Mi Sen Noodle Bar
- GF/Vegan/Vegetarian friendly
- 10 min walk
- Pai Men Miyake
- Ramen, sushi, and small plates.
- Vegetarian friendly
- 10 min walk
- Sisters Gourmet Deli
- Breakfast & lunch. Sandwiches and salads. Willing to adjust ingredients to accommodate all preferences and allergies.
- GF/Vegetarian friendly
- 10 min walk
Women Owned
- Papi
- Puerto Rican restaurant and bar in the heart of the Old Port
- BIPOC & woman owned
- GF and vegan friendly
- Ugly Duckling
- Luncheonette of your dreams
- Woman owned
- GF friendly (House made GF English muffins & GF sweets!)
- 10 min walk
- Yardie Ting
- Jamaican booth on the top floor of the Public Market House.
- BIPOC & Woman owned
- Counter service with tables available
- 15 min walk
Best Restaurants in Portland
Things to Do
Looking for things to do in Portland, Maine and beyond? Our diverse coastal area is centrally located, where nearby regions welcome visitors with their own distinctive Maine experiences. It’s all at your fingertips.
Congress Square
This urban square was created in the 1980’s to add vitality to the area by creating an open space within the bustling Arts District. Congress Square hosts seasonal special events series featuring live music, dances, and movies in the park. The park features seating, children’s play area, stage, and shade trees.
Events in the park are managed by the nonprofit Friends of Congress Square Park
Visit the Square on Friday night for a free and open to the public concert by local jazz band, the Ragtime Destroyers. Swing dancing is encouraged but also fun to just watch.
Eastern Promenade
Portland’s largest developed park at 78 acres, provides sweeping views of Casco Bay and direct access to the waterfront. The park features an Olmsted-designed landscape, Eastern Prom Multi-Use Trail, Will’s Playground, public boating ramp, hand-launch boat ramp, East End Beach, community garden, and world-class sledding in the winter months. Many picnic areas and benches dot the property, and the park is home to the annual 4th of July celebration, concerts, and events
Harbor Cruise
56 Commercial Street, Portland, Maine 04101
Phone: (207) 774-7871 Fax: (207) 774-7875
What better way to see Portland’s best coastal sights than while also enjoying some of Portland’s best locally brewed beers? This is an all-inclusive 90-minute lighthouse viewing and sightseeing cruise.
Old Port
Any trip to Portland has to include a walk through the Old Port. Wharf Street is a cobblestone street that dates back to the 1700s. This is classic old New England
Peaks Island
Portland is located on Casco Bay, which has seven inhabited islands. The Casco Bay Ferry runs ferry services to each of these islands every day. The closest and largest island is Peaks Island. Peaks Island is a popular day trip for Portland folks. A round trip ticket costs $15 and boats run at least every couple of hours. A walk around Peaks takes close to an hour and includes stunning views of the ocean. Peaks also has a couple of restaurants, a general store, and an ice cream shop
Portland Discovery Tours
Enjoy a 1 hour and 45 minutes, fully narrated trolley tour of scenic and historic Portland and visit Maine’s oldest lighthouse, Portland Head Light for a 30 minutes stop. The childhood home of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, the Victoria Mansion and the bustling Old Port are just a few of the landmarks you will see as we travel from city streets to rocky coast!
Portland Headlight
1000 Shore Road
Cape Elizabeth, ME 04107
The most photographed lighthouse on the east coast, and for a reason. Stunning views of the rocky New England Coast along with an iconic lighthouse. Portland Head Light is a historic lighthouse in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. The light station sits on a head of land at the entrance of the primary shipping channel into Portland Harbor, which is within Casco Bay in the Gulf of Maine. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine.
This is five miles from Portland so you will need to either take a Portland Discovery Tour or get an Uber or Lyft.
SeaPortland: Fort Tour and Beer Experience
320 Fore Street
Portland, ME 04101
Family friendly Civil War Fort Tours, Maine’s Iconic Lighthouses Tour, and 21+ Sunset Cruises. A local craft beer, canned cocktail, or wine is included for every guest!
Portland harbor’s forts are easily seen but not easily visited…until now! We offer the ONLY regularly scheduled tour of one of Portland’s historic forts. And if that’s not enough, enjoy a sampling of some of Portland’s best locally brewed beers throughout this guided tour.
Night Life
- Arcadia Bar
- Arcade bar with lots of local beer options and fun mixed drinks
- Pinball, Donkey Kong, Ms. Pacman, skeeball, and so much more
- 10 min walk
- Congress Bar and Grill
- Popular neighborhood watering hole
- Down-to-earth bar & grill furnishing comfort food with a twist in unpretentious surroundings.
- 5 min walk
- Independent Ice Co.
- “An honest-to-goodness whiskey experience for honest-to-goodness people.”
- Specializing in fine whiskey but also has a large selection of local craft beer and small bites.
- Located on a cobble stone street in the Old Port
- 10 min walk
- Luna Rooftop Bar
- Luna Rooftop Bar is perched six floors above Portland’s working waterfront located at the Canopy Portland Waterfront hotel
- Beautiful views. Closes 10-11pm
- 15 min walk
- Nosh Kitchen Bar
- Upscale pub serving creative, jumbo-size burgers, sandwiches & other comfort eats
- Serving drinks and creative comfort food “till late.
- 5 min walk
- Portland Hunt and Alpine Club
- Unique cocktails and Scandinavian inspired small plates in a chic environment
- 10 min walk
- Taco Escobarr
- Funky, colorful tavern with creative cocktails, outdoor seating & a Mexican menu.
- 5 min walk
- Three Dollar Deweys
- Located on the waterfront, this is one of Portland’s oldest seafarers’ pubs.
- Rustic vibe, cheap drinks, but not scary
- Their pub menu actually has a many vegan options. They embrace the modern world
- 15 min walk
- Top of the East
- Classic lounge at the top of the Westin Hotel with amazing views of Portland
- Piano bar on Thursday nights
- 5 min walk
Payment/Cancellation Policy Full payment must be received in advance. Cancellations received in writing by April 1 will be refunded minus a $40 cancellation fee. Cancellations received after April 1 will result in the forfeiture of the registration fee.