Discover Portland

Portland, Maine, brings together a historic house museum, the Casco Bay coastline, a waterfront parkland, and the working Old Port. These features give the city different focal points for planning your trip. Consider whether you are especially interested in historic interiors, a coastal trail, or the harbor and streetscape.

Historic Houses and Tours

Victoria Mansion is a historic house museum in Portland, Maine, completed in 1860. More than 90 percent of its original interior furnishings have been preserved. Even more than 160 years after its construction, these largely preserved furnishings remain a distinctive feature of the house. For history enthusiasts, it offers a close look at a house with a long history and an exceptional amount of preserved furnishings.

Tours of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House offer another way to explore the city's history. The Maine Historical Society offers them for individuals and groups. Check the date and availability before your visit. This gives you a choice of different historical interests: the preserved interior furnishings of Victoria Mansion or a guided tour of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House.

Coast and Parkland

The Eastern Promenade lies on the waterfront and features broad, gently sloping lawns, public gardens, monuments, and playgrounds. These features give it a different character from the historic houses and the harbor district. If you are interested in parkland, you will find a range of specific features here, from green spaces to monuments.

The Eastern Promenade Trail runs along the coast of Casco Bay for 2.1 miles each way and connects to the Back Cove Trail. The stated distance each way is a useful guide for planning. Trail conditions can vary, so keep that in mind when planning an outing. The parkland and trail offer different focal points: gardens, lawns, and playgrounds on one hand, and a coastal route with a clearly stated distance on the other.

The Working Old Port

Old Port has an active waterfront with fishing and lobster boats. It reflects the working character of this harbor area. The streetscape is also distinctive: cobblestone and brick streets lead visitors to restaurants, boutiques, and bars. Harbor activity and the streetscape describe two different sides of Old Port—boats along the waterfront and shops along the streets.

Planning Your Trip

The Portland, Maine, Information Center offers local, city, regional, and state maps, public restrooms, free Wi-Fi, and personal assistance. Visitor services may vary by season. Portland's Transportation Center is also relevant for getting there: it is served by Amtrak Downeaster and Concord Trailways. As transportation services and operators may change, check the latest information before your trip.

When looking for a vacation rental, use these differences as a starting point: Would you like your stay to focus more on historic houses, the coast and parkland, or the harbor and streetscape? First choose the experiences that matter to you, then compare the specific accommodation address with the places you plan to visit. This way, you can choose a location based on your interests and the focus you want for your trip.

Discover more destinations: Standish, Harpswell, Gray, Gorham, New Gloucester, Cape Elizabeth, Windham, Naples

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