Field Guide
Maine (Portland & Beyond)
Maine is truly a breath of fresh air - you’ll return from your trip happier and healthier than you’ve ever felt. The salty breeze from the coast can be felt at nearly every turn; the colors of the homes contrast subtly against the horizon. Everything is historic, without feeling stodgy. Plus, this vacation is the perfect time to eat a lobster roll every day - or twice a day, I won’t tell.
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Photography by Chesley McCarty, shot on iPhone
Trip Snapshot
Over the course of a week, you’ll be able to try nearly every restaurant on your list in downtown Portland as well as a few you didn’t know about before you arrived (be sure to your waitress for recommendations on all of the local watering holes). If you need a break, escape for the evening to a lighthouse just south of the city, or drive up to Acadia for a night or two, stopping in small, coastal towns like Bar Harbor and Camden along your way. A car is essential for covering all of your bases, while also giving you the freedom to detour.
Eat & Drink
The food around here sets a new bar, I’ll admit. Diverse, sometimes decadent, and down-right affordable, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another place on this side of the ocean where a mouth-watering sweet potato donut is within a stone’s throw from a to-die-for lobster roll. Sure, lobster rolls are hilariously expensive thing to indulge in, but that’s what vacation is for, and after one bite, you’ll be thinking about them until you can return again.
Portland’s food scene truly has something for everyone, and the best part is, it is extremely walkable. Start your day with a baked good and coffee at Tandem, stop by the Highroller for lunch, then grab a dozen oysters at Eventide before heading next door to The Honey Paw for dinner. After, you’ll have your pick of breweries to check out, knowing that a bagel from Rose Foods will be waiting to clear your head the morning after.
Shop
Portland’s shopping scene isn’t what you are visiting for, but there are a few places worth checking out in when you need a break from snacking. Unfortunately, many of the shops that I wandered through were too kitschy - unsurprising considering how popular, but small, this coastal town is for tourists. But, there are a few well designed stops folded into corners, and Folly 101 is one homewares shop that I still think about - the colors had a coastal influence, but felt like a taste of Danish style.
Walk & Wander
Portland is very walkable; if you choose to make a long weekend of it and fly in from another city, you’ll be able to cover quite a bit of ground in a short period of time. Renting a car for an extra three days will allow you to see much more of the state - you can spend the evening with a picnic by the Portland Head Light before heading back into town, or venture up to Acadia for a few days. There are plenty of small towns to explore along your way, Camden being one of the most popular and idyllic. Take your time, turn off your phone, and see where the wind wants to take you.
Within Walking Distance
Take the Ferry over to Peaks Island
Western Promenade
You’ll Need a Car For
Coastal Maine
There is much to do and see in Portland, but the real fun comes in venturing along the coast. For our trip, we drove up to Acadia for two days of hiking and exploring, then we threaded our way back to Portland by way of Camden. It felt like an experiential tasting menu - everything about Maine is casual and approachable, but Acadia is truly restorative.
Camden
A very charming coastal town worth spending a day in on your way back from Acadia or as a day trip from Portland. There are a handful of restaurants and shops to check out, but I recommend exploring the neighborhood and sitting by the water to watch the sailboats pass by leisurely.
Bar Harbor & Acadia National Park
Acadia is a small but mighty park. Each hike is lush and manageable, with the view at the top always reminding you of the water, which combs its way through the shoreline like fingers through hair. Depending on the coastline you choose to explore, the terrain changes quite a bit; it’s worth spending two days here, or more, just to explore the different islands and inlets.
We stopped in Bar Harbor each morning for breakfast at 2 Cats. Bar Harbor is also a quaint town that you could explore in an afternoon!
