Portland, Maine Travel Guide
If you’re looking to travel to a charming, low-stress city on the East Coast with great food and beautiful scenery, you should plan your next vacation in Portland, Maine with this Portland Maine Travel Guide! There are also dozens of other great destinations within driving distance of Portland like Acadia National Park and dozens of coastal towns (check out my blog post about my visit to Camden, ME).
To make it even better, the temperature in the summer is unbelievably pleasant! Compared to the rest of the East Coast’s summer heat, Maine is so much less humid. Traveling from Charleston, SC in mid-August, Maine was such a treat for us.
In this Portland Maine Travel Guide, you’ll learn about everything I did in a few-day visit to Portland, Maine, including where to eat and drink (with a bonus section just on lobster rolls!), what to see, where to stay, and more:
Getting Around Portland, Maine
Where to Stay in Portland, Maine
Where to Eat in Portland, Maine, including:
Best Lobster Roll, Portland Maine Reviews
Places for lunch, quick bites, or coffee
Where to Drink, including the best bars in Portland, Maine for couples
Things to Do in Portland, Maine
My favorite thing to do is find and try new restaurants and bars, plus with its huge craft beer scene, Portland was the perfect destination for me and my boyfriend to try incredible food and find the best bars in Old Port Portland, Maine. We absolutely loved our three days in Portland and will be dreaming of the lobster rolls until the next time we visit.
Let’s dive into our Portland Maine Visitors Guide and cover everything you need to know to plan a 3-day Portland, Maine itinerary!
Getting Around Portland, Maine
Portland was a very walkable and seemingly safe city and is relatively small, so if you’re staying downtown, you really do not need a car. After a quick 15-minute Uber from the airport, we were set for the next few days! When we headed to another destination after a few days, we just Ubered back to the airport to pick up a rental car and saved hundreds of dollars not getting the car right away! The only times we needed to Uber during our time in Portland where to the Portland Head Light (a lighthouse that we’ll discuss later) and to a few of the breweries on the outskirts of town (namely Allagash Brewing), but other than that, we got plenty of steps, but nothing was out of walking distance!
Where to Stay in Portland, Maine
Many of Portland Maine’s best restaurants and attractions you’ll want to see on your visit to Portland, ME, are in the downtown area called Old Port, so I’d highly recommend staying in or near this area!
I stayed at the Hyatt Place Portland- Old Port, which felt like it was truly in the heart of Old Port. We could walk out of our hotel and be at the famous Commercial Street, adorable Wharf Street, or dozens of restaurants and bars within seconds. We had considered staying farther away to save a bit of money, but after exploring the city, we were so happy that we stayed here and were only steps away from so many great sights, restaurants, and nightlife. The hotel itself was a bit outdated (however, is being renovated in Winter 2024), but was overall clean and with the unbeatable location, we were happy with our choice. If you’re wondering where to stay in Portland, Maine on a budget, the Hyatt Place is a great option!
Below are a few other Portland, Maine hotels downtown with great locations and reviews. These hotels are also great options for where to stay in Portland, Maine without a car!
Portland Harbor Hotel
Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront
Portland Regency Hotel & Spa
Where to Eat in Portland, Maine
Dinner - *I’d recommend reservations for all of the below. I booked them a little over a week in advance and should’ve done it a little earlier to get our preferred times
Street and Co.
Right on the quaint Wharf St of Old Port and a sister restaurant of the famous Fore Street, Street and Co was a great experience with even better meals
Price: $$$
Location: Old Port
Cuisine: Seafood, Mediterranean
My Favorite Dishes:
Bluefin Tuna & Peperonata with Fresh Herbs and Pine Nuts
Broiled Scallops, Mashed Potatoes, and Green Beans
Bourbon Pecan Pie with ice cream
Atmosphere: Fresh, Traditional, and Warm & Authentic with exposed wood ceilings and floors, brass accents, and an open kitchen
Wayside Tavern
This quaint tavern has a cozy, historic ambience with an elevated neighborhood aesthetic and delicious, high quality food
Price: $$$
Location: Parkside / West End
Cuisine: New American
My Favorite Dishes: Tonnarelli (my boyfriend claims “the best pasta ever,” as well as the Roasted Chicken
Atmosphere: Cozy, Quaint, Classic, Historic
Twelve
This restaurant is so widely well-reviewed that we felt we’d be missing out if we didn’t go here and oh, were we right. We sat at the Chef’s Counter, which is an incredible experience, plus it serves a Prix Fixe menu that has four courses of some of the best food I’ve ever had
Price: $$$$
Location: waterfront on the East End
Cuisine: New American with a focus on New England
My Favorite Dishes: Gazpacho, Mussels, Cod, and the Yogurt Cake
Atmosphere: Upscale, Fresh, Historic, Professional. With distinguished chefs, the highest quality food (some was caught within 16 hours of being plated), and watching the magic from the Chef’s Counter, dining here was truly a special experience.
Others we didn’t get to visit, but had great reviews & will be on my list for next time!
Fore Street – This spot was highly raved about and clearly popular given how hard it was to get a reservation so plan this dinner well in advance!
Central Provisions – If you want to visit this small-plate spot, be sure to book as soon as reservations are available, which open 2 weeks in advance and seemed to book up in just a day
Via Vecchia – The interior of this Italian restaurant was beautiful and I wish we got to visit!
Lobster Rolls - We loved getting lobster rolls for lunch or a snack to share! These are the best lobster rolls in Portland, Maine & prices:
#1: Luke’s Lobster
Our Rating (out of 10): 8.7
Price: $26 for 4 oz, $38 for 6 oz
Luke’s Lobster was our absolute favorite and probably the best lobster roll in Portland! Everything about it was perfect from the quality, flavor, atmosphere (casual and clean), plus it came with a bag of Cape Cod chips!
#2: Portland Lobster Company
Our Rating: 7.4
Price: $28.99 *market price
This was a good, solid lobster roll – really no complaints! This was a casual spot with good ambience, live music, and lots of deck seating on the pier
#3: Bite Into Maine
Our Rating: 7
Price: $29.95 for 4.5 inches
It’s hard to not like a lobster roll so this was definitely still good, but we were a bit disappointed as it felt like plain lobster with nothing on it (barely even butter). There were didn’t flavor choices, so we ordered the mayo one but we didn’t taste or see any mayo. Bite Into Maine has a few locations so chances are one of them will be convenient for lunch during your visit, so for that reason, I’d still visit!
#4: Highroller Lobster Co
Our Rating: 5.4
Price: $30 for 4 oz
The décor and merch were so fun that I had high hopes walking in, but unfortunately, we were very unhappy with this roll. About a dozen choices of “Sauce” was confusing, so we asked the cashier for the usual for a standard roll (they said garlic mayo). We were surprised that instead of tossing the meat in the sauce, it was drizzled on top (and way too much of it). We would’ve preferred the roll with no sauce or just butter
Places for lunch, quick bites, or coffee: Bard Coffee
Works Café – this was the perfect stop for coffee and sandwiches after checking out of our hotel before hitting the road
Others I heard great things about but didn’t get to visit:
Tandem Coffee and Bakery
Holy Donut
Standard Baking
DiMillo’s On the Water
Duckfat
Where to Drink in Portland, Maine
In terms of things to do for couples in Portland, Maine at night, there are tons of fun bars to choose from! Below are some of the best bars in Portland, Maine
Room for Improvement – Truly one of my favorite bars EVER from the eclectic décor and cool vibe to the perfectly curated cocktails. They also have a fun menu with deals like the Snappy Meal that comes with a High Life, a shot from a boot glass, a hot dog, & bag of chips. This seriously has to be one of the coolest bars in Portland, Maine!
Independent Ice Co. – An impressive whiskey selection with hundreds of bottles
Papi – This Puerto Rican restaurant has great reviews of the food, but you should stop in even just for a drink! With the unique bar and beautifully designed space, this is one of the best cocktail bars in Portland, Maine
Henry’s Public House – An old-school vibe with antique décor and tasty cocktails
Lincolns – A speakeasy that was truly hard to find, so good luck! Also, it’s cash only so be sure to stop by an ATM
Breweries – Portland, Maine’s top breweries that we tried on our own Brewery Hop are listed below!
These are also some of the best bars in Portland, Maine for young adults that we wanted to visit:
Portland Hunt + Alphine Club
Maps Bar
Gross Confection Bar
Ones to potentially avoid unless you’re staying in the hotels:
Top of the East: known to have the best view in the city, which is why we went. It was a nice space, but the bar wasn’t anything special (just about what you’d expect with a hotel bar) and the view isn’t good enough to go out of your way for
Luna Rooftop Bar: At night, there was a 30-minute wait for two, but when we saw the view (which was only from the 5th floor), we realized it wasn’t worth it and left
What to Do in Portland, Maine
I visited Portland on a couple’s trip, so here are some great options for what to do with a significant other in Portland, Maine for 3 days. These are also perfect things to do in Portland, Maine for young adults, as well as families or solo travel!
Visit lighthouses
Portland Head Light - Perched on the edge of the scenic cliffside, this lighthouse was truly something out of a movie! There are also cliffside walks and hikes to take in the beautiful views of sailboats in Casco Bay, the rocky shoreline, and a few other lighthouse. Visiting the lighthouse was so peaceful and beautiful, a highlight of our trip, and not to mention, it’s free (other than the very affordable Ubers), so this is a perfect option if you’re looking for cheap things to do for couples in Portland, Maine!
There are several other lighthouses in the area, and you can also take boat, trolley, or bike tours to see multiple at once
Explore charming Old Port
You probably guessed given the name that Old Port is a historic district in Portland with a fishing port. The beautiful, old buildings house restaurants, bars, shops, and galleries and are surrounded by cobblestone streets that border the bay and many fishing piers. This area is so fun to explore and just take in the charming atmosphere that feels like it’s from a different time! My favorite streets were Fore Street, Wharf Street (which is only for foot traffic), and Exchange Street. If you could only do one thing during your Portland Maine visit, you should definitely explore Old Port, plus it’s one of the best free things to do in Portland, Maine!
Go on your own Brewery Hop
Portland was an oasis for my craft-beer-loving boyfriend as it’s coined the “craft beer capital” with over 70 breweries! There are tours that will visit a few breweries (like a hop on hop off or a Portland Maine walking brewery tour), but we wanted to try more than 3 and wanted to customize our stops, so we decided to make our own Portland Maine brewery tour itinerary, which is the perfect thing to do in Portland, Maine for adults! This is also an ideal plan if you have a rainy day on your vacation and need to find indoor things to do for couples in Portland, Maine.
We visited these breweries in downtown Portland and walked to them in this order:
Shipyard Brewing Company
Oxbow Blending & Bottling
Rising Tide Brewing Company
Austin Street Brewery
Belleflower Brewing
Lone Pine Brewing Company
We then Ubered to a few breweries outside of downtown that were right next to each other:
Allagash Brewing Company
Definitive Brewing Company
If they were open the day we went, we also had these on our list:
Battery Steele Brewing
Foundation Brewing Company
Last but certainly not least, on our drive to Camden, we stopped at Maine Beer, since it was about a 25-minute drive from Old Port
For a full Portland, Maine brewery list, check out the Maine Beer Trail which has an interactive map to find nearby pubs and breweries!
Make your own Lobster Roll tour
There are SO MANY places to get lobster rolls in Portland, so we took full advantage and made sure to have at least one a day and sometimes would share one so we could try more spots. We even decided to rate and rank each one we tried, which made it even more fun! My favorites (and one to avoid) are above in the ‘Where to Eat’ section
Shop
There are tons of cute shops, boutiques, and art galleries in and around Old Port! Plus plenty of souvenir shops!
Portland, Maine has something for every type of traveler, especially foodies, craft beer fans, and nature lovers. If you’re planning a trip, this Portland, Maine guide can be your one-stop shop for everything to do in a few-day visit to Portland, Maine, including where to eat and drink (with a bonus section just on lobster rolls!), what to see, where to stay, and more.
If you’d like to visit nearby Camden, ME too while on your trip to Portland Maine, check out our Camden Maine Travel Guide below or one of our other travel destinations:
