The Old Port, Portland, Maine

Did you know that Portland has more dining spots per capita than any other city in America? And many of them are nestled into the area of the city fondly called the Old Port. The Old Port is Portland’s revitalized warehouse district. Cobblestone streets span the waterfront, offering oceanfront dining, entertainment, and chic shopping opportunities. Yet the Old Port is also a working waterfront, which provides visitors with a taste of real Maine.

Dining options abound in the Old Port. For an original fine-dining experience, Five Fifty-Five, located at 555 Congress Street, is the area’s high end, award-winning restaurant, specializing in local, organic ingredients.

If you’d like to eat on the ocean, literally, try DiMillo’s Floating Restaurant. What was once a car ferry is now a restaurant that rises and falls with the tide each day. Every table in the restaurant offers water views, but DiMillo’s is famous for more than its views. They are also well known for their Admiral’s Portion of Lazy Lobster!

For affordable, authentic, and delicious Mexican fare, visit Amigos, on Dana Street. Or if it’s authentic Italian you crave, visit Cinque Terre on Wharf Street, the area’s leading Italian restaurant. Or, if you are in the mood for an exhaustive wine list and exquisite desserts, be sure to check out The Wine Bar on Wharf Street, one of the finest places to relax in the entire city.

For those who want to embellish in luxurious and stylish lodging, The Danforth Hotel has been welcoming visitors for nearly two hundred years. Another popular destination is Portland’s new downtown luxury hotel, the Portland Harbor Hotel, which is located right in the heart of the Old Port. And the Holiday Inn by the Bay is only a few blocks from the Old Port, offering rooms with ocean views.

If possible, plan your visit to coincide with Portland’s First Friday Art Walk. On the first Friday of every month, from 5 to 8 p.m., Portland’s art galleries open their doors to the public, while other artists exhibit work in the backs of pickup trucks. Design your own self-guided tour and watch local performance artists dazzle the streets of Portland. If you can’t make it for an art walk, be sure to visit Aucocisco Galleries, a contemporary fine art gallery located in the heart of the Old Port. This renowned gallery is open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 to 6.

Many attractions are packed into the Arts District of Portland. Visit the Portland Museum of Art, which is home to a permanent collection of paintings by Winslow Homer, Renoir, Degas, Monet, and Picasso. Check out the Maine Historical Society and adjacent Longfellow House. Families adore the award winning Children's Museum of Maine. Or see what’s happening at Portland Stage Company.

Parking is sometimes a challenge in the Old Port, as the old streets are narrow, especially in winter, when vehicles have to compete with snow. Many downtown businesses offer parking stamps, which cover one hour of parking in many garages and lots, so be sure to ask, and collect those stamps! In the summer months, several bike racks are available. Many people choose to leave their cars at the hotel, and explore the Old Port the old-fashioned way, on foot!

Warren Island - Lincolnville Maine

Have you ever dreamed of spending a few days on your own Maine Island? It can happen. Well, you might have to share with a few other folks. Or, you might not. Warren Island of Penobscot Bay is one of Maine’s best kept secrets.

This 70-acre island is a State Park located off the coast of Lincolnville. The only way to reach Warren Island is by private boat. No public ferries go to the island, but the Maine State Ferry System provides transportation to the nearby island of Islesboro. Then it is up to you to get yourself over to Warren Island. (It is about one half mile from the public boat launch on Islesboro to the pier at Warren Island.) Warren Island is equipped with a pier and dock. The Island also offers a limited number of courtesy moorings in deeper water adjacent to the pier.

The Island features 10 campsites (2 of which are group sites) and 2 Adirondack Shelters (three-sided wooden lean-tos). Imagine unzipping your tent and the ocean being the first thing you see. Imagine cooking your own food over the campfire, and watching the smoke blow away in the ocean breeze.

Warren Island is paradise for bird watchers. The Island has resident Ospreys. A pair of Great Horned Owls is often heard at night. Great Blue Herons, ducks, loons, cormorants, and sandpipers are frequent fliers.

For those brave enough to brave the Maine ocean temperatures, there is a beach at the southern tip of the island. Of course, this is not your typical swimming area, so be aware that no lifeguard is on duty, and that vessels may be sharing your waters. It is always advisable to swim with a friend. And of course, hiking the island and exploring the shores are a must-do for visitors old and new.

Some campsites are available by reservation through the Maine State Park Reservation System. Others are available by first-come, first-served. All camping must take place in designated campsites. From Memorial Day through mid-September, Warren Island is regularly patrolled by park rangers.

There are no phones and no electricity on Warren Island, so it is truly a rustic Maine experience. Drinking water is available from a hand pump on the middle of the island. Privy toilet facilities are available. Visitors are asked to carry all trash off the island.

Greenville Maine Vacation Getaway

Greenville is a tiny town located on the southern tip of Maine’s largest and most famous lake, Moosehead Lake. Greenville, with a population of just over a thousand, simply glows with small town charm.

The Greenville Inn, which has been recommended by Yankee Magazine, and was named one of the five best New England Bed and Breakfasts in both 2007 and 2008, offers a variety of special weekend packages. The Inn is something of a paradise for nature lovers who want to explore the outdoors and enjoy the finest amenities in the same weekend. The Inn offers views of Moosehead Lake from the rooms, as well as private entrances and whirlpool tubs. The Inn will arrange a moose tour for you with a Registered Maine Guide, who will take you to remote ponds in search of the largest animal of the northern Maine forest. The Inn also offers ice fishing trips, with ice shack included!

For a more affordable option, try the Greenwood Motel, in Greenville Junction, which promises its guests the lowest price in the region. (They also offer moose safaris!)

Or if you really want an adventure, consider camping at Lily Bay State Park, where you can pitch a tent only a few feet from Moosehead Lake, which offers what some consider the best kayaking in Maine. Create your own moose safari from your canoe or kayak.

During the day, take a cruise aboard The Katahdin, a historic steamer which will take you on a tour of Moosehead Lake, while you enjoy the spacious decks and scrumptious snacks and beverages.

A stay in Greenville puts you within spitting distance of some of the best hiking in Maine. Explore a stretch of the Appalachian Trail, visit Lily Bay State Park, or hike up Elephant Mountain to witness the remains of a 1963 airplane crash. After only a short hike, visitors can begin to see the refuse of the B-52 Stratofortress-C, an $8 million Air Force aircraft.

If you’re really looking for an adventure, consider dining at The Black Frog. The restaurant is located in downtown, right on the water and seating offers lake views. The food is standard pub fare, but the character of the restaurant will be what you’ll remember. The owners have a sense of humor, and were the subject of quite a scandal recently when they offered free meals to anyone who would skinny dip off their deck during the winter months. The local police had to be called a few times. But even if you’re not into nudity, the décor and ambiance is worth a visit.

For a slightly calmer dining experience, try Kelly’s Landing, a restaurant located just up the road in Greenville Junction. Kelly’s is family-friendly, with gorgeous lake views, and delicious Maine dining options, including steaks and seafood. During the summer months, ask to be seated on the deck for a view you can’t beat.

Greenville is a worthy destination during any season. No matter your pleasure: swimming, kayaking, hiking, biking, snowmobiling, cross-country skiing, hunting, fishing, or ice-fishing, Greenville is an outdoors-person’s paradise.