Lovely visit to the Portland Observatory…read more We had intended on a self-tour but were told that self tours would start at 4:30pm...and that before that time, you would have to take a toured guide up the tower. As there was a scheduled guide about to start soon...we opted to take the guided tour. At that time (mid-week in late August around 12pm) there were only four of us on that tour. Our tour guide, an older woman, was wonderful. As we ascended the tower during the 45-minute tour, we stopped off at each floor and she explained a bit about the tower and its history. Lots of interesting facts! We made it to the top to take in some amazing views of the area. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-16 and free for those 5 and under. The stairs (there are about 100) throughout the tower are spiral-ish...so be careful of your foot placement on the narrowed parts of each step while ascending and descending. Street parking signs can be a bit tricky in the area reading "...no parking on the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th ___day of the month..." Be sure to properly read those signs and park accordingly.

My plans only have me in town for two days, so I asked my local coworker one sight I had to see…read morewith a short time frame, and was sent here. Just a fun little local tip. The history itself is cool enough: this was a lookout for ships coming into the harbor before radio, and is the oldest currently standing in the USA. But I really appreciated the elevation for getting a good look of the downtown and harbor area, walking around the tower in the breeze and seeing the ocean peaking through the islands in the harbor. Worth the $10 to the top. (Note: the stairs are steep and there's no room inside for an elevator. We're talking large curving internal staircases. Maybe not for those with mobility issues.)

This is a nice place for a quick stop! Theres a nice walking path. If it was a warm day i would…read morehave taken a walk since it has beautiful views. The lighthouse itself was small but well kept. Overall a nice picturesque park.

Small and unpresuming from afar, this light house probably has the most personality around Portland…read morewith its unique architectural features. Unfortunately, there were some workers working near the light, so we couldn't go up close to view the fine ornamental details. Nonetheless it was a nice walk, with views of the Portland skyline, and nearby there is an informative history exhibit on the Portland shipyards and construction of Liberty Ships.

I purchased a combo ticket with the Historical Society Museum and Wadsworth House. The house was…read moreworth it. The docent was very amiable and informative. He was able to answer every question put forth. The rooms were well maintained and very interesting. Loved seeing the antiques.

Why do I love the Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Monument? 1. He…read morealways has the most seasonally appropriate flowers and other flora decorating his base (well done, City of Portland). Oh, and for winter, the trees in his little park are a-glow with color (some years it's blue and green lights; some it's purple and red... why does this make me happy sigh?). And now some poetry: "The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain." 2. He is home to some serious Congress St. characters.. Some more poetry, say I: "If we could read the secret history of our enemies we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility." 3. He dresses up for Christmas. I don't know of any other statue that dresses up for Christmas, do you? Annually, ole H. W. Longfellow pulls out his knitted scarf and beautifully decorated gifts, and tackles the season head-on. Good on him for getting his shopping done so early each year. One more poetry-bit for old times sake: "I heard the bells on Christmas Day/Their old, familiar carols play,/And wild and sweet/The words repeat/Of peace on earth, good-will to men!" (It's a really cool statue, okay?)

Fort Gorges at Portland Maine in Casco Bay. This is old Civil war Fort you can access by boat and…read moreexplore! We did not get to go there! Noël Teel Lisa Diane Boyce-Vanoy Dale Lisa Vanoy Tony Vanoy #newengland25trip

Although I can't speak to Fort Gorges unless it's from the perspective of someone who's seen it…read morefrom a distance countless times, it is a beautiful landmark in Casco Bay. I hope to one day visit via kayak, but for now I'll settle staring at it from the port bow of the ferry.

Congress Squark Park, an open and public concrete space - and home to Union Station Clock -, was…read morecreated through an urban renewal project in the early 80's. Thankfully, the NPO Friends of Congress Square Park have done a lot over the years to protect it from outside buyers, preserve it, and breathe new life into it. This once deteriorated space has become a hub for arts, entertainment, and community togetherness. Over the course of the past many years I have... - Been entertained by the Circus Conservatory of America - Listened to the Maine Marimba Ensemble perform - Watched fire jugglers - Looked at art - Played an impromptu game of kickball ... in the park. And that was before all of the great things that are now intentionally planned for the space! Now, there's... - copious amounts of lovely seating - food trucks - even more musical and theater performances - outdoor movies - dance lessons - group knitting sessions - yoga and tai chi - kid-friendly activities ... all in the park. So impressed and grateful towards the Friends of Congress Square Park for what they've done. Bravo, folks! Thank you!

Adorable little park with incredible public space offerings & events throughout the year.read more

Although it was terrific to see a real Wyland whaling wall, as I am a big fan, the condition of the…read morepainting was not good. I was incredibly disappointed and disheartened to see it in such bad shape. It was very beaten up from the elements being right by Casco Bay. Wyland painted it in the early 1990's. Someone from the city of Portland, Maine needs to have another artist (not necessarily Wyland) come along to periodically restore the wall. It really looks bad/faded and should be a source of pride for ocean conservation efforts as it was intended by Wyland.

The Whaling Wall is a 450-foot long mural by artist Robert Wyland entitled "Whales off the Coast of…read moreMaine". It was the 36th public marine painting in his series of 100 that are located across five continents, thirteen countries, and seventy-nine cities. The project took twenty-seven years and was completed in 2008 (Maine's was dedicated on June 7, 1993). According to the Wyland Foundation, the murals are painted to scale to help "increase appreciation and understanding for aquatic habitats and the life within. Perhaps, most importantly, they have reshaped attitudes about marine life conservation" (http://www.wylandfoundation.org/community-events-whaling-walls-3.shtml). They will also make you realize how flipping (shout out to mah dolphin friends) enormous whales really are. Wanna feel inferior to the animals that swim just below the surface of our big pond? Go stand near the Whaling Wall. Talk about perspective! It's located behind the Casco Bay garage, but if you're waiting for a ferry or walking back to your car post-ferry ride, it's not hard to miss. In all honesty, there's not a ton to see here. It's exactly what it sounds like: a huge painting of sea life. Personally, I still think it rocks because a) it is a part of what makes Portland's wharf scene so distinct; b) it's part of this unique, record breaking art project that only 99 other locations are a part of; and, c) how often in life do you get to see a life-sized whale, eh? Eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh (sorry, Google Translate doesn't work on dolphin speak)!!!

Gorgeous lighthouse…read more Now, it's a little rocky to get over to the actual lighthouse. That's not hyperbole, the path is made up of big rocks laid together. It's not a smooth. Wear comfortable and sturdy shoes, I'd advise some trainers or sporty shoes - NOT sandals or flip flops. The walk is worth it, it's a gorgeous lighthouse! Please be careful!

We had great weather the day we explored this lighthouse. It has the huge rocks/boulders as a…read morepathway to the actual lighthouse with gaps in between them, which you could easily mistep and hurt yourself if you are not careful, or drop your cell phone between them and then you are screwed. Anyways, I wanted to walk the entire path that day, which is what I did and it was a cool experience. I would revisit this lighthouse again.

Locals said this is the most photographed and most painted lighthouse in the world! I think it's…read morealso the most beautiful! It's fairly easy to get to, and parking is easy as well. There are easy trails all around the lighthouse so you can walk to different directions and take photos from different angles. On a clear day it is beautiful beyond words. Though not that easy to get to, Portland is a beautiful town, worth a serious visit. This lighthouse just makes it so much more spectacular!!

Enjoyed a nice scenic walk in Fort Williams Park where you can see the iconic Portland Head…read moreLighthouse. First off, I'd recommend looking at the website for the park's basic information before visiting. The park has several parking lots throughout which was nice. This huge park offers several trails to walk on, lots of grass areas to enjoy a picnic, many beautiful photo opportunities of the water and lighthouse, and a cute gift shop. It also has tours of its museum and of the park itself, which you can buy tickets on their website. Another nice thing they have are several food trucks and outdoor seating, so you can enjoy your food with a stunning view. Overall, this park on Cape Elizabeth, ME is the perfect spot to enjoy a peaceful time with friends, family, and even pets! It is definitely a spot to visit if you're in the area!

**November 2025: Friday Morning Visit**…read more I saw that the Victoria Mansion was just a 10 minute walk from our airbnb and that Black Friday was the start of their Christmas overlay! It sounded fun and for $19.25 (Adult Admission) I was excited to see how they would implement the Nutcracker theme to the home. Guests enter through the gift shop and while we arrived at 10:10am or so I was really surprised at how many visitors they had checking out the home. As a National Historic Landmark, this summer home was created by Ruggles Morses, sometime between 1858-1860, and as a hotel entrepreneur Morses implemented many of the lavish hotel designs to it. The home itself is original and over 90% of the interiors and furnishings remain original to 1860, including furniture, carpets, draperies, textiles, which was really impressive. I think I spent about 45 minutes admiring all the home details and reading the placards, and there were friendly informative docents at pretty much each section of the home These photos don't even really do it justice, but the decorations were extremely elaborate and each room focused on a different act in the ballet - ie. Spanish Chocolates, Mother Ginger, Arabian Coffee, Chinese Tea, etc. There was significant care given to each room. Overall, I had fun time!

What an impressive place to visit! The history is fantastic and I'm glad it didn't get torn down…read moreduring the last 100 years. We bought tickets during Christmas time to also see the amazing decorations. At $20 a ticket it was a good deal. It is a self guided tour so you can spend as little or as much time as you want. They do have people stationed at certain spots where you can ask questions and they give you some history. It was a beautiful and def something worth trying at least once.

Tour was ok, but a little boring for the kids - lots of "dad, can we please get off soon?"…read more We booked for an easy tour, but in retrospect would definitely go with a smaller boat and more unique tour. Would probably be 2-3 stars, but bumped further down to 1 for the very rude tour guide.

Fun time!! Our 1st time in Portland and we decided to take a tour of the city and harbor. If you've…read moreever done the Duck tours in Boston then you know you're in for a treat with Quack N cruise.