Free parking and a nice short trail to a cascade. It was dry when we went so the cascade was a…read moreletdown tbh but still a fun time

I have noticed this trailhead many times on our trips to Old Orchard, but never had time to stop in…read moreand check it out. Today, we did! I'm so glad! The trail is beautiful, and easy for anyone (except a wheelchair, sorry) I have a bad knee with limited mobility, and this was doable for me! I'm so glad we made it out there today. The waterfall was at full force, and was so gorgeous. The little landing area at the bottom was full of downed trees, but the kids were having so much fun climbing and navigating. There were people flitting about in every which way, miniaturized by the big waterfall. The bridge was washed out, looking to be repaired, so I think one access from the loop was cut off. But people were navigating over the downed trees and on rocks. Nobody seemed to care. It was a blast! HIGHLY recommend this trail.

I love the views! It's great for a picnic and a little bit…read moreof history. There's plenty of open space for you to hang out with family or friends and enjoy the ocean views and breeze. While it may be controversial, I'm glad they moved the food trucks to the lower lot. It's less crowded when you arrive and less crowded near the food trucks - meaning only people getting food are in the area, vs people walking/running through with animals and kids that aren't going to the food trucks. It's also less noisy not being next to the generators. We love the food trucks there and will continue to enjoy them while also enjoying the peaceful hill. The kids in the family really enjoy the canons and the playgrounds. The times we have gone the playgrounds have been clean - thankfully no needles or trash anywhere to be seen.

Nice views. Mostly you should come to the Eastern Promenade if you love the overwhelming smell of…read moremarijuana everywhere you go and want your kids breathing in that drug as they play on the playground equipment. Can't say I fall into that category.

Paved paths, natural beauty, easy access, plenty of parking, port-a-potty. Boat rentals in the…read moresummer. So much to do - walk, bike, horseback ride or maybe even roller blade. Canoe, kayak, paddle board on the Presumscot on a hot summer's day. Something for everyone!

This park is a dog-walkers dream…read more There is a 2-mile loop that includes part of the mountain division trail that goes all the way around the park. There is water for your dog to jump into, and fields for him to run in. During the summer they have boat rentals. Along the walk is the Gambo Dam. There are a few bridges to cross as well. Trash is carry-in, carry-out but they do have a dog-potty bag station and a few port-a-potties. The park is very clean and well maintained. A nice swing set and picnic tables too!

Such a great spot to bring the family for some outdoor fun! There are multiple basketball courts, a…read morepool that is open to the public and also offers swim lessons, and an awesome playground! There is a walking trail behind all of this that looks like it may be stroller friendly- we haven't ventured to it yet. No bathroom at the playground or basketball court but the pool should have one. Not sure if you can use it when the pool isn't open.

This hike is a nice place to take a short stroll for the locals but not a place I would recommend…read moretourist to come. First off, it is only about half mile from parking to the waterfall. So total hike was only 1 mile. it is a WALK, not hike. Good for families with young ones. Be very aware that the mosquitoes here are super HUNGRY! I have never gotten so many bites within such a short time inside a hike! I got 6-7 bites all over my legs just from hiking here for 30 mins. My husband got 8+ bites all over his body! Luckily my little one only got 1 bite. We were all over Maine in the last 2 weeks including kayaking and out at Acadia national park. All outdoor activities and barely got any bites until now! There are other trails here too but after getting so many bites, we wanted to run away as fast as we could! I wish I didn't come here. View and waterfall are not worth it for trade off of these hungry hungry mosquitoes!! *sooo itchy* :-/ Bring bug spray if you wanna come!

Jewell falls is a waterfall of water flowing from the Fore River and is named for Tom Jewell who…read morewas one of the founders Portland Trails and very much alive today. Did you know that Portland Trails started in 1991? He donated the land around the falls and the rest of the land the trail walls through is a mix of public and private land. You see evidence of this with many marked signs that designate private property -- good to respect these so we can continue to walk these trails. Somehow I got lost off my usual path I take and ended up going on the greater fore river sanctuary trail loop around and across the railroad tracks, but the boardwalks were great! Back to the falls, if you start at the trailhead near Brighton ave, it's less than 0.25 miles of a walk. The falls are made of horsetails of rushing water over large slabs of rock. The trails are really well maintained and there's not too many people. You can definitely still hear traffic from some parts but there are a few quiet enclaves.

Great place to catch a portland sunset and look at some gorgeous, old houses. Get there early.read more

The West End is a promenade that's located on the edge of an area called Brahmall Hill and is…read morecurrently listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. It's got beautiful and historical architecture with it's Victorian homes (and, apparently, former sea captain homes as well), stunning views of NH's White Mountains on clear days, spacious green areas and walking paths, a tree swing, the Western Cemetery fraught with our cities deceased wealthier ancestors, great walking areas, and it even once won an award from the Portland Phoenix for having one of the best secret spots to make-out in a tree (I kid you not). To me, the Western Prom is the established, composed, unruffled older sister (who's probably quite proper and likes garden parties) to the Eastern Prom. I'd like to think I've got a little West End in me, and it's fun to pretend I belong there when I'm picnicking and watching the planes come in and out of PWM from a distance. I've seen kiddos practicing lacrosse here with their dad, people relaxed under trees reading, friends playing a pick-up game of bocce while drinking something out of red solo cups. There used to be more events held here (... the legendary Halloween parade is not to be missed); so hopefully those concerts and outings begin to happen again!

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.

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.

There are multiple improvements this year. The park is newly paved from the main road to the beach…read morearea. There are new entry booths far from the main road effectively ending the back up in the main road. I highly recommend the state park pass.

We've camped all over the state of Maine, but keep coming back to this campground right in our…read morebackyard. It's priced at a premium over other Maine state parks, $10 more per night, but worth every penny. And I much prefer it to the campsites that cost three times as much that have cable hook ups and far too many conveniences. Nice balance between modern conveniences and good old fashioned family fun.

I love discovering those hidden-in-plain-sight places. The River Point Conservation Area, a 41-acre…read moreproperty formerly known as Three Rivers Farm that was acquired by Falmouth in 1995 - is one of my latest finds! It's tucked along the righthand side the Hannaford in Falmouth, and over a ruddy brown colored bridge. If you veer to the right after the red barn building (labeled Biodiversity Research Institute Ornithology Lab) you'll come up to an informational kiosk. From there, follow the yellow markers for a +/- 1 mile long trail that runs through beautiful fields and alongside the Presumpscot River, and both the west and east branches of the Piscataqua River. You can keep going and join a blue marked trail for more views of fields and streams, or cut through Orchard Trail (white marked) to head back to the informational kiosk without having to double-back along the same path.... I'm a big, big fan of loop trails, so this was important to me! Along the yellow marked path you'll find informational placards that talk about the natural and cultural history of the area, including: the site of Hobb's brickyard (Jonathan Hobbs was the settler who homesteaded the area in 1775), a Native American campsite and location of Hobb's cabin, a former orchard, the presumed site of Hobb's shingle mill. Outside of that, there's an impressive amount of flora and fauna - we came during a very warm summer day and were delighted by the beautiful shades of green, an abundance of wildflowers, and tremendous amounts of blackberry bushes. I imagine this spectacular hike takes on different faces each season... because of the high volume of ponds, streams, and brooks, I imagine spring looks and sounds vastly different than autumn, which must be ablaze with color due to maple and oak trees. We didn't see any ducks, herons, eagles, bunnies, otters, beavers, or deer which are also said to call this location home - but maybe you will! A couple things to note: 1. There's A LOT of poison ivy here. 2. Beware the ticks in the warmer weather. 3. The trails are moderately difficult. 4. Because of the delicate ecology, dogs aren't allowed. 5. If you're not paying attention it is VERY easy to get waaaaaaaaaaaay off course; just keep an eye out on the markers and the arrows, and you'll be fine!

Fountains fields and…read moreskates Memorial Park is a sprawling park located right behind the municipal building in the center of Scarborough. It certainly is a lovely place that has a whole lot of things to do. The park has a nice pond with two fountains, some athletic fields, benches, a gazebo, some walking trails, and a very well designed and pretty elaborate skate board park. Lots of weddings and other ceremonies take place here and they even hold musical events in the warm months. A nice park to do a whole bunch of different things or just relax on a bench and do a whole lot of nothing,

This park is located in an area behind the Chicago Dogs on Route 1 in Scarborough, the Municipal…read moreBuilding and the High School. It is also across the side street from the new Mercy Complex on route 1. There is a small parking lot that has a concession stand (I assume open when events are taking place) and restrooms. The park itself is nice and open with paved walkways skirting around the edge of the grounds. There is small pond with many bullfrogs and even a family of ducks. Two fountains, a small amphitheater and a gazebo along with well manicured grounds make this very picturesque. Trees and benches dot the area and almost all have a plaque dedicated to a loved one. ( we saw people laying flowers for a former cheer leading coach) There are also dedication stones honoring the men and women who lost lives in war. There are playing fields and a skate park as well. I am excited to spend time sitting or laying out in the sun on the beautiful grass and reading this summer. We have begun taking our dogs here to walk. This is an on leash area for dogs, however, we have seen some dogs walking off leash but people seem to be respectful and have dogs under voice control. There are plenty of garbage cans and two dog bag stations. This has to be one of the cleanest parks I have ever been to.