Much like its west coast counterpart, Portland, Maine offers up an abundance of outstanding coffee, local breweries, and delicious eateries as well as a plethora of outdoor activities. We had the privilege of visiting Portland, ME in our travels to all 50 states and absolutely fell in love! There’s just something about a historic, New England coastal town that just can’t be beat. Even in our short, one day visit, it was easy to see why people return to this beautiful small city time after time. If you’re a time-crunched traveler like us, then you want to get the most out of your time in a city, so we put together this one day itinerary for what we think is the perfect day in Portland!
*Be sure to check out our “One Day in Portland” travel vlog for a closer look at our visit!
Now, let’s get into it…
9:00am: Coffee/Breakfast
Holy Donut (various locations but we went to the 194 Park Ave location)
Home of the famous Maine Potato Donut, The Holy Donut makes delicious craft donuts with all-natural ingredients. And yes, they actually use potatoes in their donuts! It’s what makes them so moist and delicious!
Tandem Coffee Roasters (742 Congress St)
Coffee By Design (recommended location: 620 Congress St)
Bard Coffee (185 Middle St)
Speckled Ax (567 Congress St)
10:00am: Explore the Working Waterfront and the Old Port
Lincoln Park (green space)
Sea Bags Flagship Store (recycled sails turned into bags)
Portland Dry Goods (clothing and accessories)
Portland Trading Co. (clothing and accessories)
Something's Fishy (gift shop - 32 Exchange St #5020)
Shipwreck & Cargo (gift shop)
12:30pm: Lunch
Luke’s Lobsters (60 Portland Pier… where we went)
Famous for, you guessed it… Lobster! But really, you can’t go wrong with anything here. Seafood doesn’t get much fresher than this! Luke’s has become a worldwide seafood shain/supplier at this point, but its roots are in the northeast, and all of their lobster is sourced right from the coast of Maine!
Becky’s Diner (390 Commercial St)
High Roller Lobster Co. (104 Exchange St)
Duckfat (43 Middle St)
2:00pm: Self Guided Lighthouse Tour
No trip to the New England coast would be complete without checking out some lighthouses, so take some time to head out to any or all 6 of the incredible lighthouses within a short 15 minute drive of the city!
Portland Head Light (12 Captain Strout Cir, Cape Elizabeth, ME)
Ram Island Light (view from Portland Head Light)
Two Lights State Park (7 Tower Dr, Cape Elizabeth, ME)
Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, AKA Bug Light (S Portland Greenbelt Pathway, South Portland, ME)
Spring Point Ledge Light (2 Fort Rd, South Portland, ME)
5:00pm: Sunset Cruise (times vary based on the time of year you’re visiting)
Rocky Bottom Fisheries (60 Portland Pier… where we went)
What better place to watch the sunset over the Portland Skyline and nearby lighthouses than on a lobster boat in Casco Bay with an ice cold drink in your hand? The answer… Nothing! Just remember, it’s BYOB! If you’re looking for something local, check out Allagash Brewing Company, Austin Street Brewery, or Banded Brewing Co.! And if you’re short on time like we were, you can just swing by a convenience store, because many of them carry local brews! We really enjoyed the Allagash White which is a Belgian-Style Wheat Beer.
Portland Schooner (56 Commercial Street)
Lucky Catch Cruises *Sunset Lobstering and Island Lobster Bake included* (170 Commercial St)
7:00pm: Dinner
Portland Lobster Co. (180 Commercial S… where we went)
This is THE place to be for an amazing, casual dinner on the water. Voted the “Best Lobster Roll in Portland”, “Best Waterfront Dining in Portland”, “Best Patio/Deck in Portland”, AND “Best Music Venue in Portland”, Portland Lobster Co. has it all and shouldn’t be missed!
J's Oyster (5 Portland Pier)
DiMillo's On The Water (25 Long Wharf)
Eventide Oyster Company (86 Middle St)
We hope that these tips help you plan your visit and make the most of your time in Portland! If you did find it helpful, please consider heading over to our YouTube Channel and subscribing for more travel content and following us on Instagram, it would mean the world to us!