We spent 24 hours in Portland, Maine and loved it!
We visited Portland, Maine, for the first time a couple of weeks ago. It was a quick trip, (just over 24 hours) but we fell in love with this charming New England city.
For our next installment in our Bookmark This series, we selected our five favorite spots in Portland, Maine– from seafood restaurants to coffee shops to beaches.
Portland Lobster Co.
One of our first stops in town was Portland Lobster Company. There are a bunch of seafood restaurants in Portland, but this one caught our eye. It’s located in the more touristy part of town, but you can’t leave Portland without trying a lobster roll. It was the perfect introduction to the city after a four-hour drive.
The Francis Hotel
If you go to Portland, you have to check out The Francis. It is a historic boutique hotel that has been beautifully restored. It’s also located in a charming neighborhood across the street from our favorite coffee shop in town (and we visited several).
The rooms at The Francis are completely updated and decorated in a more modern style, but the hotel still stays true to its historic roots. The owners told us that the beautiful wood floors in the lobby (pictured below on the left) were covered up by carpet for years.
Tandem Coffee + Bakery
It would be fair to say that Tandem Coffee + Bakery was our favorite spot in all of Portland– so much so that we even did an entire post on it.
Tandem specializes in all kinds of pastries, including pies, cinnamon rolls, and scones, but you have to try a biscuit with butter and jam if you visit.
More & Co.
We stopped by More & Co. on our way out of town to pick up a few souvenirs. The shop carries products from local and international artists, including ceramics from Studio Arhoj that we recognized from our trip to Copenhagen.
We love the Imagine Maine shirts, sweatshirts, and totes, which are designed and printed right in Portland.
Scarborough Beach State Park
We couldn’t leave Maine without checking out a few of the local beaches. We drove about 15 minutes out of town to Scarborough Beach State Park for a morning walk. There were even a few surfers out catching some waves.
Kettle Cove
We also stopped by Kettle Cove, also right outside of Portland, right as it stopped raining and before the sunset. We were treated to an empty beach, gorgeous lighting, and even a rainbow!
The natural landscapes in Maine are breathtaking. By driving just a few minutes outside downtown Portland, you have access to some of the most beautiful beaches on the East Coast. Even though we were in Portland for a short amount of time, we loved exploring the city and surrounding area.
Checkout our downloadable Bookmark This PDF below to carry with you if you travel to Portland!
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