This outdoor labyrinth located near the trails of the BTLT is a joint project of theirs with First…read moreParish Church in Brunswick. Built in honor of long time staff member, Susan Fitzgerald, this place is a wonderful place for contemplation and reflection.

Yep...this is a thing and it's kind of cool!…read more The name fits for sure...and I suppose the name is easy, entertaining and folks are used to it. But I couldn't help but wonder if it had a history of some sort and/or another name. I had to do some asking around and research to find out the original and/or real name of the statue and it is Chief Passamaquoddy. As the story and/or history of the statue goes: Once upon a time there was a Trading Post/Company (Casco Bay) where the Indian still stands today and it was put up by the owner, Julian Leslie. Apparently, Julian was a jovial person who liked to put junk cars in the parking lot to make it look busy and attract customers. One day he was having lunch in Boothbay and saw their fisherman statue and decided he wanted a statue...and an even bigger statue. He contacted the creator, Rodman Shutt and the rest is history. The statue was erected on 26 Aug 1969...it stands approximately 40 feet tall and weighs around 1500 pounds. He has been repainted a few times over the years, but for the most part he remains the same. The Trading Post is gone, but this piece of history still stands waiting on and greeting visitors today. And if you are wondering what replaced the Trading Post...I don't know, but there is the El Jefe restaurant nearby today. I thought it was pretty cool myself since I like unique things, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. It is, however, located on US 1 and a lot of folks take this corridor for exploration. For us, we were not only trying to take US 1 to explore, but it was literally in the area we were visiting, so it wasn't really out of the way for me/us. If you are on a road trip and/or visiting the area and this is in your path...why not stop and take a quick look? It is our interest that keeps things like this intact.

The ambiance is nice and relaxing from the time you walk in, the waiting area is designed to look…read moreand feel like a large settee for example. Staff when friendly and attentive without hanging over your shoulder. That goes for everyone we interacted with from the host/hostess to the server to the food runner. The menu has a little something for everyone and all fits on one side of the menu, so it is not overwhelming which allows the kitchen to really prepare their meals with precision and it shows; the food was really good. The drinks were prepared well. The haddock chowder had a really nice flavour and was quite filling. Our table had lobster alfredo, harvest pizza, chicken Parmesan, and a grilled haddock. Everyone enjoy their meals and the presentation of each was very professional which added to the enjoyment of the meal. We save room for desserts. Cannolis were delicious, the orange cardomon was light and not overpowering. The trifles went down well as did the cheesecake. All topped off with a lovely espresso.

We stopped here last night with the kids after having wanted to stop for the longest time…read more(out-of-towners). The staff was very friendly, though there was an hourlong wait for an indoor table (definitely make reservations!) or 10 minutes for outside (which was a little surprising given how many open tables there were). Both the indoor and outdoor spaces were super cool with some really amazing gardens outside in full bloom and then the more darkly lit, warm and cozy, and open concept with a great view of the kitchen team hard at work. I was the only one at the table to get a cocktail, to which I chose the blueberry lemon drop. It was really well balanced with a nice blueberry flavor without being overpowering. My wife got a merlot, which she enjoyed. The kids both enjoyed their chocolate milk and strawberry lemonade. Food wise we started with a caesar salad, which was good but pretty mild in flavor. It could have used a little more parm and either more pop to the dressing or just more of it. My wife got the (gluten free) baked focaccia and the lobster bisque for her dinner. She was melting over the focaccia (which I agree was the flavor bomb though I admit the gf bread was a little gummy - not abnormal for gf bread though and didn't really bother me). The lobster bisque she found equally delicious. I also found it quite tasty though did find it a little thinner on the mouthfeel than maybe normal. My MIL got the mussels that she said were really tasty and we found were locally sourced. I got the short rib. It was a large chunk of extremely tender meat with some absolutely delicious mashed potatoes. The gravy was pretty solid for it though I would have preferred it with a little more beefy flavor than maybe the wine. The carrots were a little disappointing, if I'm being honest. They were cut into vastly different sizes, which led to some majorly uneven cooking and even the smallest pieces were still much too firm - not crunchy but not really tender beyond the first quarter inch or so. It was almost like the were par cooked whole and then chopped up after. Definitely atypical and not really up my alley for carrots. Overall, aside from a couple very minor misses, this place was absolutely a winner and I'm absolutely getting some brick oven pizza next time!

"General opinion's starting to make out that we live in a world of hatred and greed, but I don't…read moresee that. It seems to me that love is everywhere. Often, it's not particularly dignified or newsworthy, but it's always there - fathers and sons, mothers and daughters, husbands and wives, boyfriends, girlfriends, old friends... If you look for it, I've got a sneaky feeling you'll find that love actually is all around." This quote, from none other than Prime Minister Hugh Grant of "Love Actually" perfectly explains Love Locks here in Portland. Up until February 2013 it was just a fence... a nondescript fence that hundreds of thousands of people passed every year without a second glance... until one night some drunken friends decided to buy padlocks, write a dedication to a loved one on it (for one of the original women, that included her husband and two dogs), lock it on the fence, then dispose of the key. Portland has such a European (where this idea originated from) feel to it, that it only makes sense for us to have our own version of Love Locks, too! Some folks think it's an eye sore... I think it's lovely. So lovely in fact that I may or may not have a lock up there myself (and I may or may not have thrown my key over the fence into the ocean... which I now realize isn't entirely eco-friendly. Dear fishies, please be careful grazing on any new sparkly snacks you might have recently found!). What can I say? I love love. And I love the ocean. And I love this city. And I love romantic gestures. And I love the strong bonds people have with other people, places, and pets. And I love unique forms of art. And I love pretty things. Don't you? Who knows if our Love Locks will stand the test of time. If, over the years, the locks begin to rust and become an eye sore instead of love lore, I would think the city might take it down. So come leave a lock of love for your loved one (be that your mom, your sister, your pet rabbit, your favorite coffee drink, or yourself) now... or at least take the time to read some of the proclamations of passion permanently padlocked here in Portland!

They're locks... on a fence. That's 5 stars right there. haha They're right in the middle of the…read moreOld Port and it was cool seeing it since I've never seen a love locks fence before in person. It is small and insignificant for most, but for it to have a yelp listing -- I had to check it out. They are tons of locks on it and most of them looked recent with in the year. That poor fence is holding on for dear life. If you're a lover want to lock it in -- put a lock on the love locks fence to make it official. That's more lasting than facebook official. Story has it that once you lock it up, that you toss the key in the water over the fence after the fact. Superstition has it that once you lose the key -- your love is locked together forever.

Such a cool experience in Portland... A tall ship docked next to the Maine State Pier behind RiRa…read moreand The new Science Center. I loved the interactive aspect of this tour. We were taken around by one of the crew members and he showed us the various parts of the ship. I don't know if there are words to describe being on a ship of this size and feeling like you've slipped back in time. This ship was built in 2009 (which was shocking enough) as a replica of a historic Spanish ship. There are crew on the ship that have sailed all over the world. The ship winters in the Caribbean and Florida and travels up the coast... This thing is MASSIVE!! Pay the money and go on this ship!

This was amazing. I'm so glad we decided to go down the coast and take this walk. We decided to go…read moreat sunrise. Although there was overcast, it was still a beautiful walk. I imagined the people who walked this jetty every single day and I was jealous. We didn't tour the lighthouse but we've seen plenty of lighthouses. We've never seen one out a mile though. Don't miss this gem! Be sure to use the bathroom before coming here as we did not see any portapods. Also, wear shoes with hood support. We saw a few wearing flip flops; so t know how they did it. I wouldn't take the risk of tripping.

The ending to a perfect day in Maine? Watching the sunset from a jetty of course!…read more After spending the day exploring coastal areas in southern Maine, we decided to walk the jetty near Wells Harbor/York Beach. We didn't know what to expect when we discovered this spot - so when you come know that there are two jetty's. One you can access from the elongated, sandy parking area on Foster Ln (which was free to use and deserted when we came in early November); and, one you can access from a bigger, concrete parking area at the end of Atlantic Ave (beyond Sage Fishing Charters - it's pay to park here, but I don't know if that's just during the height of the summer season). These jetty's are long (I read somewhere that they're over a mile) stone breakwaters that stretch out relatively far from land into the Atlantic. It's beautiful to walk down and back as you get stunning views of Wells Harbor, the beach on either side, and great for bird watching too (we were captivated by some sanderlings!). It's important to be mindful when walking on jetty's though - these big boulders have crevices between them, so "mind the gap"; if the ocean is rough, you might also get soaked from waves crashing against them! Absolutely worth seeing, especially in the shoulder season when it's got that much more serene, humble feeling to it!

Cute little bridge that you can definitely jump on! Having been to other suspension bridges, I can…read moresay this one is just as wiggly as Lynn Canyon in Canada. It's small obviously, not the views in the area are commanding. My only complaint is that parking is really tricky. We had to park at a store and walk a bit (not awful but not ideal). Anyway, would hike this trail again! It was relatively flat, shaded, and not crowded.

"Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle in your boots and shoes Wiggle,…read morewiggle, wiggle, you got nothing to lose" (Bob Dylan) Ever since I stumbled upon a Yelp listing for something as awesomely named as "The Wiggly Bridge", I knew I just had to make a visit happen one of these days. Pulling off that visit was difficult, because following the address we had put us in the middle of a residential neighborhood with "Permit Parking Only" signs galore. We parked off to the side, held our breath, crossed our fingers, and looked for the Bridge, which was nowhere to be found. Luckily, a gent was walking near us, and he directed us to a long circuitous walk down an elevated path, under the road, and across a marine walkway. As we walked and walked and walked, we finally caught sight of the big green spires that told us we had found the elusive Wiggly Bridge. The Wiggly Bridge is just 75 feet long, and I've seen a few sources claim it's the smallest suspension bridge in the world. And yes, we can confirm that when you walk across it, it most definitely bounces, wiggles, and flexes under your feet. I can also confirm that on a rainy day (like today), the Bridge should really be named "The Wiggly and Slippery Bridge", because it was slippery as hell.

I highly recommend Casco Bay Custom Charters…read more We sailed with them for a special family event in July 2020. We gathered to release our father's ashes at sea. The team we worked with to plan the event were flexible with our plans including location, departure, and the actual release. They provided helpful information about purchasing a biodegradable urn and how to structure our minimal program - especially as we had young children participating (ages 4-11). They will work with you to create your ideal experience.

Our small family really enjoyed this private charter experience. The crew was super friendly and…read morevery knowledgeable. The boat was comfortable and the tour included some hardy snacks and drinks. Would highly recommend this company to anyone looking for a private Charter tour in the area.

This was the perfect restaurant to start our Portland trip off with. We were seated at a lovely…read moretable in the corner. We had a reservation. The ambiance is very moody and sexy. Perfect for a date night! Our server, Hannah, was great. She suggested an excellent bottle of wine that complimented all of our dishes. Customer service was a solid 10/5! This is a place to definitely add to your Portland dining list! To start, all of the dishes were wonderful portions and could easily be shared between two people. Which I absolutely love because I enjoy trying as many things as I possibly can! Arancini: This was a great starter. Absolutely delicious. I have yet to meet an arancini that I don't love. 5/5. Caesar Salad: A perfect dish that is light and necessary before getting into a heavy entree. The salad was crisp, delicious, very fresh, and a must order. 5/5. Scallop Risotto: This was a large position that had scallops in every bite! It wasn't too heavy, was not too salty, and you could taste the freshness in the ingredients. Dessert is not pictured, but it is worth ordering! The entire dessert menu was excellent!

I don't typically write a lot of reviews but when I do, it is about an experience that was either…read morereally impressive or hugely disappointing. So here goes... My daughter had been wanting to go to Via Vecchia for a while but couldn't afford it on a college student's income. So we went during my visit. My hopes were high as we walked in--a beautiful glass enclosure at the entrance that was draped with ceiling to floor ivy; an intimate but lively atmosphere; and an offering of creative cocktails...my enthusiasm quickly vanished when our appetizers arrived. We ordered the focaccia, grilled octopus, and Caesar salad. The focaccia was soggy and flavorless. Even the olive oil that accompanied the bread was flavorless. The grilled octopus was another disappointment--there were more cloves of garlic than pieces of octopus. And what little octopus was there, a third of it was charred to black. Thankfully, the Caesar salad was fresh and fairly tasty. Ironically the focaccia croutons were the highlight of the salad. Then the entrees arrived--chicken Marsala and a spicy shrimp pasta in cream sauce (can't remember the name of the dish). My daughter liked the second dish enjoying the slight kick of whatever pepper/spice was used in the recipe. For me, it was just okay. The biggest disappointment however was the chicken Marsala--the gnocchi was overcooked, the entire dish itself was too salty, and the chicken--overcooked in some parts and fairly tender in others--tasted like it came out of a can. Quite honestly, I don't know what all the hype is about. This restaurant is mediocre at best. Perhaps the cocktails numb everyone's tastebuds to the overly salty but otherwise bland dishes. It was not worth the money and I would never go again. If this is the best that Portland has to offer by way of fine Italian dining, I'd say it's time Portland redefined the meaning of "fine".