I wasn't expecting so much from this little park right off Route 302 (it's located on a dirt road…read morejust after the Westbrook Pool & Spa; there's a large granite sign at the mouth of the road, and you've probably passed it a million times - I know I have - but once you see it, you'll know exactly where this gem is forever)! Donnabeth Lippman Park - formerly known as Chaffin Pond Preserve - is 123 acre mostly wooded area that surrounds a 10 acre pond that's apparently great for fishing. I came here for a walk in the woods and was delighted to find that there was more than meets the eye: there's a family-friendly (you could easily take a stroller here - it's packed earth and not very root-y), totally accessible to all abilities, story book trail with a giant "Once Upon A Time" sign inviting you into the woods (how magical and fantastical is that?). Once you're finished, you can walk back to the parking lot from here via the yellow trail or you can take that same trail and follow it up alongside the pond, through the woods, then back down around the opposite side of the water (side note: I love loop trails - who wants to double back and see the same things?). A red trail deviates off to Mud Pond, and a green trail just adds an extended path through the forest before reconnecting to yellow. All of it is perfectly marked! It's a wonderful walking trail and if I lived nearby I could see this also being a solid spot for a good run! Admittedly, after heavy rain or during spring you should expect it to be quite muddy. No hunting allowed here, so it's a good spot for year round enjoyment (for those of you who are looking for a new snowshoeing spot!); there's an abundance of picnic tables overlooking the pond, a swing set, a big playground area, and plenty of green space to stretch out on. Again - what an unexpectedly great spot hidden in plain sight!

This is a great little trail to take your kiddos on. There's a playground, a story walk (that…read morechanges monthly), beautiful water views and an easy to follow trail around the pond. If you take a little detour off the story walk, you'll even find a cool teepee shaped bunch of sticks leaning against a tree. Children love to explore this area. It's not so far off the path that you'd ever get lost. In between the first few pages of the story walk, when you have an opportunity to go straight, do so. I promise it's only a few feet down the path. Can't miss it!

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!

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.

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 am so surprised this spot isn't more known throughout the city! But, I also don't mind it. I like…read moreit as one of Portland's best kept secrets. *winky face* I found out about Fort Sumner Park through a post on a Facebook group. Someone posted the most beautiful sunset overlooking the city, and kindly shared the location; Fort Sumner Park. I visited for the first time a while ago with a friend, and since then it has become our go-to place to catch the sunset. Like Steff mentioned, from a distance this spot is nothing special - some grass, trees, and benches. But once you actually start exploring this tiny but mighty park, especially during "golden hour", you realize why it's magical. From the end of the park, overlooking the city, you almost feel like you can touch the orange sun. From this park, you can see the city change colors right in front of you as the sun slowly sets. It's truly hard to describe how beautiful it is. You must go and see it in person! After a long day at work, visiting Fort Sumner Park is basically therapy. I catch myself saying "WOW" multiple times as the sun sets and I enjoy my beer. It's one of my favorite spots in Portland. TIP: Bring a picnic blanket, some snacks, and some beers. There's always space to sit on the grass. Parking can be difficult during peak hours, but there's always residential parking for free around the area, but be prepared to walk a block or two.

Amazing amazing sunset views. Not only sunset but during the day you have spectacular views of the…read morecity. Also it's a great park to just sit and relax under a tree with a book or at the bench. Very peaceful

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!

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.

The Eastern Promenade is a popular place to take a walk in Portland and see the water. There were…read morelots of people so we had to search for parking but it wasn't bad. We walked down to the Portland Paddle area. You can reach the water but there is not a beach there. Some people find a place for a picnic on the grass. Others ride bikes around the Promenade. The views of Casco Bay are good.

This is part of the Standish Parks and Rec. I went here recently to start the Mountain Division…read moreTrail (MDT) from the side opposite of where I live, in the up and coming town of Windham. It was a beautiful drive from Windham to Standish on Route 35. The great Sebago Lake on the right and the woods on the left. I wasn't aware of this, but the woods are owned by the Portland Water District. They contain over 13 miles of trails and have a connected trailhead with the MDT. While I waited for my hiking partners I wandered around the field to check out my new surroundings. Johnson field seems to be a typical local soccer field. They have a large parking area, clearly marked with a sign along the road. Around the field they have a jungle gym and a play area. They also have 3 adult plyometric machines to get an outdoor workout? It's like an outdoor step and rowing machine. I had never seen anything like it. The restroom situation is Port-A-Pot, but they seemed clean enough, better than a trailside bathroom break. The trailhead kiosk for the MDT starts to the left of the field and runs along a gravel road that seems to be a multi-use trail shared with the YMCA camp. I would like to see the traffic on this trail/road in the summer. Not sure if it would be a place to have a dog off leash, because of traffic, despite the size of the trail. Johnson Field is a fine place to park and then walk.

This is one of my favorite spots in town Freeport ME. It's tucked away and not heavily used which…read moremakes it a perfect spot for dog walking. People with dogs are really good with keeping it clean, which makes it feel almost like a dog park for locals and visitors alike. There are some rough edges when entering from the School St entrance but once you get past it, it's pretty nice and quite.

We had such a great family day at the Park today. Nice, shady picnic table close to the…read morebeach/water. Clean grill at our site. Plentiful bathrooms. Snack shack. We swam, walked to the sand bar, and had a barbecue. Everyone (ages 10 - 62) had a wonderful time. Lines were long to get in but they moved as fast as possible and it was a hot day - everyone had the same idea.

In July 2026, our family stopped by Sebago Lake SP on a drive from Portland, ME to the White…read moreMountains. It's a popular lake that was crowded with many kids and families on a small beach. If you are seeking peace and quiet, I would look for other options. But the water in the lake was relatively warm (ideal for swimming compared to the frigid waters of Maine's coastline). Also, the water was very clear and clean. One interesting note is that Sebago Lake provides the water supply for the entire city of Portland, ME. The tap water there had a delicious, clean taste from the fresh water of Sebago Lake.