Fort Gorges at Portland Maine in Casco Bay. This is old Civil war Fort you can access by boat and…read moreexplore! We did not get to go there! Noël Teel Lisa Diane Boyce-Vanoy Dale Lisa Vanoy Tony Vanoy #newengland25trip

Although I can't speak to Fort Gorges unless it's from the perspective of someone who's seen it…read morefrom a distance countless times, it is a beautiful landmark in Casco Bay. I hope to one day visit via kayak, but for now I'll settle staring at it from the port bow of the ferry.

Although it was terrific to see a real Wyland whaling wall, as I am a big fan, the condition of the…read morepainting was not good. I was incredibly disappointed and disheartened to see it in such bad shape. It was very beaten up from the elements being right by Casco Bay. Wyland painted it in the early 1990's. Someone from the city of Portland, Maine needs to have another artist (not necessarily Wyland) come along to periodically restore the wall. It really looks bad/faded and should be a source of pride for ocean conservation efforts as it was intended by Wyland.

The Whaling Wall is a 450-foot long mural by artist Robert Wyland entitled "Whales off the Coast of…read moreMaine". It was the 36th public marine painting in his series of 100 that are located across five continents, thirteen countries, and seventy-nine cities. The project took twenty-seven years and was completed in 2008 (Maine's was dedicated on June 7, 1993). According to the Wyland Foundation, the murals are painted to scale to help "increase appreciation and understanding for aquatic habitats and the life within. Perhaps, most importantly, they have reshaped attitudes about marine life conservation" (http://www.wylandfoundation.org/community-events-whaling-walls-3.shtml). They will also make you realize how flipping (shout out to mah dolphin friends) enormous whales really are. Wanna feel inferior to the animals that swim just below the surface of our big pond? Go stand near the Whaling Wall. Talk about perspective! It's located behind the Casco Bay garage, but if you're waiting for a ferry or walking back to your car post-ferry ride, it's not hard to miss. In all honesty, there's not a ton to see here. It's exactly what it sounds like: a huge painting of sea life. Personally, I still think it rocks because a) it is a part of what makes Portland's wharf scene so distinct; b) it's part of this unique, record breaking art project that only 99 other locations are a part of; and, c) how often in life do you get to see a life-sized whale, eh? Eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh eh (sorry, Google Translate doesn't work on dolphin speak)!!!

Gorgeous lighthouse…read more Now, it's a little rocky to get over to the actual lighthouse. That's not hyperbole, the path is made up of big rocks laid together. It's not a smooth. Wear comfortable and sturdy shoes, I'd advise some trainers or sporty shoes - NOT sandals or flip flops. The walk is worth it, it's a gorgeous lighthouse! Please be careful!

We had great weather the day we explored this lighthouse. It has the huge rocks/boulders as a…read morepathway to the actual lighthouse with gaps in between them, which you could easily mistep and hurt yourself if you are not careful, or drop your cell phone between them and then you are screwed. Anyways, I wanted to walk the entire path that day, which is what I did and it was a cool experience. I would revisit this lighthouse again.

The lighthouse is at Two Lights State Park and it's meant to signify the entrance of the harbor in…read morePortland. It was built in 1874. The lighthouse currently functions as an automated station for the Coast Guard. The views from the lighthouse area, the water, and rocks are just lovely. Even on the days when the weather isn't the best it could be, still beautiful sights creating beautiful photographic memories. It's so serene walking along the coastline surrounding the lighthouse. The park itself is equally beautiful and lovely.

Sunset photos overlooking the water - 'nuff said. Gets cold and windy, bring layers and/or someone…read moreto hug. Find a kind stranger to take pics of you and your party; have fun

It's a History to Me…read more Founded in 1822, the Maine Historical Society's sole purpose is to preserve the history of Maine thru rotating exhibits that include historical photos and artifacts. The Good: *Free admission to the Longfellow Garden (May - Oct) during normal hours of operation *Wadsworth-Longfellow House is a separate part of the museum, with a separate fee ($18/GA). We didn't do this, so I can't comment if it's worth it. *Admission is reasonable at $12/adults *Reciprocity program with other museums, if you're a member ($25-75/year). *Located in beautiful Downtown Portland The Meh: *Not the world's biggest museum, as you can probably see the whole thing in 1-2hrs, depending on how much you read the placards for each item/display. The Ugly: *Location is in Downtown Portland, which is great, but you'll most likely have to deal with paying for parking at one of the garages. Pro Tip: If the garage DOESN'T advertise their pricing on the outside, then skip it on and move onto the next one that does. Evidently these predatory parking garages are a big thing here in DT Portland. Conclusion: Nice place to visit if you're in Portland and looking for a little culture.

The Maine Historical Society says on their website: "Connecting and documenting the Maine…read moreexperience" and "dedicates itself to making history relevant and accessible" and I could not agree more! We live locally and have been checking out the rotating exhibits over the past 10 or so years-all unique, informative rich, fascinating topics, amazing artifacts. You can look online to see what's going on/get tickets for specified time and can also buy in person there. Easily found on Congress Street in Portland, accessible all one level (no stairs), gift shop excellently curated for the history buffs and admission is affordable. At the time of our visit the 3 smaller exhibits included: "Mainers and their pets", "Maines untold history of Vegetarianism" and "Maine sheet music"- all was well worth the price of admission! This is also the place to tour the historic Wadsworth-Longfellow house. Only downside is parking- they do not have a dedicated parking lot so it's on-street parking. Congress has some, but it's a busy area so we tend to park on surrounding streets in the region from Congress St down to Commercial street side of Congress St and there is also a parking garage nearby. Walkable area location-shops and restaurants also fun to stop in to support local too. Highly recommended- here's to preserving history, learning where we've been to better understand where we are now and where we're headed in the future!

Lovely visit to the Portland Observatory…read more We had intended on a self-tour but were told that self tours would start at 4:30pm...and that before that time, you would have to take a toured guide up the tower. As there was a scheduled guide about to start soon...we opted to take the guided tour. At that time (mid-week in late August around 12pm) there were only four of us on that tour. Our tour guide, an older woman, was wonderful. As we ascended the tower during the 45-minute tour, we stopped off at each floor and she explained a bit about the tower and its history. Lots of interesting facts! We made it to the top to take in some amazing views of the area. Tours are $10 for adults, $5 for ages 6-16 and free for those 5 and under. The stairs (there are about 100) throughout the tower are spiral-ish...so be careful of your foot placement on the narrowed parts of each step while ascending and descending. Street parking signs can be a bit tricky in the area reading "...no parking on the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th ___day of the month..." Be sure to properly read those signs and park accordingly.

My plans only have me in town for two days, so I asked my local coworker one sight I had to see…read morewith a short time frame, and was sent here. Just a fun little local tip. The history itself is cool enough: this was a lookout for ships coming into the harbor before radio, and is the oldest currently standing in the USA. But I really appreciated the elevation for getting a good look of the downtown and harbor area, walking around the tower in the breeze and seeing the ocean peaking through the islands in the harbor. Worth the $10 to the top. (Note: the stairs are steep and there's no room inside for an elevator. We're talking large curving internal staircases. Maybe not for those with mobility issues.)

One time at the US Custom House I drank pickle juice in what was Joshua Chamberlain's old office…read morewith two of my best friends. The only thing that was missing with Angus King. To be honest, if he had been there I probably would have died of sheer happiness. It would have been horrible to pass away so young, but with that much epic Maine-ness happening all at once, it would have come as no surprise to my friends and family. The United States Custom House here in Portland was built with fire proof granite from New Hampshire between 1868 and 1872. When you first enter, there is a grandiose hall with a checkerboard floor, walnut counters on either side of the room, and an iron-railed balcony encircling the room. From what I know, at the heart of its purpose, it was where merchants used to come to pay their tariffs on imports/exports. Now, here are things I'll probably get in trouble for telling you: 1. This place might actually be a front for Gringotts Wizarding Bank 2. I may or may not have accidentally been locked in the basement after the alarm was tripped and the police showed up (it's much more fun to not know the context of which this story comes from, so I'll leave it at that) 3. I was told there used to be a moat and a dungeon here. I'm not THAT gullible, but... a girl needs something to believe in, y'know? So, I'm going to continue to think this is true regardless if hard evidence is shown to me and proves otherwise. 4. When the zombie apocalypse happens, this is on my list of places in town to possibly secure and make a fortress out of In reality, I've been here multiple times throughout the years for galas and auctions, cocktail tastings, historical tours, and more (KUDOS to the The Greater Portland Landmarks for doing such an unbelievable job at the preservation of this spot which was added to the National Register of Historical Sites [as of 1973]). This place, to me, feels like a living, breathing relic from the days of Portland's yesteryear. The view of our little seaport town from the cupola of the building is also breathtaking. If you love history and ever have the chance to tour the Custom House... do it. Without hesitation, do it. It's one of those spots that will stay with you forever.

Located just off the parking lot of Bug Light Park, this large ship-shaped structure recalls what…read morewas here before the area was converted to a harborside park - a sprawling World War II shipyard that was capable of building as many as 13 ships at the same time. Between 1941 and 1945, the South Portland Shipyards built 266 cargo vessels, 236 of which were Liberty Ships, contributing immeasurably to the Allied victory in World War II. When the war ended the Maine Legislature formed the Greater Portland Public Development Commission (GPPDC), which acquired, leased, and managed the Shipyard properties. The Liberty Ship Memorial was conceived as a tribute to the thousands of men and women who worked at the South Portland Shipyards; the seamen who faced the dangers of war on board the Liberty Ships; all of those who served in the war and their families; and the South Portland residents who shared their backyard with a booming shipyard. There are several captions and plaques that detail the history here, how it was a critical part of the war effort and then how it came to be the park. It's an amazing structure that won an "Excellence on the Waterfront Honor Award" from the Waterfront Center, Washington D.C., for this project. [Review 14911 overall, 413 of 2021, number 93 in Maine.]

Great place to visit some local businesses! I started of at this little refreshment stand and was…read moreable to score an Ice Coffee for only $2 (Great Value). Next walked around the port seeing the different boat rides you can take (whale watching, fishing, ferry) and a lot of seafood restaurants. I managed to meet some local artists (amazing pieces at VERY reasonable prices). Many lovely gift shops with a wide range of prices and items. There appears to be a ton of places with live music at night but I was only there during the day. Parking is something you should scope out in advance as you will need to pay and prices vary with the cheapest I saw being all day for $20. I personally paid $8hr so ended up being $20 in a garage.

Enjoyable Music Venue…read more We just went to see Primus and Clutch. I have never been to the pier. I think it was an awesome place. It is very small so you can get very close and are able to see the stage and band very well.The tickets are cheap because it is a smaller venue, I think we paid $50 per ticket. We were 6 or 7 rows from the front and it was so good. There is a lot to do on the waterfront in Portland so you can spend several hours before the show to eat and shop. There is plenty of parking, most of the places charge $10.00 but it gets you very close to the entrance. Thanks