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 park was a great find with plenty of area to enjoy. Please note, there is limited amount of…read moreparking. I didn't realize this importance of this area until I had read the plaque. Great memorial to the USS Portland. Yes, there are still couple of cannons. The views are beautiful overlooking the ocean. If you have time, take the stairs to the wooded area and to the water. Enjoy this great park.

The fort overlooks some nice looking water. The park itself offers a small amount of parking, no…read morefacilities of note, and a bit of a historical exhibition. There are stairs leading down to the waterfront. This spot is nice for the aesthetics, but will be a brief stop for most.

One of the many wonderful things about Portland is how much of the lovely outdoors we have right in…read morethe city! If you want to go for a walk in the woods but don't have time to trek to points north or west, Baxter Woods is a wonderful little escape. The woods are located in the Deering neighborhood, between Forest and Stevens Avenues. The main trail is less than a mile walk around, but you're surrounded by trees--right now, at peak leaf season, gloriously ablaze in red and orange and yellow--and it'll feel like you're miles away. Practicalities: the main entrance is on Stevens, and there's plenty of street parking; it can get busy on weekends, but I've never had trouble nabbing a spot. (That's a bit trickier on the Forest Ave. side.) I've also parked on Hartley (the residential street on the south side of the woods), and there's an entrance to the trail around the middle of that block. The trail is flat but be on the lookout for roots and rocks; there are also plenty of benches and tables and logs and other places to sit and rest or just chill out and get your forest bathing on. And since you're in the neighborhood already, I highly recommend stopping by Norimoto Bakery or Rwanda Bean coffee on the way there or back!

I feel similar to Baxter Woods Park as I do Thorncrag in Lewiston (see here:…read morehttps://www.yelp.com/biz/thorncrag-bird-sanctuary-lewiston). What an absolutely lovely spot right in the middle of the city! It's like an unexpected, secluded oasis ("a pleasant or peaceful area") of nature. I've lived nearby for years and I only recently discovered it! I can walk from my house, across Forest Ave (definitely the scariest part), through Baxter Woods, across Stevens Ave (much less scary), and then into Evergreen Cemetery! I don't know why it took me sooooooooo long to come here; I think it's because it presents as a little sketchy. There's graffiti on the trashcan/information board and a lot of loiterers smoking at the entrance of the park/trailhead. But once you get past that, it's charming really! Baxter Woods is a 30ish acre nature preserve with loads of big, beautiful pine trees that offer shaded mostly easily accessible/walkable well maintained trails, a little pond, some streams, a meadow with wildflowers, an area that looks like it could be an outdoor stage/presentation area (there's a line-up of log benches), and lots of bird watching/bird listening opportunities! This is not a destination for tourists; this is really cool spot for locals to stretch their legs, let their dogs and kiddos play, and immerse themselves in nature. I'm excited to walk through here again to see what it looks like in autumn AND winter! Stay tuned!

What a wonderful spot to talk a walk. Couple different trails or one loop that is super quick. They…read morehave garbages along the way. Lots of dogs and so many beautiful views!

It was beautiful but not well marked. We got lost and ended up on private property (oops!). It was…read morenice once we got back on track. Thank you!

Who knew this little park existed?…read more Locals. Hyper locals. That's who. Tucked away in the corner of Knightville (where Waterman curves into/becomes Ocean), this little park under the Casco Bay Bridge might not look like much upon first glance. But park nearby, walkover, and explore something beautiful and unexpected. Just past the no-longer-used railroad tracks are benches and stationary game tables. Beyond that (and down the hill) are beautiful views of Portland's working harbor and a plethora of sailboats. And just beyond that is a wooden pier straight out of some watercolor painting of the smaller fishing villages along Downeast Maine where floating docks are available for boats. So if you're looking for a new spot to take a walk, walk your dog, or hide in plain sight (which isn't such a bad thing... sometimes we all need to escape without escaping [which is incredibly hard to do in Greater Portland], so if you see me sitting on the wooden pier reading and drinking a coffee, do you mind not interrupting? I'm seeking peace of some kind.), the delightful Thomas Knight Park might just surprise you.

After demolishing the Million Dollar Bridge and re routing the flow of traffic with the new Casco…read moreBay Bridge years ago the city has done a great job with making this little nest park on Waterman Drive. (I wish the Farmer's Market was still here!) This park doesn't look like much from the road (which has 2 hour parking and ample spaces around) however, soon after walking in to the park you discover that it is bigger on the inside than you thought, kinda like a Tardis. The cobblestone path will lead you to the access ramp to the sidewalk on the bridge as well as some of those stationary binoculars to take in the sights like the Portland waterfront. There is also a small path down to a tiny beach. The paved path will take you under the bridge where you will pass the game tables. Go down the hill and discover some more grass and access to water (over rocks) as well as a bridge that leads to public docking. There is a small outbuilding with cushioned outdoor furniture. What you get now is sweeping views on both sides of you out across the South Portland and Portland sides of the Fore River/Casco Bay. Granted... There is a sewer treatment plant nearby but down here you wouldn't know it. People bring dogs and kids here to walk and play. Don't forget to bring bags and clean up since SoPo no longer provides bags. So one day... Drive past Shaws and McDonald's and the Ford Dealership and find a little oasis under one of the busiest roadways connecting these cities. You won't be sorry. Then... Instead of driving back toward Shaws, go around the other corner and discover the little shops that are no longer on the main track since the traffic pattern change.

Maine is full of secret nooks and crannies. Glorious, magnificent, breathtaking places untouched by…read moreman or time. It's getting increasingly difficult to find these places, but they exist and Pott's Point Preserve is proof of that. Driving to and around Harpswell in and of itself is stunning. But coming specifically here is otherworldly as far as nature scenes go. Park to the side of the road (carefully and at your discretion) at a seemingly dead-end near a bunch of lobster traps and a wharf. Walk up the private Pott's Point Road and walk for nearly a half mile through a picturesque, straight-out-of-a-movie-set seaside neighborhood. It may seem awkward to walk through (metaphorically) people's backyards, but eventually you'll reach "the end" of the road where there's a tiny, sandy path through thick greenery. Through it? The literal end of the land. A beautiful acre of rocks and rosa rugosa bushes and gravel beaches and tide pools full of marine life. You can loop around and explore (especially at low tide; you'll have to carefully navigate the rugged coastal landscape otherwise), and see a plethora of islands in the distance. It's unspoiled Maine beauty at it's finest.

"The way life should be" - Maine's famous saying and logo - this place depicts just that. We went…read moreexploring and found this wonderful place. You're lost in time filled with algae, rocks, shells and grassland. We love this beautiful and breathtaking place. Perfect for puppies, children and couples. There is nothing quite like it and it's a short hike to the most gorgeous point. This place is perfect for this time of year- autumn with the leaves changing. Please come visit and find yourself at peace.

This is actually one of the trails that connets with the Oak Nuts Park trail and the Presumpscot…read moreRiver Trails on the north west end of Portland, on the Falmouth line. I got here through the Oak Nuts Park trailhead, but you can get in from a number of other inlets as well. The forest trail leads straight to and along the river and following the Presumpscot River Trail takes you to the "falls". They're more like rapids but it's amusing to see the warning for the waterfall ahead for kayakers. The rapids are actually really mesmerizing and offer a nice prize for a light stroll through the woods. Like a lot of Portland Trails, the trail weaves through private land so city life is just in the distance -- you typically can see a house around 80% of the time you're in the trail, and it can get noisier towards the river, but it theres still plenty of fresh air. Oak Nuts Park trailhead offers just street parking but the road isn't too busy. Nicely maintained and a good 1.5 to 3 mile hike depending on how far you want to go.

First time here. The entrance was literally in a neighborhood area. I wasn't impressed with it at…read morefirst. However after I saw the river, everything was worth it! It was beautiful with a small water fall. So beautiful, quiet, and green. Saw many dogs here!! So cute .

This trail is about 3.5 miles around Back Cove and is beautiful to experience! Today was gorgeous -…read morenormally a nice breeze, plenty of people walking dogs, riding bikes, etc. Trail is kept clean and continues to draw people in!

Back Cove - it's DEFINITELY NOT CALLED "Back Bay", and when you say that we know you're not a local…read more- is a 100+ year old 3.5 mile multi-use, tree-lined, accessible/mostly flat path around a tidal estuary basin that offers skyline views and birdwatching. There's also a recently renovated athletic field and very new/in exceptional shape/varied fitness course area! So fun to see people playing here again; over all, this trail is great for ambling, dog walking, running, and biking. Some things that are great: - The art (both city installed and citizen "installed"). Some of the old informational placards now house paintings, you might find handmade birdhouses, and other various structures! - The half of the trail that's *after* Tukey's Bridge, passing Payson Park, around the Boulevard (which is closed to vehicles on Sundays in the summer), all the way to maybe Vannah Ave is spectacular! Some things that are not great: - there's a *large* trash problem here from the parking lot across the Hannaford, near the 295 off ramp after the athletic fields, going up the include to the bridge, segue... - crossing Tukey's Bridge is never a pleasant experience; it's *so* loud because of the highway traffic speeding by, segue... - there's not a ton of lights, and this area doesn't feel particularly safe at night