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.

Fountains fields and…read moreskates Memorial Park is a sprawling park located right behind the municipal building in the center of Scarborough. It certainly is a lovely place that has a whole lot of things to do. The park has a nice pond with two fountains, some athletic fields, benches, a gazebo, some walking trails, and a very well designed and pretty elaborate skate board park. Lots of weddings and other ceremonies take place here and they even hold musical events in the warm months. A nice park to do a whole bunch of different things or just relax on a bench and do a whole lot of nothing,

This park is located in an area behind the Chicago Dogs on Route 1 in Scarborough, the Municipal…read moreBuilding and the High School. It is also across the side street from the new Mercy Complex on route 1. There is a small parking lot that has a concession stand (I assume open when events are taking place) and restrooms. The park itself is nice and open with paved walkways skirting around the edge of the grounds. There is small pond with many bullfrogs and even a family of ducks. Two fountains, a small amphitheater and a gazebo along with well manicured grounds make this very picturesque. Trees and benches dot the area and almost all have a plaque dedicated to a loved one. ( we saw people laying flowers for a former cheer leading coach) There are also dedication stones honoring the men and women who lost lives in war. There are playing fields and a skate park as well. I am excited to spend time sitting or laying out in the sun on the beautiful grass and reading this summer. We have begun taking our dogs here to walk. This is an on leash area for dogs, however, we have seen some dogs walking off leash but people seem to be respectful and have dogs under voice control. There are plenty of garbage cans and two dog bag stations. This has to be one of the cleanest parks I have ever been to.

Wide open spaces…read more Memorial Park is a cool park nestled in between the ocean and the Libby Library. Definitely not a bad location for a park, this one just seems small at first but just keeps going. All kinds of things in the park, tennis courts, basketball courts, a nice gazebo, a memorial for veterans and even a nice little lighthouse model at the main entrance. Gentle, rolling hills makes Memorial Park a great place for a gentle walk in your bare feet. During the summer there is a Summer Concert Series of music as well as other events and activities. This is a very popular park and you see all kinds of people during all kinds of things. Some playing sports, other strumming on musical instruments and some just laying on the grass catching the sea breezes. In the winter people even use the park for cross country skiing, snow shoeing and some sledding for the little kids on the small hills. A very nice park in an extremely nice location.

Nice walk through pine trees, we ran into a friendly snake. Sunned on the rocks and watched the…read moreseagulls and crows do their thing. Seems to be a sharky area from the sign. Good place for a walk and a reboot in nature.

Ferry Beach is perfect for those with little ones! I think of Ferry Beach more as a "Mother's…read moreBeach" as it's not connected to a large mass of the Atlantic. There are lots of children for yours to make friends with, shallow waters, and a sandy beach with no debris. During the summer hours, the entrance fee to park in the private lot is $15 (CASH ONLY) per vehicle from 9 AM-3 PM and $5 before 9 AM and after 3 PM.

Payson Park is a pretty wonderful spot in Portland, and I think that's because it's really a locals…read morepark -- set near the residential area of Back Cove, it's a nearly 50 acre park. It has baseball fields, basketball and tennis courts, a playground, the Longfellow Arboretum (which is near a tidal marsh, and apparently -- according to Wikipedia -- there are 40ish non-native tees there; honestly, I've never made it to that part of the park yet, but once spring is fully in bloom, I'll make it a point to wander down there), a community garden, and a storywalk. During the warmer weather, it's a great spot to picnic or do yoga; in the colder weather, it's got one of - if not THE - best sledding hills in the city. It also offers really spectacular views of Portland from the benches along Ocean Ave (year round, but even more so when the leaves are off the trees)!

This park was pretty good. I liked its location on the water. The park has a decent sized open area…read moreand a playground. The playground had 2 areas, one more traditional and the other more modern. There's also a splash pad but it gets muddy. Finally, there's a baseball field or two. Overall it's a nice park and I would recommend it.

Shevenell Park is a small park in downtown Biddeford that apparently came into existence when a…read morebuilding was taken down. For many years it was little more than an empty lot with broken glass and the usual garbage that accumulates when no one's watching, but a few years ago some grant money appeared and the lot was cleaned up. Trees were planted, benches were built, and some tables and chairs showed up. Now it's a spot where there are concerts every Wednesday in the park, people drop by to eat their lunch, and the police frequently walk through. There's nothing about the park that's going to put it on the cover of Architectural Digest, but it's one of a hundred little things that can turn a small downtown from a dreary and depressing wasteland into a place where people want to work and live. Not all of those 100 things have been done yet and there's always some guy within a few blocks asking people for spare change, but it's nice to see progress. If you're near Biddeford between 5:30 and 7:00 on a Wednesday night in the summer, check out the music and then walk to one of the nearby restaurants for dinner. Shevenell Park is okay, and that's worth three stars. Actually it's a little more than okay but Yelp won't let me give it 3.5 stars.

Great little park for toddlers and preschoolers. Distinct playsets for each, two safety swings, and…read moreone saucer swing. They even have a hollowed out log. Tons of benches for a picnic or party. Two water foundations. Nice sized basketball court with high chain link fence surrounding it. Walking distance to downtown and major hotels. Not a busy street and a few people brought their dogs on leashes.

This place hearkens back to the golden days of Portland when there were trolleys and wide open…read morefields where people gathered. As I walked down the trolley trail, I came upon a set of stairs that went nowhere and saw a signpost with a picture showing what it looked like on the grand opening day. I was standing in dense, overgrown forest but from the picture, there was a gazebo at the top of the stairs and open lawn space everywhere. What a difference 86 years makes! I wish the trolley park still existed as shown in the pictures posted around the park. There was a theatre, gazebo, casino, petting zoo and of course the trolley lines. It looked amazing and offered so many things to do. Now all that's left is a set of stairs and a stone wall near the entrance. I really enjoyed exploring this area and walking the trails. It was mostly quiet except for the traffic noise from Forest Ave and Riverside. The trail connects to the Presumpscot River Trail which I followed for about 2 miles upstream until it became so overgrown that I had to turn back. The farther I walked, the quieter and more peaceful it became. I'll be interested to go back and walk in the other direction towards the Riverside Golf Course.