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Portland is located on a peninsula in Casco Bay on the Southern Maine coast approximately 100 miles (161 km) north of Boston, Massachusetts. It has more than 65,000 inhabitants making it the largest city in Maine. Portland is a small seaside city with a high concentration of shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, tours and many things to see and do. Many people commute to Portland to work, and the city's population significantly increases in the summertime.
Portland is located on a peninsula in Casco Bay on the Southern Maine coast approximately 100 miles (161 km) north of Boston, Massachusetts. It has more than 65,000 inhabitants making it the largest city in Maine. Portland is a small seaside city with a high concentration of shops, restaurants, museums, galleries, tours and many things to see and do. Many people commute to Portland to work, and the city's population significantly increases in the summertime.
Portland, and Maine, in general, does not have an extensive public transportation system, so renting a car is generally the best option. While 5 o'clock traffic can get a little congested, driving in Portland is not a daunting task.
TheIn October 2014, UberX launched in Portland and should be available 24/7. It's slightly cheaper than a taxi and no tipping required. Surge pricing generally happens only on Friday and Saturday nights after 1 AM when the bars close. UberX is also available to pick up and drop off at the Portland International Jetport.
Portland offers a sophisticated restaurant scene, with chefs focused on locally sourced food. The city offers white tablecloth restaurants serving tasting menus to cheap eats selling burritos. The abundance of lobster, haddock, clams, scallops and other seafood allows restaurants to sell these usually expensive items at reasonable prices. In the Old Port and especially on Commercial Street, there are many seafood restaurants. Portland is the most ethnically and culturally diverse city in Maine. This means the city offers up Vietnamese, Thai, Polish, African, Middle Eastern, Greek, Japanese and Indian restaurants. Most of these places are inexpensive and delicious. Being home to many eco-conscious people, Portland offers a number of dining options for vegetarians and vegans. Portland also has the second highest restaurant per capita in the country, second to Seattle.
Portland, and especially the Old Port, has a reputation for many bars and pubs of varying caliber. From bars for longshoremen and lobstermen to pub serving micro-brews brewed on-site, to night clubs, there's something for everyone.
In addition, there are numerous bars and clubs along Wharf Street a cobblestoned alley in the Old Port.
The Old Port is nestled against the busy port and home to 19th-century streets filled with boutiques, galleries, restaurants, bars and coffee shops. The district sells everything from one-of-a-kind jewelry and designer jeans to best-selling books and surfboards. The Movies is a small independent movie theater on Exchange Street and The Nickelodeon is a larger theater on Temple Street. Fore Street and Wharf Street offer a number of bars and the area fills with partiers on Friday and Saturday nights in the summer. The Casco Bay Ferry to the islands leaves from Commercial Street. The Narrow Gauge Railway and Museum is located off Commercial Street.
The Arts District centers around Congress Street, which runs through the center of the city. The Portland Museum of Art sits in Congress Square across from the Eastland Park Hotel and next to the Children's Museum of Maine. Galleries abound in the Arts District, as do restaurants and watering holes. The Maine College of Art, which houses the Institute of Contemporary Art, and SPACE Gallery are both located on Congress Street. The music venue One Longfellow is located on Congress where it enters the West End and the Portland Stage Company is housed among a cluster of galleries at the top of Forest Avenue, near Congress. Congress Street is home to an L.L. Bean outlet store and in Monument Square, you can find a permanent farmers' market called the Public Market House. On Wednesdays between May and November, other local farmers sell local produce and flowers and in the square.
The Arts District includes more businesses that cater to local residents, but there are also several great used books and music shops:
The East End includes India Street, Middle Street, Washington Avenue, and Congress Street as it heads up Munjoy Hill. This neighborhood contains many restaurants, galleries, and small shops. At the top of Munjoy Hill is the Portland Observatory and the St. Lawrence Arts & Community Center.
LOCAL TIME
5:18 pm
July 4, 2022
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