Though I live three hundred miles away from Maine in Philadelphia, I love vacations in Maine. In the past, I’ve neglected to visit Portland because I’m anxious to get further north to lakes near Camden. This past August, we actually stayed right downtown so we could take the Portland Art Museum’s trip to the Winslow Homer Studio on Prout’s Neck. You have to leave from the museum in a minibus with a guide, and the tours are offered in the middle of the day (reservations required; calling ahead is necessary). Much to our delight, we discovered that Portland is one of America’s most lively small cities. In summer, the main street is filled with people having a good time in the clear night air. We had one of the the best lobster rolls on the trip at Portland Lobster Company at 10 Commercial Street, and one of the best lunches at Green Elephant at 608 Congress Street. They specialize in stir fries and curries.
We stayed at the Hyatt Place Portland Old Port at 433 Fore Street, which was in convenient walking distance to restaurants and the museums, and has great breakfasts included.
