Are you looking for a weekend getaway in New England? I highly recommend Portland, Maine, where Brandon and I celebrated our tenth wedding anniversary. We love everything about Portland, with the food ranking highest on our list of reasons to visit the coastal town. I hope you enjoy my Portland Maine Travel Guide!
Where to Stay: The Press Hotel
The Press Hotel is a fabulous place to stay if you plan to wander around the city. We visited Portland during November, an ideal time to book a trip because it isn’t too cold yet to walk from place to place.
The Press Hotel is a unique lifestyle boutique hotel located in the former building of the state’s largest newspaper, the Portland Press Herald. The establishment is full of history and live art displays with quirky displays around every corner.
The rooms at the Press Hotel are bright, with floor to ceiling windows allowing the Maine sunlight to shine in. The bed is comfortable and the walls are adorned with local artwork. Our giant marble tiled bathroom was dreamy, with a glass rainfall shower and cozy bathrobe.
Check out our anniversary trip to Nantucket here.
What to Do in Portland
There is so much to do and see in Portland. Since we had limited time to explore the city, we chose to focus on food, drinks, and shopping. While roaming the city we were able to see a lot of beautiful sights, such as the waterfront.
Check out the Portland Bar Scene
The bar scene in Portland is incredibly diverse, with lots of fun watering holes hidden around each corner. We visited Vena’s Fizz House, Blythe and Burrows, and Central Provisions basement bar.
Blythe and Burrows
Eventide Oyster Co.
Visit Bissell Brothers Brewing
If you’re a beer fan you MUST visit Bissell Brothers Brewing in Portland. Brandon has had this brewery on his bucket list for years and it turned out to be everything he hoped for. You have to drive to visit Bissell Brothers as it’s set off the beaten path of the city. The brewery is a hot spot for locals and tourists, with plenty of space for families and large groups to hang out.
There is a restaurant next door to Bissell Brothers, but you can also bring your own food into the brewery. If you’re not a beer fan (like me), there is a winery nextdoor!
Visit Cellardoor Winery
The Cellardoor Winery has two locations, one being in Portland nextdoor to Bissell Brothers. I spent a luxurious hour sampling a flight of Maine wines and chatting with the staff. The tasting room is big, bright, and beautiful. I took home four bottles of wine, all equally delicious, with stories behind each blend.
Looking for more posts about wine? Check out this post about my favorite vineyards in Napa Valley!
Where to Eat in Portland
The Union at The Press Hotel – We had the most incredible anniversary dinner at the Chef’s Table at The Union in the Press Hotel. The whole staff treated us like newlyweds and we were spoiled with a delicious six course meal. It’s very dark inside the restaurant at the Chef’s Table so most of my photos are hard to see. However, I have a highlight on Instagram showcasing a full photographic recap of our meal!
Scales Restaurant – Hands down one of the best seafood dinners I’ve ever had was at Scales Restaurant. It was worth the two hour wait!
Eventide Oyster Co.
We visited Eventide Oyster Co. for lunch on Saturday afternoon. I recommend arriving before the restaurant opens because you’ll be sure to find a line outside (we did!). This was another meal WORTH THE WAIT.
Bayside American Cafe
We heard wonderful things about Bayside American Cafe’s famous brunch and are so happy we walked over from The Press Hotel. There was a 45 minute wait upon arrival, but they had a warm place to sit and fresh brewed coffee.
Final Thoughts
One of the things I did not get to do during our visit to Portland was stop by a Lighthouse. Time got away from us and we had to get home early Sunday morning! Other things we did, but didn’t mention: stop by Maine Brewing Company, wander the streets of Portland, and shop at so many fun boutiques for our family!
Maine has been on my bucket list for so long! Looks like y’all had such a great time and that hotel is so cute!
Oh my goodness looks and sounds so amazing! Portland is definitely on my list. Especially after seeing all those yummy eats and beautiful cocktails!
xo Laura Leigh
http://louellareese.com/
I absolutely love guides like this because they’re super helpful, especially if you’re staying for a few days and can get a good idea of what you want to do, get to relax a little but also see the fun spots. We only went through Portland and stopped there one day. We should’ve spent more time there, but we decided to stay in Camden for a few days since we knew it was a nice quiet town!
Going to Portland, Maine is on my list of places to see!! Totally bookmarking this guide!
http://www.rdsobsessions.com
I love visiting Portland! We went last summer for a few nights and had a blast, especially at Blythe & Burrows! I need to plan another trip up so I can visit Cellardoor Winery. The Union was also DELICIOUS. Best dinner ever!
Rachel
http://www.hello-her.com
What a cute place!! I’ve always wanted to visit Maine. Definitely saving this for future planning!
Lizzie
http://www.lizzieinlace.com
I’ve never been to Portland, but it looks like it’d be a great spot during the spring!
I have been to Portland once and I remember I absolutely LOVED it. Your post now wants me to plan a trip back again.
❥ tanvii.com
Portland has been on my list for a long time & now I want to go even more! Great trip!
Looks and sounds like your 10th anniversary was wonderful. Thanks for the review of Portland!
I’m such a foodie and these all sound so good! May have to put Portland on my bucket list! xoxo, Sarah
I’ve always wanted to go to Portland, Maine! It looks like such a charming and quaint place!
Sounds like you had an amazing trip to Maine! I haven’t been in years, I suppose I should plan a return trip soon!
Chic on the Cheap