{"id":27774,"date":"2012-04-11T17:26:48","date_gmt":"2012-04-11T21:26:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/?p=27774"},"modified":"2025-09-02T02:57:53","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T06:57:53","slug":"portland-getaway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/27774\/portland-getaway\/","title":{"rendered":"Getaways on a Budget: 10 Reasons to Visit Portland, Maine"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The succulent fresh-as-they-come lobster rolls would be a good enough reason to visit. But we recently discovered that Maine&#8217;s largest city has much more than seafood and maritime history to offer, like its local wildflower wine, a new supper club, free art museums, and a dreamy, bike-able coastline. Use these tips to plan an affordable, relaxing trip to Portland this spring.<\/p>\n<p><!--more--><\/p>\n<h2><strong>What to do<\/strong><br \/>\n<a title=\"permanent link to portland museum of art website\" href=\"http:\/\/www.portlandmuseum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28386 aligncenter lazyload\" title=\"winslow homer's eagle head\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/2225251500_b4fd442afe_z.jpg\" alt=\"winslow homer's eagle head\" width=\"330\" height=\"219\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28386 aligncenter lazyload\" title=\"winslow homer's eagle head\" src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/2225251500_b4fd442afe_z.jpg\" alt=\"winslow homer's eagle head\" width=\"330\" height=\"219\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/2225251500_b4fd442afe_z.jpg 640w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/2225251500_b4fd442afe_z-300x199.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/2225251500_b4fd442afe_z-37x25.jpg 37w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 330px) 100vw, 330px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/h2>\n<p><strong><a title=\"permanent link to portland museum of art website\" href=\"http:\/\/www.portlandmuseum.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Portland Museum of Art<\/a><\/strong> | Seven Congress Square<br \/>\nCatch <em>Edgar Degas: The Private Impressionist<\/em> before it relocates on May 28, or <em>From Portland to Paris: Mildred Burrage\u2019s Years in France, <\/em>opening April 21. If you&#8217;re planning a fall trip, don&#8217;t miss <em>Weatherbeaten: Winslow Homer and Maine<\/em>. The museum is free on Fridays from 5-9pm.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Lighthouse Bike Tours<\/strong><br \/>\nMaine itself is home to 63 lighthouses along 5,000 miles of coast, and the greater area Portland alone has six. The city offers several self-guided bike routes starting at about 22-miles roundtrip, including routes along Cape Elizabeth and South Portland. Need a bike? Head to Brad and Wyatts Bike Rental on Peak&#8217;s Island (115 Island Ave., 207.766.5631, $5 for one hour).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Old Port<\/strong><br \/>\nThe downtown Old Port district has charming shops, cobblestone streets, cool taverns, and at least one <a title=\"dimillo&#039;s floating restaurant\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dimillos.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">floating restaurant<\/a>, as well as a few National Register of Historic Places, like the Old Portland Customs House and Gignoux Courthouse. Every June, Old Port hosts an annual festival and one year attempted the world\u2019s largest lobster roll, coming in at 60 feet. A ten-minute walk from Old Port, you&#8217;ll discover everything you love about the Brooklyn Flea at the <strong><a title=\"portland flea \" href=\"http:\/\/portlandfleaforall.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Flea-For-All<\/a><\/strong>, except the vintage clothing, handcrafted goods, and funky antique items are unique to Maine. The flea launches April 14, and will continue to operate every Saturday and Sunday.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where to <a href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/61484\/the-best-restaurants-in-portland-maine\/\">eat<\/a> and drink<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.shipyard.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28384 aligncenter lazyload\" title=\"beer and lobster\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/7068693631_4fd4bc1d03_z.jpg\" alt=\"beer and lobster\" width=\"331\" height=\"185\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-28384 aligncenter lazyload\" title=\"beer and lobster\" src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/7068693631_4fd4bc1d03_z.jpg\" alt=\"beer and lobster\" width=\"331\" height=\"185\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/7068693631_4fd4bc1d03_z.jpg 640w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/7068693631_4fd4bc1d03_z-300x168.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/7068693631_4fd4bc1d03_z-44x25.jpg 44w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 331px) 100vw, 331px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.shipyard.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Shipyard Breweries<\/a><\/strong> | 8 Newbury St.<br \/>\nOne of Portland\u2019s most noted micobreweries is <strong>The Shipyard Brewing Company<\/strong>. With some of the best seasonal beers, like Pumpkinhead Ale, Longfellow Winter Ale, and the new Applehead Ale, Shipyard Brewing gives visitors a true taste of New England tradition. Free tastings and video tours are available daily.<\/p>\n<p><strong><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/www.portlandlobstercompany.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Portland Lobster Co.<\/a> | <\/strong><\/strong>180 Commercial St.<br \/>\nServing one of the best lobster rolls in town, <strong>Portland Lobster Company<\/strong> offers happy hour drink specials every hour (visit their website for details) and delicious seafood without breaking the bank. The restaurant, which reopens in May, is seated right on the Fore River, giving diners a view with their fresh fare. Lobster rolls vary by market price, but count on heaping helpings of meat on those buns.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cloak &amp; Dagger Supper Club<\/strong> | Secret Location<br \/>\nIf you&#8217;re feeling extra adventurous, see what the underground food scene has to offer at this new supper club in Portland. The next dinner is dubbed\u00a0<em>Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) <\/em>and will take place on October 31 at 7:30pm. BYOB. Check the site for future events.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Maine Mead Works<\/strong> | 51 Washington Ave.<br \/>\nVisit Maine Mead Works for a taste of their signature <strong>HoneyMaker<\/strong>, one of Portland\u2019s most flavorful wines. Made with locally sourced wildflower honey, HoneyMaker is semi-sweet mead that prides itself on being the \u201cfields and forests of Maine in a glass.\u201d HoneyMaker is handcrafted in small batches from Portland-only ingredients, which is why each batch is reflected by the season. Free tastings are available, so check their website for tasting room hours.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Where to sleep<\/strong><br \/>\n<strong><a href=\"http:\/\/firesideinnportland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28389 aligncenter lazyload\" title=\"fireside hotel\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP\/\/\/yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7\" data-src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/249777_210820832289300_172928329411884_605278_3109685_n.jpg\" alt=\"fireside hotel\" width=\"331\" height=\"220\" \/><noscript><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-28389 aligncenter lazyload\" title=\"fireside hotel\" src=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/249777_210820832289300_172928329411884_605278_3109685_n.jpg\" alt=\"fireside hotel\" width=\"331\" height=\"220\" srcset=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/249777_210820832289300_172928329411884_605278_3109685_n.jpg 720w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/249777_210820832289300_172928329411884_605278_3109685_n-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/249777_210820832289300_172928329411884_605278_3109685_n-37x25.jpg 37w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 331px) 100vw, 331px\" \/><\/noscript><\/a><\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/firesideinnportland.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Fireside Inn and Suites<\/a><\/strong> | 81 Riverside St.<br \/>\nThe charming inn is within walking-distance of some of Portland\u2019s best attractions, including downtown\u2019s Old Port and several beaches. Fireside offers seasonal deals and getaway packages, including spring discounts, a romantic Wine and Dine Getaway, and various Family Activity packages, starting at an additional $20. (Room rates start at about $74.99 per night.)<\/p>\n<p><strong>The Regency<\/strong> | 20 Milk St.<br \/>\nAn elegant setting at the center of Old Port, The Regency offers luxury deals at affordable prices. In addition to discounted rates on Bed and Breakfast and Business packages, the hotels offers both Father\u2019s Day and Mother\u2019s Day packages (from $259 and $279, respectively), allowing guests to treat their parents for a relaxing weekend. Moms can indulge with a $90 spa credit, extended late checkout, and sparkling wine and chocolate-covered strawberries upon arrival, while Dads can enjoy a complimentary drink, dinner credit, and full breakfast.<\/p>\n<p><em>Want more ideas for what to do in town? Read <a title=\"portland, me article on offmetro ny\" href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/2009\/09\/21\/portland-maine-shopping-restaurants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Maine Things: Pounding the Streets and Shores of Portland<\/a><\/em><a title=\"portland, me article on offmetro ny\" href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/2009\/09\/21\/portland-maine-shopping-restaurants\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<p><em>Photos: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/julianmeade\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">julianmeade<\/a><\/em>, <em>Shipyard Brewing Company, Fireside<\/em> <em>Inn<\/em><\/p>\n<p><strong>How to get there:<\/strong> <em>Consult <a title=\"oM public transit guide to portland maine\" href=\"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/nyc-to-portland-maine-public-transportation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">oM&#8217;s public transportation guide to Portland<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n<p><iframe class=\"lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps\/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=205563504290144167189.0004bd6decc22669a7a66&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=43.658806,-70.230446&amp;spn=0.043467,0.085831&amp;z=13&amp;output=embed\" width=\"500\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" marginwidth=\"0\" marginheight=\"0\" scrolling=\"no\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<small>View <a style=\"color: #0000ff; text-align: left;\" href=\"http:\/\/maps.google.com\/maps\/ms?msa=0&amp;msid=205563504290144167189.0004bd6decc22669a7a66&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;t=m&amp;ll=43.658806,-70.230446&amp;spn=0.043467,0.085831&amp;z=13&amp;source=embed\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Spring Getaway to Portland Maine<\/a> in a larger map<\/small><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The succulent fresh-as-they-come lobster rolls would be a good enough reason to visit. But we recently discovered that Maine\u2019s largest city has much more than seafood and maritime history to offer, like its local wildflower wine, a new supper club, free art museums, and a dreamy, bike-able coastline. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":28383,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[364,316],"tags":[381,293,143,205,254,391,397,711,11257,18,133,84,204],"class_list":{"0":"post-27774","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-maine","8":"category-weekend-getaways","9":"tag-biking","10":"tag-budget-friendly","11":"tag-bus","12":"tag-flea-market","13":"tag-free","14":"tag-history","15":"tag-lighthouse","16":"tag-lobster-rolls","17":"tag-maine-guide","18":"tag-museum","19":"tag-outdoors","20":"tag-shopping","21":"tag-train"},"acf":[],"mv":{"thumbnail_id":28383,"thumbnail_uri":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/04\/1470358293_4e370c19a9_z-e1503516853886-350x197.jpg"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27774","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27774"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27774\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/28383"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27774"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27774"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/offmetro.com\/ny\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27774"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}