Coastal weekends and trail walks in Portland
Curious about what you'll do when you live in Portland? If you like the idea of slurping oysters on the wharf, getting artsy at monthly First Friday festivals, and thrifty enough to enjoy minor-league baseball, basketball, soccer, and hockey, Portland is calling you home! This list of fun things to do will take you from sold-out shows to Shakespeare in the Park and give you a briny taste of Portland's creative energy and coastal culture.
Greg, Our Local Expert Guiding Your Move
Greg moved to Maine before it was trendy, stayed when it got crowded, and 28 years later still loves it. He grew up here, went to UMaine, tried Connecticut, and survived eight years in Virginia before eventually packing up and moving back home. He is a former newspaper copy editor, pizza lover (Portland Pie, OTTO, & Cargo regular), and family man. At Snappy Scout, Greg helps newcomers decode Maine, a place that plays by its own rules and usually keeps them to itself.
Read moreWritten with local insight from Snappy Scout relocation experts
What Will You Do in Portland?
From weekend adventures to iconic road trips, here's how locals spend their time off.
on a Saturday with perfect weather
Eastern Prom strolls, ferry horns, sunscreen, gulls plotting theft
when the gals come to town for the weekend
Old Port boutiques, oysters, and sunset spritzes at rooftop bars
rainy dreary day
Portland Museum of Art binge, new arrivals at Longfellow Books or Print, then Holy Donut pick-me-up
intellectually stimulating
TEDxDirigo, Osher Map Library, USM evening lectures
artsy
First Friday Art Walk, a drop-in at the original Mexicali Blues
something inside and free
Portland Public Library stacks, free wifi, and accidental enlightenment
outdoorsy
Fort Williams cliffs, daring to bike Presumpscot River Trail
fitness oriented
Back Cove PR attempt, Peaks-to-Portland open water swim
with your dog
East End Beach off leash hours, tennis balls meet tidal physics
family oriented
Children's Museum at Thompson's Point, hanging with Slugger the Sea Dog at Hadlock Field
in need of a selfie
Bug Light kite park breeze, hair chaos, lighthouse perfection
you have to see this
the stadium experience at Hearts of Pine home games
My Favorite Local Spot in Portland
Late afternoons at the Hannaford on Preble Street. Best people watching in the city. Everyone from New Mainers in their brilliantly colored dresses to slick corporate lawyers, to young parents with kids in tow, to college students, and those truly down on their luck all come together to pick up something on their way from one place to another after a long day. Visitors who complain there's nothing going on in Portland are not paying attention.
— Greg Reid
Maine Local Expert
Ready to See If Portland Fits You?
Compare cities, check the routes, or head back to the full Portland guide for the bigger picture.