[Girls Trip] Portland, Maine

Add Portland, Maine on your short list for a girls trip if you like nature, water, good food, and lobster! 

Here’s our itinerary for a long weekend in Portland, Maine – 

Day One – Arrival and Girl Talk

• We arrived on three different flights from three different cities from late-morning until mid-afternoon
• Checked into our airbnb 
• Happy Hour at Luna Rooftop (recommend; yet be prepared for a large crowds during busy times)
• Dinner at Union (highly recommend)

Day Two – Up the Coast!

• We drove up to Freeport, Maine about 20-30 minutes from Portland for the day!
• Fueled up with a breakfast sandwich at Isabelle’s Cafe & Bakery (recommend; reminiscent of your grandmother’s kitchen)
• Land of LL Bean and adventure store outlets. If you are a Patagonia, The North Face, and other similar brands, you’ll enjoy shopping in Freeport!
• Hiked around Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park
• Lobster Roll Lunch at Harraseeket Lunch and Lobster (highly recommend; old school outdoor joint only taking cash)
• Afternoon beer at Maine Beer Company (highly recommend; most beautiful brewery building I’ve visited (and I’ve visited a lot of them))
• Tapas Dinner at Sur Lie in Old Port Portland (recommend)

Day Three – Tour de Portland!

• Fueled up with a breakfast biscuit sandwiches at Gross Bakery (recommend; more of a crispy biscuit and can be split amongst two people)
• Lighthouse Bike Tour – this activity did not go as planned. I contacted The Portland Encyclepedia weeks before the trip and was told that they don’t take reservations and to come “anytime” to rent bikes. We arrived around 10am (they open at 9am) and only had a single bike available. We had to pivot quickly and ended up renting city bikes for 2 hours. (do not recommend; opt to make reservations at a local bike next time)
• Afternoon snacks for sailing at Standard Baking Co (recommend; we saw long LINES outside here on mornings runs and stopped by for bakery items to bring on the sailing boat)
• Afternoon Group Sail by Schooner Co – we dodged the rain during our 2 hour sail yet failed to get any wind as we toured around the bay. It was neat to be in an old sailboat yet not very comfortable to sit and enjoy your company. (do not recommend; opt to make a private reservation for a more comfortable and intimate setting)
• Middle Eastern tapas dinner at Evo in Old Port Portland (cautiously recommend; tapas came out very fast on top of each other which made it hard to enjoy each selection)
• Gelato dessert at Gorgeous Gelato Portland (recommend; we skipped dessert at the restaurant in favor of gelato done the street)

Day Four – All Good Trips Must Come to an End!

• Breakfast of Champions with a potato starch, dense Holy Donut (cautiously recommend; love the origin story and commitment to wholesome ingredients yet weren’t our preferred style of donut)
• Morning walk around Back Cove, a 3 mile loop on a crushed gravel trail (recommend; if you prefer a softer walking surface, this is a trail for you!)
• Explored the East End by driving through the Eastern Promenade, sitting high above the water, its a large city park area with great views of the water below, and Washington Avenue, a few blocks filled with shops and restaurants
• Good bye, Portland, Maine! You are a beautiful area of the US!