5 Things to do Adventurous in Portland That You Shouldn't Miss

December 14, 2021 Agatha Simes

From ornate mansions to ocean views, this charming city - the largest in Maine - will enchant you. Saunter down the brick sidewalks and cobblestone streets of the revitalized Old Port District, where you can browse through bookstores, explore craft shops and eat to your heart's content. Visit the Portland Head Light, which dates back to 1791, and is the oldest lighthouse still in continuous use in the U.S. The great poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is the city's native son, and you can visit his childhood home, the Wadsworth-Longfellow House. With kids in hand, enjoy the highly interactive Children's Museum of Maine. And then go next door to the calmer Portland Museum of Art, a small, but eclectic museum with Impressionist works, Maine landscapes by Homer and Wyeth and other collections. Land or sea is an option here, so if you're tired of the street life, take one of the popular scenic cruises or whale watches, or hop on a ferry to the islands in Casco Bay. At the end of the day, and without kids in hand, unwind and rest your tired feet at one of the city's brewpubs.
Restaurants in Portland

1. Lucky Catch Cruises

Excellent
92%
Good
7%
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1%
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Overall Ratings

5.0 based on 734 reviews

Lucky Catch Cruises

Lucky Catch Cruises offers 1 1/2 hour lobstering excursions in Casco Bay, Maine. The tours depart from Long Wharf in Portland and operate from the first weekend of May through the last weekend of October. A typical lobster excursion involves pulling eight traps near scenery such as the Portland Headlight Lighthouse, Civil War Fort Gorges and the Seal Rocks. Lobsters can be purchased after the tour for a discounted price and brought to the restaurant next door for cooking. We limit the number of passengers on each boat, so please call ahead for reservations. All the best from Maine!

2. Wicked Walking Tours

Excellent
84%
Good
11%
Satisfactory
3%
Poor
1%
Terrible
1%
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5.0 based on 454 reviews

Wicked Walking Tours

Legends & History of Haunted Portland. Join your fellow thrill seekers and history lovers for this VERY entertaining and unique stroll through the cobblestone streets of the Old Port. Our professional performance artists turn factual dark history dating from the 1600's into theater and even Stand-up comedy at times! Featuring Indian Attacks, Witch Trials, Pirates, terrific story telling, hysterical impersonations and more, this extremely ghost popular tour boasts guests who return year after year. It's not a lot of walking, but it sure is a lot of fun!

3. Portland Paddle

Excellent
93%
Good
6%
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0%
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5.0 based on 484 reviews

Portland Paddle

Portland Paddle offers sea kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) rentals, tours and lessons. We provide paddling adventures for all skill levels, including complete beginners. We send out two-hour sunset kayak tours every evening and half-day kayak tours three mornings each week. Experienced paddlers can rent kayaks or SUPs and explore the Maine Island Trail. We're located at the East End Beach a short drive or walk from downtown Portland. Our site on the waterfront of Casco Bay is perfectly situated for paddling. Dozens of interesting islands are nearby and the waters near the beach are relatively calm and protected. We are a seasonal business open from mid-May to mid-October. Our hours may vary in the spring and fall.

4. Maine Island Kayak Company

Excellent
90%
Good
3%
Satisfactory
2%
Poor
2%
Terrible
3%
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4.5 based on 58 reviews

Maine Island Kayak Company

Sea kayaking - half & full day tours in Casco Bay! Maine

5. The Escape Room

492 Congress St, Portland, ME 04101-3402 +1 207-619-3775 [email protected] http://www.escaperoomme.com
Excellent
54%
Good
32%
Satisfactory
9%
Poor
4%
Terrible
1%
Overall Ratings

4.5 based on 69 reviews

The Escape Room

We're the lock, you're the key! The adventure game that has gained popularity world-wide has finally arrived in Portland, Maine! In 60 minutes or less, your group will work as a small team to escape the locked room by cracking codes and solving puzzles. This is a perfect outing for a group of friends, family members, or coworkers.

Reviewed By CapeCodders2

When booking an escape room (after having gone to escape rooms before), I'm nervous that we will get a location with chintzy props or limited interactivity. No need to worry here. We did the London Blitz, and you could hear background noise of planes and sirens outside. Very detailed environment with high quality clues and materials. The puzzles were very solveable (our family of 4 finished using 2 clues with 13 minutes left on our timer), yet challenging enough to be enjoyable. Our group ranges from 11 years to (ahem) middle age adults and there were ways for everyone to contribute. Additionally, we felt very comfortable with covid precautions in place, and host staff were very friendly and accommodating.

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