Getting Oriented

Getting Oriented

Several distinct neighborhoods reveal the many faces of a city that embraces its history as well as its art, music, and multicultural scenes. The most visited section, the restored Old Port, features a real working waterfront where emblematic lobster boats share ports with modern cruise ships, ferries, and vintage sailing yachts. In spots along Fore, Exchange, and other streets, the asphalt has worn away to reveal the original cobblestones beneath. Stately homes built by ships' captains line the streets of the Western Promenade; artists, artisans, and other small businesses have taken over many formerly abandoned and now renovated redbrick warehouses. The nightlife is active here, with numerous clubs, taverns, and bars pouring out the sounds of live music and lively patrons. Exceptional restaurants, shops, and galleries, many featuring locally produced goods, abound here as well. Water tours of the harbor and excursions to the islands of Casco Bay depart from the piers of Commercial Street.

Downtown Portland has emerged from a years-long on-again, off-again funk, during which much retail commerce was lost to shopping malls in the outlying suburbs. Its burgeoning Arts District is connected to the Old Port by a revitalized Congress Street, which runs the length of the peninsular city from alongside the Western Promenade in the southwest to the Eastern Promenade on Munjoy Hill in the northeast. Congress Street is peppered with interesting shops, eclectic restaurants, and several excellent museums. The arts really come alive here, with numerous venues for the performing arts attracting well-known names from the entertainment world. Nestled in the midst and beyond are residential areas; one of the great aspects of the city is that the business and domestic spheres constantly mingle, giving the area a friendly and approachable character.

Just beyond the Arts District is the Western Promenade, an area of extensive architectural wealth. Predominantly residential, the neighborhood is filled with stunning examples of both the city's historical and economic prominence and its emphasis on preserving this past. A handful of historic homes are open to tours.