Summer & Fall: A fun way to spend an afternoon whether you are a native or tourist and find yourself in the Portland area is to hop on Mainely Trolley Tours and enjoy the 90 minute narrative tour. You will learn all about Portland and its seafaring history about the trolley. You can catch the trolley on Long Wharf which is located on the waterfront on Commercial Street near the Old Port. There are four tours a day with the first departing at 9:30am and the last tour departing at 4:30pm. This is a great way to become familiar with the city with visits to Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s home, past the Victorian Mansion, up through the Eastern Promenade where the views of Casco Bay are out of this world to Portland Head Light. At Portland Head Light, tour goers are given the opportunity to get off the trolley and take pictures of Maine’s oldest and most photographed lighthouse. While you are there stop in at the gift shop and grab a postcard and some saltwater taffy to take with you for the rest of the tour. Sit back and relax on the “Discovery” trolley while you discover all there is to see and do in Portland. After the trolley ride walk down to the Portland Lobster Company and sit out on the deck while you enjoy a cold drink and a delicious lobster or fried clam roll. The dining is casual and the views of the boats coming in and out of the harbor can’t be beat. On Friday’s there is live music during happy hour from 4:30 to 7 pm. It’s a fun place to hang out with friends and a great place to sample some of Maine’s local brews like the Shipyard Summer Ale or Sea Dog’s Blueberry Wheat Ale. Ah, Maine in the summer, nothing beats it!
Tag: Fall
Vacationing In Maine: The Real Four Seasons
Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring: Maine is a four season state with so much to see and do! No matter what time of year, you are sure to find something going on and something to appeal to every age. Summer brings the warm weather and along with that an opportunity to enjoy great beaches, great picnic spots, hiking, biking and boating. Whether you go to the Western Mountains or the southern coast, Maine has earned the title, Vacationland for good reason. The Fall brings the change of season and Maine’s landscape turns the trees into a blaze of reds, orange and yellows. Maine is known as a haven for leaf peepers and one trip out during the fall is easy to see why. The fall is also the time of year when recreational hunting begins. Many of the summer cabins available for rent during the summer months turn into hunting cabins for fall hunters. Winter brings the snow and big mountain skiing. With ski resorts like Sugarloaf and Sunday River, skiers don’t have far to travel for some of the best skiing in the northeast. In addition to skiing Maine has one of the most extensive snowmobile trails systems in New England. Spring brings warmer temperatures and melting snow. Melting snow leads to water run- off into the rivers resulting in perfect rafting conditions. White water rafters flock to the Forks to ride Magic Falls down through the upper Kennebec River. For thrill seekers, the Penobscot River provides Class V rapids which will take your breath away! Spring is also a great time of year for fishermen, who enjoy the benefits of open water fishing and reap big fish rewards from our lakes, rivers and oceans. Maine is your four season destination for natives and visitors so come out and discover all Maine has to offer!
Cabela’s: Shop And Play For An Entire Day!
Summer, Fall, Winter & Spring: For all you sports and outdoor enthusiast, if you don’t already know, there is a new sheriff in town! LL Bean loyalist will be tested with the new Cabela’s store which opened earlier this spring in Scarborough. The store is huge with over 130,000 square feet of retail space that includes a café, indoor archery range, aquarium, general store, gun library and even a horse corral! With museum like displays you will find a huge variety of stuffed animals displayed in scenes that have been recreated to resemble their natural habitats. There is something for everyone at the store from hunting supplies to camping and fishing equipment. From clothing items for men, women and children, to kayaks to grills, you will pretty much find whatever you are looking for and then some at this store. Cabela’s offers lots of outdoor seminars as well as vendor demos throughout the year. Just visiting the store itself is an outing because it’s so large and there is so much to see. Scarborough is a quick 10 minute ride from Portland, south. After spending some time at Cabelas stop in at one of the local sandwich shops, grab some subs and head to Scarborough Beach where you can kick back and spend some time or head to Portland and have fun exploring the city, there is lots to see and do!
Wine Making: Take It And Make It From The Grape To The Glass
Fall, Winter, Spring & Summer: Home brewing took off in the 90’s with people buying their own beer making kits and trying all sorts of variations from fresh berries to imported hops. There is a new trend in Portland, wine making and at Vintner Cellars, it’s easy for novices to get in on the fun. Now is the time to get in on the fun because any wine made before mid October will be ready for Christmas which can either be given as gifts or drank of course! A fun way to enjoy some time with friends is to host a wine making party at Vintners Cellars. During your party guest can enjoy complimentary tasting and then decide which wine they would like to make. Part of making your own wine is being able to design your own label which can be a great idea for weddings or any other special event you may have coming up. With over thirty different wines to choose from there is definitely something for everyone. Whether you want 50 bottles or just one, Vintner Cellars can accommodate your request. Why not book a party with a bunch of your favorite couples and enjoy the experience of creating your own custom wine. Parties can be catered so it’s an easy way to throw a get together without all the work. Instead, you can sit back enjoy your guest and the “fruit” of your labors!
Ice Skating: Stay Inside and Hit The Rink!
Fall, Winter, Spring & Fall: It’s raining outside and you are wondering what to do, why not go ice skating! The Portland area has some great indoor rinks which offer open skating hours with skate rentals. The Falmouth Skate Center has open skating daily. They offer skate rentals for $2 a pair and free admission for children under 5 years of age which makes this an affordable way to spend an afternoon having fun. In Portland, you can skate at the Portland Ice Arena which also has rental skates available for a minimal charge and the ice conditions are always smooth thanks to the Zamboni. Another thing to do is to check out the University of Southern Maine’s indoor skating rink. Located on the Gorham campus, the skating rink is open for public skating Monday through Friday and you will have to bring your own skates. All of these skating centers offer variable public skating times so, you will definitely want to call for hours before you go. Skating is a wonderful way to get some exercise and it is blast at the same time! The beauty of indoor skating is you have great ice conditions and you don’t have to freeze in the cold winter temperatures. For kids who are learning to skate, the ice conditions are ideal making it easier to do it with confidence. So on that next rainy day when you hear the kids complaining, “what are we going to do today” or your just feeling a little cooped up, hop in the car and go ice skating, it’s a great thing to do!