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10 Best Things to Do in Portland Maine in 24 Hours

    The ultimate travel guide to Portland, Maine, I’ll show you the ten best things to do in 24 hours including where to stay and what to eat!

    portland Maine

    Last month I had the opportunity to return to one of my favorite states in the nation: Maine! While this wasn’t my first visit to Maine (Rich proposed to me in Bar Harbor!), it had been several years so I couldn’t wait to return.

    Downtown Portland Street

    In case you ever find yourself in Portland, Maine, here is my guide to the ten best things to do in 24 hours!

    Portlan Harbor Hotel Courtyard

    First up: check in to your hotel. When choosing a hotel in Portland, I highly recommend the Portland Harbor Hotel which is centrally located downtown and within walking distance to countless shops, restaurants and attractions.

    Portland Harbor Hotel Bedrooms

    The guest rooms are modern and spacious – perfect for couples, families or a girl’s trip.

    Portland Harbor Hotel Lobby

    In fact, the Portland Harbor Hotel is so centrally located we rarely needed to drive anywhere during our visit.

    Honey Paw Portland

    Second: Slurp Noodles at The Honey Paw! This Asian restaurant features house made noodles, soups, stir-fries, veggie dishes, brunch items and more.

    Honey Paw Portland Wok Veggies

    These wok charred veggies topped with crunchy peanuts and scallions are still on my mind and it’s been weeks since I visited The Honey Paw.

    Honey Paw Portland Pho

    Of course, I couldn’t leave without trying their house made noodles. This spicy beef pho did not disappoint.

    Downtown Portland

    My third suggestion for what to do in Portland in 24 hours is to walk around the downtown area and shop local. There are countless boutiques, clothing stores, gift shops and more.

    Portland Trading Co

    Two stores in particular that I highly recommend are Portland Trading Co. and Rough and Tumble. Both are locally owned and feature craft made items that are perfect for treating yourself.

    Bard Coffee

    Number four: get your caffeine fix at Bard Coffee.

    Bard Coffee Portland

    This cute and trendy coffee shop is right downtown, perfect for an iced coffee or warm chocolate mocha on a cool day.

    Portland Alpine Hunt Club

    Tip number five: enjoy happy hour cocktails at Portland Hunt & Alpine Club located downtown.

    Portland Alpine Hunt Club Happy Hour

    Refreshing, adventurous, classic and wild card – their cocktail menu has a little something for everyone.

    Bluefin Seafood

    Number six: enjoy dinner at BlueFin North Atlantic Seafood Restaurant located inside the beautiful Portland Harbor Hotel. Offering seating both indoors and outdoors, this is the perfect restaurant to enjoy fresh, locally caught and sustainable seafood. Pro Tip: Don’t miss out on the calamari fries!

    LB Kitchen Portland Breakfast
    LB Kitchen Portland

    The next morning, it’s time for recommendation number seven: grab a healthy breakfast at LB Kitchen. Featuring smoothies, breakfast bowls, hearty egg dishes and more, this is a great spot to start your day with plenty of energy.

    Hustle and Flow Stuido

    Tip number eight: after breakfast get your sweat on at Hustle and Flow Studio. Offering a wide variety of classes, I really enjoyed the fun and laid back format of the “hustlercise” class I took.

    Duckfat Portland

    My ninth suggestion is to treat yourself at Duckfat.

    duck fat french fries

    Featuring hand-cut Maine potatoes fried Belgian-style in duck fat, tossed with their seasoning salt and served in a cone with your choice of five homemade dipping sauces – these fries are worth the trip to Portland alone.

    Duckfat Portland Salad

    Don’t worry – the salads are amazing as well. Many of which featured locally grown, seasonal ingredients.

    Portland Harbor Boats and Ferries

    Last but not least, tip number ten: catch a ferry to visit Diamond Cove Island! In fact, stay tuned for my travel guide to the Inn at Diamond Cove coming soon.

    Ferry Ride

    What are your favorite spots in Portland, Maine? Did I miss any? Let me know!

    Disclosure: Portland Harbor Hotel hosted my overnight accommodations during my visit. All thoughts are my own. 

    Want more travel tips? Check out my Pinterest board!

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    Liz DellaCroce

    Liz Della Croce is the creator and author of The Lemon Bowl, a healthy food blog. Since 2010, Liz has been sharing delicious recipes that just so happen to be healthy. By using real ingredients with an emphasis on seasonality, Liz has built a growing audience of loyal readers who crave good food for their families. Click Here To Subscribe to my newsletter:

    4 Comments

    1. Great timing as we will be traveling there next month. A family member moved there a couple of years ago and has been asking us to come out for a visit, so looking forward to it.

    2. Do you have recommendations for Bar Harbor? My dad, sister and I are looking to do a family weekend in Maine and I think we are going to opt for Bar Harbor for the outdoor activities.

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