With an eclectic mix of arts, culture, and cuisine, Maine’s largest metro area easily combines the people and places that comprise this exciting seaport city.
– Robert Witkowski
As the largest urban area in the state, Greater Portland always seems to surprise visitors. Many are happily shocked entering this charming, small city after anticipating a larger urban center. Others are delighted to feel the vibe of a much larger metropolitan center after expecting a sleepy fishing village. Regardless of preconceptions, Greater Portland often surpasses expectations for first-time tourism.
Casco Bay and the Calendar Islands surround downtown, interconnected with one of the longest-running ferry systems in the country. The Casco Bay Lines’ boats glide between Greater Portland’s island communities, maintaining their fishing and recreational fabric of the city.
Portland’s peninsula is the epicenter of the region, where cobblestone streets, Victorian-era buildings, and high rises all intertwine. The downtown cityscape is a blend of restaurants and galleries, theatres and museums, night clubs and studios, shops and breweries, distilleries and roastaries. Where the appeal of outdoor concerts and professional sports is as equal to kayaking, biking, and hiking. The neighborhoods that blanket out from the city center are reflections of their residents. Unique urban hubs with individual restaurants and shops, these businesses capture the particular palate of their clientele, whether it be Deering Center, Woodfords Corner, Rosemont, Libbytown, or Riverside.
The necklace of towns around Portland are all integral to Greater Portland. They all have unique aspects that draw visitors, including sleepy beaches, pastoral farms, state parks, snug harbors, mountain hikes, endless shopping, and stoic lighthouses, all within minutes of downtown.
But, as with all exciting destinations, the Greater Portland experience is about its people. The region is comprised of a population, spanning a range of ages and a wide array of cultures, combining perspectives, cuisine, art, and interest. With ethnic restaurants lining downtown’s Washington Avenue and around the region, you can literally taste the influence these new Americans are bringing to what is commonly recognized as the country’s “whitest state.”
Historical museums and cultural centers around the area prove an even deeper history of diversity and inclusion. A bustling international seaport, a major link in the underground railroad, a welcoming haven for refugees of war-torn countries, and current-day urban community which embraces and absorbs these cultures tells a more authentic, nuanced story.
Greater Portland continues to write its history as Maine enters its 200th year. The 23rd state was born in a compromise as a free state to stave off the Civil War conflict. An auspicious beginning, and a legacy that continues to becomes more vibrant with communities and people that keep creating it. True today as it ever was, “as Maine goes, so goes the country,” and that includes Greater Portland!
Robert Witkowski is the Creative Director for Visit Portland, a, freelance designer, and author of “100 things To Do in Portland, Maine Before You Die.” Having lived in Chicago, Boston and New York City, Robert has discovered that urban life is exciting and fun, making his home in Portland’s West End.
