Explore Biddeford on a 2-Hour History Walking Tour
Walk Biddeford’s Main Street and learn its mill and theater history
4.8 stars• 632 reviews
From$44/ personincl. taxes and fees
Duration
2 hour
Includes
Guided walking tour, History
Highlights
Explore Biddeford on a walking history tour along revitalized Main Street. Learn how the city grew from its beginnings in 1855 through mills, theaters, and more.
Meet your guide in the lobby of the Lincoln Hotel/Lincoln Mill
Walk through Biddeford’s history from 1855 to today’s revitalization
Discover stories of textile mills and the town’s theatre and opera scene
Explore historic buildings and the city’s nicknames, from City of Clocks to City of Theaters
Arrive 5–10 minutes early and allow time to find parking
Plan to tip your guide separately since gratuity is not included
Cancellation Policy
All tickets without tour insurance are non-refundable. Tours run rain, snow or shine.
FAQs
Arrive 5–10 minutes early for check-in and allow extra time to find parking. Street parking is limited to 2 hours, and there is a parking lot across from the hotel.
Wear comfortable walking shoes and dress in layers, since coastal Maine temperatures can change.
The guides here really make or break the experience, and fortunately most travelers rave about their personalities and expertise. Tyler brings Portland's history to life on walking tours, while AJ wins people over with her humor and local recommendations. Ray and Timothy both get praise for their knowledge and storytelling abilities, though opinions vary on pacing. The oyster and bubbles boat tour sounds particularly special, with a master shucker guiding you through Portland's oyster scene. Tours cover both Portland and Bar Harbor locations, with options ranging from history walks to culinary experiences.
Food portions generally satisfy guests, with most leaving pleasantly full from stops featuring lobster rolls, chowder, and other Maine staples. A few travelers felt the tours spent too much time on guide monologues rather than diving into building histories or meeting restaurant owners. The occasional complaint surfaces about pacing or wanting more variety in stops. Overall though, visitors appreciate getting a solid introduction to Portland's food scene and Old Port area, especially from guides who clearly love their city and know where locals actually eat.
What people are saying
Review 1 of 5
5/5
We came to Maine very VERY early season (March 20th-24th) and were looking for something to do. Most of the area is still in full 'pre season' mode, with many restaurants and services closed, especially during the week.
We found the walking Food tour on another platform and jumped at it - and boy were we glad that we did! Because of the time of year, my wife and I were alone on the tour and as such got to spend around 3 hours with our guide, Ray Sapirstein. Putting aside Ray's obvious love for Portland and food in general, he was a charming guy - keeping us engaged and entertained with stories about the area for the entire duration of the tour. Ray is a PHD trained historian and, as such, was able to fill in a lot of color about the area, going beyond the 'food' aspects of the tour, describing the 'hilly roads' which were sand dunes were covered up to build out the city. Add to that the fact that he took us to several places that we NEVER would have found via googling for 'best ofs' and would have been a HUGE failure to miss!
Andy's Old Port Pub - a neighborhood bar (don't call it a dive, though in my mind it qualifies). Spend some time chatting with Thomas, the owner, and Steve the bartender - and had what I can only describe as the single best haddock taco I've ever had in my life. Do not judge a book by it's cover: this place is AWESOME. Great craft beer tap list, and a warm and friendly environment. If I lived in the area, this would be my regular.
From there we went to Gilbert's Chowder house right next door - Ray was again right: don't sleep on the seafood chili - it was RIDICULOUSLY amazing.
After that we paid a visit to the Harbor Fish Market where we got to see the recent catches, and as Ray pointed out the 'transparency' of the thing: fish are cleaned and prepped for sale right where the customer can watch, and all fish are labeled as 'fresh' (with VERY few pre-frozen exceptions). This is also the place to go if you want to buy Maine swag.
From there we proceeded to Rigby House, an unassuming 'coffee shop and workspace' that Ray promised us had nothing short of the best lobster roll in Maine: I've had some good lobster rolls so I can't quite commit to that, but the bread it was built on was FANTASTIC, baked locally from one of the bakeries rated tops in the nation right in Portland. This stop came with either 2 samplers or 1 full pour from their 20+ menu. Don't miss the blueberry ale. It's a rare treat and again, came from Ray's love of his city.
From there, we visited Dean's Sweet shop for a couple of truffles and terrible jokes, and then Fiasco's Gelato to round up our day - try the lobster gelato, it's weird and not something I'd necessarily do again...but glad to have had the experience. The whoopie pie gelato was top notch and the blueberry was one of the best gelatos I've ever had.
For a 3 hour tour, with all food included, we were certainly full and happy. The walk was short - I don't think we wandered more than a mile in total - and when we were showing signs of being "Help me I'm not from Maine cold", Ray took us into Grittys, another neighborhood bar just for a warm up.
Mitch Brenner
March 24, 2026
Review 1 of 1
5/5
We came to Maine very VERY early season (March 20th-24th) and were looking for something to do. Most of the area is still in full 'pre season' mode, with many restaurants and services closed, especially during the week.
We found the walking Food tour on another platform and jumped at it - and boy were we glad that we did! Because of the time of year, my wife and I were alone on the tour and as such got to spend around 3 hours with our guide, Ray Sapirstein. Putting aside Ray's obvious love for Portland and food in general, he was a charming guy - keeping us engaged and entertained with stories about the area for the entire duration of the tour. Ray is a PHD trained historian and, as such, was able to fill in a lot of color about the area, going beyond the 'food' aspects of the tour, describing the 'hilly roads' which were sand dunes were covered up to build out the city. Add to that the fact that he took us to several places that we NEVER would have found via googling for 'best ofs' and would have been a HUGE failure to miss!
Andy's Old Port Pub - a neighborhood bar (don't call it a dive, though in my mind it qualifies). Spend some time chatting with Thomas, the owner, and Steve the bartender - and had what I can only describe as the single best haddock taco I've ever had in my life. Do not judge a book by it's cover: this place is AWESOME. Great craft beer tap list, and a warm and friendly environment. If I lived in the area, this would be my regular.
From there we went to Gilbert's Chowder house right next door - Ray was again right: don't sleep on the seafood chili - it was RIDICULOUSLY amazing.
After that we paid a visit to the Harbor Fish Market where we got to see the recent catches, and as Ray pointed out the 'transparency' of the thing: fish are cleaned and prepped for sale right where the customer can watch, and all fish are labeled as 'fresh' (with VERY few pre-frozen exceptions). This is also the place to go if you want to buy Maine swag.
From there we proceeded to Rigby House, an unassuming 'coffee shop and workspace' that Ray promised us had nothing short of the best lobster roll in Maine: I've had some good lobster rolls so I can't quite commit to that, but the bread it was built on was FANTASTIC, baked locally from one of the bakeries rated tops in the nation right in Portland. This stop came with either 2 samplers or 1 full pour from their 20+ menu. Don't miss the blueberry ale. It's a rare treat and again, came from Ray's love of his city.
From there, we visited Dean's Sweet shop for a couple of truffles and terrible jokes, and then Fiasco's Gelato to round up our day - try the lobster gelato, it's weird and not something I'd necessarily do again...but glad to have had the experience. The whoopie pie gelato was top notch and the blueberry was one of the best gelatos I've ever had.
For a 3 hour tour, with all food included, we were certainly full and happy. The walk was short - I don't think we wandered more than a mile in total - and when we were showing signs of being "Help me I'm not from Maine cold", Ray took us into Grittys, another neighborhood bar just for a warm up.
