Things to do nearOld Port

Old Port sits at the heart of Portland, Maine, occupying a compact grid of streets between the city's downtown and Casco Bay. The neighborhood traces its origins to the seventeenth century, when European settlers established a trading post on the peninsula. After a devastating fire in 1866 leveled much of the city, the district was rebuilt in the Victorian Italianate style that defines its handsome brick facades today.

Wandering through Old Port means passing galleries, independent bookshops, and some of the most celebrated restaurants in New England. The dining scene leans heavily on the sea: raw bars, lobster rolls, and wood-fired fish share menus with farm-to-table fare sourced from Maine's interior. Exchange Street and Fore Street are the main arteries, lined with storefronts that stay lively well into the evening.

From the wharves along Commercial Street, outfitters offer boat tours into the harbor, where Casco Bay spreads out in a panorama of spruce-covered islands and historic lighthouses. A short ferry ride connects Old Port to Peaks Island, a peaceful escape popular with cyclists and hikers.

Old Port earns its reputation as one of Maine's most compelling destinations by balancing a genuine working-waterfront identity with a sophisticated cultural and culinary life that keeps visitors returning season after season.