Local Portland Maine Attractions

Venues for the Arts

Dining and Restaurants

Port City Music Hall offers a robust schedule of nationally touring bands of all genres, as well as the best of the local scene.

Portland Symphony Orchestra finds its home in Portland and is the largest symphony orchestra in Maine.

The State Theatre has recently been refurbished and now holds a variety of music venues.

Portland Ballet feature both contemporary and classical dance performances. A dance school is also on the property.

The Cumberland County Civic Center is a venue not only for the Portland Pirates hockey team but for larger musical events.

Space Gallery is a nonprofit contemporary arts space featuring visual arts, live music and performance, lectures, films, and more.

One Longfellow Square features live musical performances from varied musicians and film screenings.

Portland Ovations offer classical music, jazz, opera, dance, theater, and Broadway.

Art Galleries

9 Hands Gallery - an artist cooperative

Aucocisco Galleries - contemporary fine art

Bridge Gallery - artists Rhonda Pearle and Gary Perlmutter

Field various art forms

Fore Street Gallery - originals, prints and photography

Foundry Lane - contemporary crafts and jewelry

George Anderson Gallery - maritime artworks

Gleason Fine Art - contemporary paintings, sculpture, and photography, with a Maine theme

Greenhut Galleries - contemporary art and sculpture

Heron Point Glass Gallery - glass art works

Holly Ready Gallery - artist gallery

Institute of Contemporary Art at MECA - student works

June Fitzpatrick Gallery - drawings, paintings, prints, and sculpture

Mayo Street Arts - nonprofit artist space

R.N. Cohen / Exchange Street Gallery - original watercolors, oils, and limited editions

Sarajo - world art

Salt Institute for Documentary Studies - photography

Space Gallery - nonprofit art space

Susan Maasch Fine Art - prints, photography, paintings, sculpture, and ceramics

Sylvia Kania Gallery - artist cooperative

Two Paths Gallery - paintings and photography

Whitney Art Works - contemporary art works

Points of Interest

The Portland Observatory offers specatular views of Portland's harbor and have serveral guided tours.

Southworth Planetarium is located at the University of Southern Maine's Portland Campus and offer shows generally during the weekends.

Portland's Back Cove Trail is one of the oldest and most popular trails in Portland.

Portland Breakwater Light "The Bug" is an elegant lighthouse built in 1875.

Visitmaine.com has comprehensive information regarding all the points of interest not only in the Greater Portland area but through out Maine. This is a very useful resource to any visitor to the region.

Surrounding Area

Freeport - Outlet shopping, L.L. Bean Superstore, The Desert of Maine and Wolf's Neck Woods.

Cape Elizabeth - Portland Headlight, Two Lights State Park and Crescent Beach State Park.

Brunswick - Maine Maritime Museum.

Saco - Funtown Splashtown USA, Aquaboggan

Island Communities - Casco Bay Lines, Peaks Island, Long Island, Cliff Island, Chebeague Island.

Museums

The Portland Museum of Art houses both a permanent collection of art as well as hosting featured art shows that attract a wide audience.

View the Henry Wadsworth-Longfellow House, the historic home of the famous poet.

Children’s Museum and Theater of Maine is a fantastic museum for your children enjoy.

Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad offers rides and is dedicated to the history of the railroads.

The Maine Historical Society Museum provides an entire history of the state of Maine.

The International Cryptozoology Museum is a one-of-a-kind experience in cryptozoological artifacts.

Portland Harbor Museum has maritime exibits of all kinds.

The Museum of African Culture have large displays of various artifacts from around the world.

Tate House was built in 1755 for Captain George Tate and his family, which had recently arrived in the Colonies from Britain.

Also reference the Portland Museum and Gallery Guide for a comprehensive list.

Theaters

The Nickelodeon movie theater offer six screens of movie entertainment right in the heart of downtown Portland.

Portland Stage perform a variety of productions throughout the year and even offer theater for children.

Saint Lawrence Arts Center is a nonprofit community arts space featuring theater, dance, music, film, and workshops.

Mad Horse Theatre is a resident, professional theatre ensemble located in South Portland.

Portland Players are Maine's longest running Community Theatre.

Recreation

The Portland Sea Dogs are the AA minor league affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Check out their schedule and ticket information.

The Portland Pirates are Portland’s professional hockey team. Schedule and ticket information.

The Portland-based Maine Red Claws is a NBA Development League team.

Casco Bay Lines has year-round ferry service between Portland and the islands of Casco Bay: Peaks, Little and Great Diamond, Cliff, Long, and Chebeague.

Maine Department of Conservation provide information about parks and public lands in the Portland and Casco Bay region, including Mackworth Island, Two Lights, and Crescent Beach State Park.

Portland Trails is a nonprofit urban land trust that maintains fifty miles of multi-use trails in the greater Portland area. View their trail map.

MELiving.com’s guide to beaches in the Greater Portland and Casco Bay region.

Maine Island Trail Association offer over 190 sites state-wide that are open for recreation/day use. View their online guide.

Maine Outdoor Adventure Club (MOAC) is an all-volunteer member organization. Members organize walking, hiking, camping, mountain biking, rock climbing and other activities.

Higgins Beach is relatively close by to Portland and popular with area sufers.

Adventure Lovers Cultivating Ecological Skills (ALCES), aka: The Moose Club, is a Maine-based social network for adventure enthusiasts with an interest in ecology and desire to learn and share knowledge about plants, animals, birds, and natural communities.

Rippleffect offer youth multi-day kayaking trip and other events for adults.

Use Ski Maine for a complete guide to alpine and Nordic skiing in the state, including a directory of ski areas, conditions, and a Maine skiing map.

SailMaine offer programs all related to sailing in the area and is a nonprofit organization.