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Guide to Portland, USA - Maine
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PortlandIt is hardly coincidental that Maine's largest city lacks the state's 'capital' moniker, a kind of arrangement many other places around the US and the world share. Portland, America's most northerly semi-large city, though rather important on a regional scale, more or less runs its own ship in its nook of the world. Overlooking Casco Bay and surrounded by a backdrop of lush greenery, Portland is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful cities on North America's eastern coast. With a cool climate aiding the year-round hustle and bustle of its business districts and its fishing wharfs, Portland is the perfect destination for anyone interested in beanies, historic naval yards, and independence. However dwarfed Portland appears to great metropolises such as New York or London, the city is nonetheless quite a spectacle for folks within close proximity of its limits. (And, you know, its own residents as well.) Easy to get to and easy to navigate, visitors adapt quickly to the way of life here, and an enjoyable routine is bound to be developed over the coarse of a few days' stay. Of course, urbanization hasn't passed Portland by, and though it's graffiti murals are vastly outnumbered by those in the world's most notable renegade-artist-laden centers, it's good to know you can still go far without escaping the sight of spray-painted emblems entirely. Standards for excellence are not as high here as the highest-classed tourist towns on the globe in terms of culinary specialties and artistic brilliance (the kind found on canvas and the such), yet its fair to note a few exceptions for the sake of keeping Portland in a mentionable light. Restaurants serving some of the best seafood in the country call Portland home, and though the steaks get better as you go west in the USA, this seaside city packs many award winning cuts itself.
When to go:
A population of 66,000 tucked inside the confines of a large metropolitan area translates to many, many open spaces, and if you're fortunate to make plans to visit Portland in summer, it is doubly as wonderful. Given the fact that many are unimpressed with cold climates for any travels, whether they are vacation-oriented or involve business plans, it's easy to see why many pass over even Maine's most popular city for locations of more tropical natures or for full-fledged snowy-year-round lands. Spring and autumn, particularly the months closest to summer, also make Portland enjoyable, though a few packing extra layers for security may be in your best interest.
Getting there and around:
Portland International Jetport, a set of terminals far enough inland to keep especially strong weather patterns brewing at the shore from interfering in its flight schedule, is well connected to many domestic cities, as well as a number of major locations in Canada. The airport's ties overseas are increasing on a steady basis. Once you've made your way to the peninsula, your reliance on Portland public bus system can begin. The city's fleet may be far from equal to other places within East Coast USA, but its small resident body warrants a less capable network.
Attractions:
Just a few minutes from downtown Portland, the Head Light & Museum bask in the lighthouse's 1794 glory, where it continues to serve as a beacon for the city's harbor. It's keeper's house saw a conversion to a small but beloved museum in 1989. The Portland Museum of Art, a modern structure designed by I.M. Pei in 1983, is the proud owner of works by Winslow Homer, Andrew Wyeth, Edward Hopper, and a selection by the likes of Picasso, Renoir, and other cultural dignitaries.
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