PHOTO: © WATERSTONE PROPERTIES GROUP

A new England gem, Maine’s largest city is on the map for business and pleasure, with expanding development and revitalization within the greater Portland area of roughly half a million people. Situated along spectacular Casco Bay, Portland exudes a quintessential New England vibe. Walkable neighborhoods packed with cozy eateries, chef-driven restaurants and a growing number of small luxury hotels define the downtown area. Locals know not to miss iconic favorites like Standard Baking Co. on Commercial Street for the best bread anywhere, Becky’s Diner on the waterfront for breakfast, and Fore Street Restaurant for locally sourced fine dining. The city’s vibrant and varied restaurant scene is also replete with many eateries from Thai to Mexican to gourmet farm-to-table, opened in the past few years.

Portland’s most famous neighborhood, Old Port, features cobblestone streets and fishing and lobster boats hauling in daily catches. Here the city’s renaissance began and ongoing revitalization continues. The Canopy by Hilton Portland Waterfront, with 135 guestrooms, five meeting rooms and popular rooftop bar Luna, opened here in 2021. Also opened the same year, Aloft Portland Downtown Waterfront boasts 157 guestrooms and a 612-square- foot meeting room. Cambria Hotel Downtown Old Port opened in 2022 with 102 guestrooms and 1,400 square feet of meeting space.

A short walk from Old Port takes you to Portland’s main thoroughfare. Congress Street stretches 5.7 miles through a thriving Arts District and the charming neighborhood of West End, known for its well-preserved Victorian and Italianate architecture dating to the 19th century as well as locally owned restaurants, shops and galleries. Portland’s newest hotel, the 48-room Longfellow, fits right in with the West End’s historical character while also bringing a luxe modern sensibility of wellness and culinary experiences. Debuting in May 2024, the boutique property is the first independent, full-service hotel to open in the city in more than two decades. Its elevated design offers a tony residential feel, blending contemporary elements and the work of local artists with traditional accents like moldings, ceiling medallions and wide-plank hardwood floors. The Longfellow features an 1,800-square-foot wellness spa; a breakfast and lunch café; and the elegant Five of Clubs bar, inspired by the five-man literary society founded by native son Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. Henry’s Study, on the fifth floor, accommodates up to 14 people for a meeting and up to 20 for a private cocktail reception, and the hotel is available for buyouts.

Elsewhere on Congress Street, a large development on the site of the now-defunct Portland Press Herald Printing Plant is moving through the planning phases and expected to break ground later this year. Named Herald Square, Phase One of the block-long project will include construction of a 110- unit condominium tower and a 12-story, 152-room hotel.

Other fast-growing Portland neighborhoods include West Bayside and East Bayside, where streets bustle with everything from rooftop bars to internationally inspired restaurants and food trucks. A few miles southwest of downtown, a formerly stagnant piece of land on the banks of the Fore River transformed into Thompson’s Point, a robust mixed-use development anchored by Children’s Museum & Theatre of Maine, opened in 2019. Thompson’s Point also boasts a brewery, concert venue, skating rink, retail space and event space. Ground was broken this spring for a 140-room boutique-style hotel on the site.

PHOTO: © WATERSTONE PROPERTIES GROUP

In Westbrook, around 15 minutes from downtown, the massive, mixed-use Rock Row project sits on a 26-acre natural rock quarry. Greater Portland’s largest and most innovative development, Rock Row currently operates with just 10 percent of full build-out. It drew 581,000 unique visitors in 2023, and the developers anticipate more than 8 million visitors by 2026. Opened in August 2023, Quarryside at Rock Row is an outdoor gathering place and open-air venue featuring a beer garden with food and beverage from Maine’s popular Lone Pine Brewing Co. and a live entertainment stage. Community concerts and activities take place here year-round, and Quarryside hosts private events of up to 1,000 people. Due to open in the first quarter of 2025, The Rock Row Medical & Research Campus will offer cutting- edge facilities where connection to nature is paramount, with green space, outdoor infusion hubs and many more wellness features. Currently in the initial planning phases, Rock Row’s innovation hub will house Maine’s first large-scale modern convention center as well as an anchor hotel.

SCENIC DRIVES
Freeport, Maine, with water views along the rocky coast, lies less than 30 minutes from Portland, and visitors can easily fill a day with retail therapy and outdoor adventures. The iconic L.L. Bean flagship store located here offers gear, apparel and outdoor experiences; and a multitude of shopping options also awaits at outlets and local boutiques. Many Freeport restaurants are known for fresh-caught seafood, and there’s a hopping craft brewery scene. Freeport features more than 3,000 acres of preserved lands for recreation; hiking trails; and ocean activities including kayaking, paddleboarding and boating.

The picturesque town of Yarmouth, also lying 30 minutes from Portland, is dotted with historical buildings, quaint shops and cozy cafés. The area’s local orchards and farms offer apple picking and fresh- pressed cider.

For a water escape, Portland’s Casco Bay islands are only a short ferry ride from downtown. Beachfront lobster bakes, kayak excursions along tranquil shorelines, and relaxing craft cocktail or mocktail tastings are all on the menu of this scenic daytrip.