My favorite part of the Portland area was easily Cape Elizabeth along Maine’s rocky Atlantic coast. The most famous landmark here is Portland Head Light, one of the oldest lighthouses in Maine. It was completed in the late 18th century and still stands at the entrance to Portland Harbor. Between the lighthouse, cliffs, ocean views, and surrounding park, this was probably the scenery I had imagined most when I thought about traveling through Maine.
The coastline around the lighthouse is exactly what you’d expect from Maine, with dark rocks dropping directly into the Atlantic and waves constantly crashing against the shore. There are trails throughout the park, so it was easy to spend some time walking around rather than simply stopping for a photo of the lighthouse and leaving.
Fort Williams Park
Portland Head Light sits inside Fort Williams Park, which has large open fields overlooking the coast. When I visited, people were walking around, having picnics, and flying kites in the strong ocean breeze. It felt more like a local city park than a major tourist attraction, even though one of Maine’s most famous landmarks was right beside it.
This double-crested cormorant was one of the birds I came across around the coast. With the combination of rocky shoreline, islands, and open water, the Portland area had plenty of seabirds even if I didn’t see anything especially exotic.
One of the more unexpected things I found in the park was the remains of this old mansion. The Goddard Mansion was built during the 19th century and later became part of the military property at Fort Williams. By the time I visited, little remained beyond the stone walls. The ruins gave the park a completely different atmosphere from the lighthouse and open fields only a short walk away.
Portland’s Working Waterfront
Back in Portland, the waterfront was another part of the city I enjoyed. Maine is famous for seafood, and Portland has plenty of markets and restaurants where fresh fish and shellfish arrive directly from the coast. Only a few blocks away were marinas filled with fishing boats and yachts, so unlike some waterfront districts that feel completely built for tourists, Portland still had the atmosphere of a working harbor.
You can walk into the seafood markets and choose from a large variety of fresh fish and shellfish. Lobster gets most of the attention when people think about Maine, but there was much more available than that. Between the markets, harbor, restaurants, and the historic parts of downtown, Portland ended up feeling more like a real coastal city than simply a tourist stop.
I didn’t spend enough time here to fully explore Portland, but between Cape Elizabeth and the waterfront I saw enough that I’d definitely return. If I came back, I’d spend more time in the Old Port, try more of the local seafood, and explore farther along the coast.
