photo by Chris Lawrence, mainephotography.com

Portland is an historic seacoast town. It is also a funky city filled with galleries, one-of-kind boutiques and shops, and award winning restaurants serving everything from New England clam chowder and lobster rolls, to nouvelle cuisine and ethnic food.

Maine’s largest city with over 66,000 full time residents, Portland swells to 2 million with the addition of its seasonal visitors and part-time residents. A peninsula, Portland sits on Casco Bay enjoying access to many picturesque islands throughout the bay and is organized by neighborhoods, each with their own individual character.

Portland stands as one of the few working waterfronts left in the United States, acting as New England’s largest tonnage seaport and second largest fishing port.

Portland is also the second largest oil port on the East Coast and the largest foreign inbound transit tonnage port in the United States!  Each year our port alone handles over 206,000 international passengers, including 41,000 cruise ship passengers.

Portland is the largest city in Maine and the economic capital of Maine. Major national financial institutions base their Maine operations out of Portland as well as law firms and import/export companies. Walking through downtown Portland, you will notice modern high-rise office buildings located in historic districts intermixed with centuries old architecture.

Portland continues to accumulate National awards for “best of” categories including the following to name a few:

• Most Liveable City by Forbes.com
• America’s Best Town in the East by Outside Magazine
• A top Greenest City by Organic Gardening Magazine
• AARP The Magazine‘s top five most affordable and desirable places to retire and U.S. News Editorial Pick for Best Healthy Places to Retire.    
• One of the Coolest Small Cities in America by GQ and  #8 Gayest City in America by Advocate.com
• Top 20 best small cities for college students by the American Institute for Economic Research
• Kiplinger’s Best City for Mid-Level Professionals and #6 on Forbes Best Cities for Young Professionals.

If you are a “foodie” Portland is the place for you!

Portland hosts award winning restaurants throughout the Old Port, Arts District and outlying neighborhoods. From amazing ethnic foods to classic New England offerings, Portland teams with talented chefs and restaurants that are guaranteed to satisfy every palate.

• Food and Wine Magazine editors named Steve Corry of Five Fifty-Five one of the “The Best New Chefs in the U.S. in 2007” and Hugo’s Rob Evans won this award in 2004.

• Bon Apetit awarded Portland Americas Foodiest Small Town in 2009
  
• Portland was featured in the New York Times as a food destination, and Sperling’s Best Places listed Portland as a best city for foodies.
  

Portland’s chefs and restaurants have been honored by the the most coveted of all culinary honors, James Beard Foundation Awards including;

• Fore Street for “Outstanding Restaurant”,
• Rob Evans of Hugo’s and Sam Hayward of Fore Street Restaurant for “Outstanding Chef“
• Krista Kern Desjarlais from Bresca and Demos Regas from Emilitsa for “Best Chef in the North East“.

Bring your appetite and search our directory for all of Portland’s amazing restaurants.

Every Wednesday in the warm months, the Farmers’ Market fills Monument Square with local offerings, and fresh seafood can be purchased at local markets throughout the wharves along Commercial Street. Portland has an active Buy Local effort to support locally owned businesses.

Portland is also known for the First Friday Art Walk,a free self-guided tour of local art galleries, art studios, museums, and alternative art venues on the First Friday of every month from 5-8 pm. Galleries stay open late and the streets are full of performers and artists to enjoy.

To find everything Downtown Portland has to offer, explore our directory online or request one to be mailed to you today! 

Here are some organizations that support the vitality of Greater Portland:

Portland Buy Local supports locally owned, independent businesses in Portland

Portland Arts and Cultural Alliance (PACA) supports Portland’s thriving art community and spearheads LiveWorkPortland to increase the visibility of the creative community and Portland as a live-work destination for creative entrepreneurs

The Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau helps travelers take advantage of the wealth of attractions, services and resources that Maine has to offer

The Greater Portland Regional Chamber is the economic engine of Maine offering advocacy, valuable benefits and visibility the their members