Take the ferry to spend a morning, afternoon, evening or full day on Peaks Island. Once there you can walk, ride bicycles, or rent golf carts to explore the island. There are nice places to swim, great food options, and an abandoned fort to explore. Other islands to explore include Great Diamond Island, Long Island, and Cliff Island, and are all accessible via Casco Bay Lines.
If you're staying in Portland, Willard Beach is not a bad spot to jump in the ocean. A drive across the bridge, South Portland offers Willard Beach and Bug Light Park. If you're looking to adventure further, you may consider Ferry Beach, Pine Point Beach, Scarborough Beach, Higgins Beach, and Old Orchard Beach. If you're okay with a further drive and an early morning wake-up or a late afternoon dip, Popham Beach State Park is Molly's favorite spot with a stop at The Cabin (Bath, ME) or Fat Boys (Brunswick, ME) for sustenance.
Grafton Notch is Maine's claim to the White Mountains and it has a lot to show off. If you're familiar with Sunday River, just tack on an extra 15-ish minutes drive to get to the state park. Whether you're looking to hike one of ME/New England's 4,000 footers or for a spot by a waterfall, there are many options for exploration here. On your way to or from the state park make sure to stop and check out Puzzle Mountain Bakery. It's a little stand on the side of the road and it is delicious. Our favorite mountainous areas to explore also include The Bigelow Preserve and Baxter State Park. Acadia National Park is an awe-inspiring spot as well, but it would be unfair to mention it without acknowledging the high volume of people who visit the park. If these options feel like too far of a drive after a night of dancing, Bradburry Mountain State Park is a much shorter drive with a much more friendly elevation gain. It is also conveniently close to Freeport, ME if shopping is your thing.
Portland has become known for its breweries and we are very partial to Oxbow if not for their beer, but also for their pizza (located at their Oxford, ME location) and their Duck Fat fries (located at their Portland, ME location). If you're not feeling Oxbow, here is a list of breweries to visit in Portland that are mostly walking distance from each other! We encourage you to check out: Rising Tide Brewing Company, Austin Street Brewery, Urban Farm Fermentory & Gruit Brewing Co., Lone Pine Brewing Company, Goodfire Brewing Company, Bunker Brewing Co., Allagash Brewing Company, Bissell Brothers Brewing Company, Shipyard Brewing Company, and Belleflower Brewing Company. In addition to beer options there's also Maine Craft Distilling and Apres. You get the gist- there's a lot of options for alcohol and you could easily fill a whole day visiting these businesses.
A Young-Giberson Family classic, many summer nights were spent at the SeaDogs during Molly's childhood. Once the Double A affiliate for the Seattle Mariners, in 2003 the SeaDogs became the Double A affiliate for the Boston Red Sox. A much more appropriate pairing. Depending on the SeaDogs' schedule you may be able to catch fireworks at the game or a theme night. You can't go wrong with a SeaDog Biscuit or fried dough.
Portland Paddle is a great way to explore Casco Bay via sea-kayaking and paddling boarding. They offer morning and afternoon tours that bring you around various islands and features within the bay. If you've always wanted to visit Fort Gorges- this is your chance via Portland Paddle!
Here's another option to get on the water via Sailboat! Portland Schooner Co. offer's private charters as well as public two hour tours on Casco Bay. If you can tell by the lack of detail neither Sean or Molly have sailed around the bay, but we hear from others it's an awesome excursion.
Recommendations for restaurants coming soon! There's a lot to cover here and we want to make sure we don't miss anything.