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Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau
Welcome to Gay and Lesbian Portland, Maine
Frommer’s Travel Guide named Greater Portland one of the top 12 “surprising, thriving and emerging world travel destinations”, citing the region’s “fantastic mix of culture and education” and “impressive amount of first-rate restaurants.” Frommer’s made it clear that, straight or gay, you can find anything you want to see or do in this coastal community.
A welcoming character: Greater Portland and the Casco Bay Region, the urban centerpiece of Maine, is definitely a live-and-let-live kind of place. GLBT-friendly, the city takes pride in the diversity of its people and the independence of its leaders. It’s a place where small businesses thrive by making “buy local” a way of living.
A delightful atmosphere: Greater Portland is surrounded by water, with access to islands, historic forts and lighthouses. Portland’s waterfront is an authentic working seaport, while the adjacent Old Port area represents one of the more successful warehouse revitalization efforts in the country. Although visitors are often drawn to the Old Port’s galleries, cafes, and boutiques, just a short walk away, burly lobstermen still sell their catch on Portland’s wharves. Visitors also find the historic village of Freeport a delightful stop for outlet shopping, and of course would not want to miss a trip to the L.L. Bean Flagship store.
A home for the arts: Portland’s official arts district runs along the city’s main thoroughfare, Congress Street. Unofficially, arts and artists are anywhere and everywhere, from a shop specializing in handmade jewelry to the more formal Portland Museum of Art. On the first Friday of the month, area artists showcase their studios and provide refreshments to the public.
If it’s art for the ears you seek, the region offers a mix of music from jazz to rock to bluegrass to hip-hop. The area’s artistic menu is rounded out by the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Gay Men’s Chorus, Women in Harmony, professional theatre and dance companies, a variety of chamber music quartets, and a repertory opera company.
A year-round natural draw: Sure, you can come to the Casco Bay Region for rest and relaxation or its gay nightlife. But if you’re drawn to the outdoors, you might also enjoy experiencing nature at its finest, whatever the season. During the spring and summer months you can launch yourself from Portland for fresh or salt water fishing, kayaking, canoeing, sailing, white-water rafting, swimming or sunbathing at lake or shore, golfing, hiking and biking. In winter, there are places to ski, snowboard, dog sled, skate and ice fish. If you like a real challenge, Maine’s public reserved lands and permanently protected wilderness habitats are open to anyone to fish, hike, cross-country ski, snowshoe or snowmobile.
A feast to behold: Named “The Foodiest Small Town in America” by Bon Appétit Magazine, Greater Portland boasts more then 250 restaurants. Experience a variety of cuisines with superb fresh flavors, local seafood, or local meats and produce, prepared to perfection. Greater Portland is home to a growing number of award-winning chefs. Come in late summer and you can cook up a gourmet meal of your own with fresh produce from local farmers’ markets or pick your own blueberries, raspberries and apples.
A lot to do, once you’re here: The following list offers only a small sample of suggestions for events or activities not to be missed in Greater Portland. So just come. We’ll make sure you have a good time once you do.
Greater Portland Convention & Visitors Bureau
207/772-4994
www.visitportland.com
Visit our website or call for a free Visitors Guide of Greater Portland. Lighthouses, lobsters, history, quaint villages, sophisticated arts, creative cuisine and great shopping...Experience Greater Portland, Maine.
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