Portland Day Trip (Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Hope: hotels, living, restaurants)

[kemcnyc]

Taking a trip to Portland with my wife and 1 yr old son in Sept. We are staying at the Portland Harbor Hotel. We have been looking at things to do/ see online, but always better to hear from the locals. In particular, would love a great place to eat lunch & dinner. (I also love beer .... so any place w/ micro brews for lunch or dinn that is appropriate to bring a 1 yr old would be great).

also- any information on the hotel would be appreciated. We can swap it out for the Hilton if bad feedback.

THANKS!

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by kemcnyc

Taking a trip to Portland with my wife and 1 yr old son in Sept. We are staying at the Portland Harbor Hotel. We have been looking at things to do/ see online, but always better to hear from the locals. In particular, would love a great place to eat lunch & dinner. (I also love beer .... so any place w/ micro brews for lunch or dinn that is appropriate to bring a 1 yr old would be great).

also- any information on the hotel would be appreciated. We can swap it out for the Hilton if bad feedback.

THANKS!

Gritty Mc Duff's Brewpub on Fore Street in Portland is a good choice for a freshly made beer and good pub fare. Go in the afternoon between 2:00PM and 4:00 PM to avoid the busy lunch and after work mug club crowds. If you want a fancy high end meal the Restaurant "Fore Street", again on Fore Street, is one of the top rated restaurants in Maine. It is literally in the back parking lot of the Hilton Garden Hotel. Below "Fore Street "restaurant is Standard Baking Company. If you want to try the best bread in Maine pick up a fresh baguette. This bakery has won awards in France for their authentic French breads. There is also "Flatbreads" brick oven pizza across Exchange Street from the Hilton Garden near the Ferry terminal. Fantastic pizza cooked in a wood fired oven. Great selection of local brews on tap as well.
Since I live here I do not have much call to use hotels so unfortunately I can't shed any light on the Portland Harbor Hotel or the Hilton.

[dubthang]

Well, if you feel like rising early...
Grab breakfast at Becky's or Rosie's.
Head down to the Portland Headlight in Cape Elizabeth, perhaps stop and see the Bug Light and Spring Point Light too (So. Portland.)
Return to the Old Port (where your hotel is) for lunch at Gritty's Brew Pub.
After walk around the Old Port for a bit while enjoying an ice cream from Beal's. Hope in the car, and head out to Mackworth Island (Falmouth) for a quick hike around the island, and great views. Follow this up with dinner at The Great Lost Bear.

[kemcnyc]

that you both for the useful information. Appreciate it!

[dubthang]

I don't know any info on the hotel that you are staying at, but I do know about the Regency. My gf works there. They have a great restaurant, an awesome bar (one of the best in Portland for atmosphere, imho,) and offer full spa services. It is located right near Exchange St. in the Old Port.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by Maineah

If you want a fancy high end meal the Restaurant "Fore Street", again on Fore Street, is one of the top rated restaurants in Maine.

Lots of good ideas here.

Fore Street is an excellent dinner suggestion. I would just add that "fancy" is relative. Fore Street's food is top-notch, excellent continental American cuisine; but the atmosphere at Fore Street and any of the other better restaurants in Portland is very casual. Jeans and a Polo are more than acceptable attire for a dinner anywhere in town. It's great food in a completely casual/ unpretentious atmosphere. It's a nice change from having to dress up for a nice meal in New York or another major city. Furthermore, the prices at Fore Street and the other nice places in Portland are very reasonable and I would say affordable. You'll rarely see an entree over $30 (usually around $25) and none of it is a la carte. The wine lists leave a bit to be desired, but not bad. I'd suggest a local brew instead if you're looking for the real local flavor (While I find Shipyard, Gritty's and Geary's to be subpar, Allagash (http://www.allagash.com/beer.htm - broken link) makes EXCELLENT Belgian style "living" beers. Almost every decent spot in Portland carries Allagash White which is very good).

For dinner options, I would suggest Hugo's in addition to Fore Street for a menu that's a bit more creative than most places you'll find in Portland. Hugo's chef, Rob Evans is probably the most noteable chef in Portland and it could be argued that he is single-handedly responsible for putting Portland's dining scene on the map. Grace just expanded recently and is good as well (I don't like it as much as Hugo's or Fore Street).

Taking a 1 year old to any of these places wouldn't be a problem. Furthermore, they're all really easy to walk to from either hotel option (the hotels are maybe 1/4 mile apart). Downtown/ The Old Port in Portland is a tiny geographic area... walking it won't be any trouble.

While I don't care for the food at the Great Lost Bear (at all, really), it does have the best selection of beers (on draft and bottled) in Maine. Novare Res is an excellent beer bar too, so if you can sneak away in the evening, you'll enjoy their selection (it's only about 5 minutes walk from either hotel).

As far as things to do, the ferries and islands are fun as is Portland Head Light. Walking around the historic areas (Old Port and West End) can give you some perspective on local architecture. There's a decent art museum in Portland worth visiting if you enjoy that.

Have a good trip.

[genmomto5]

If it rains during your stay the Children's Museum has a small child play area that your son may enjoy.

I second Mackworth Island for an easy hike but if there is no parking you will be turned away with a friendly "Come back latah".

The Narrow Gauge Railway is great for kids as is the splash pond and the new playground at Deering Oaks. I'm not sure how far in to September the pond is open but if your visit falls on a warm day it is worth checking out.

[dubthang]

Originally Posted by genmomto5

If it rains during your stay the Children's Museum has a small child play area that your son may enjoy.

I second Mackworth Island for an easy hike but if there is no parking you will be turned away with a friendly "Come back latah".

The Narrow Gauge Railway is great for kids as is the splash pond and the new playground at Deering Oaks. I'm not sure how far in to September the pond is open but if your visit falls on a warm day it is worth checking out.

The new playground is awesome... especially since I helped build it.

[genmomto5]

Originally Posted by dubthang

The new playground is awesome... especially since I helped build it.

Now I'm wondering if we saw you down there last week DeeringOaks

[dubthang]

I wasn't there. I switched jobs halfway through the build.