To encourage my inner old woman, I planned a trip to visit Portland during prime fall foliage season. I bribed some friends to join with the promise of a free hotel room and rental car (all on points). Our New England adventure was filled with hikes, seafood, ghost tours, beer, and bachelor parties. Never underestimate the power of a bachelor party. Here are some highlights from our trip:
Great hiking spots: Bradbury Mountain State Park and Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park. Both state parks are a short drive from Portland and have easy terrain. I hiked both in fashion boots with no problem. We brought a picnic basket with wine and snacks to enjoy at the scenic spots. I highly recommend travel cork screws like this one- Wine Enthusiast 2-Piece Pocket Corkscrew, Black
Nubble Lighthouse. 45 miles away from Portland is York, Maine. York is a picturesque town with the lighthouse as the main attraction. Great place to relax and enjoy the view, but not much else in the area.
Lobster at DiMillo’s on the Water. Take a look at the picture below. No other description is necessary.
Portland Ghost Tour. This walking tour was one of the highlights of our trip. We walked along the port and into the old parts of the city. Each stop had a ghost story to send shivers down your spine. Portland has been in existence since the 1600’s, it’s no surprise there are spirits still haunting the city. If the tour didn’t scare us, the people having intercourse in an alleyway did.
Shipyard Brewery. A trip to Maine wouldn’t be complete without a brewery tour. I have a slight obsession with pumpkin beer and Shipyard makes one of my favorites, Pumpkinhead. It’s a refreshing wheat beer with subtle notes of pumpkin and nutmeg. The brewery is where we were lucky enough to engage with the bachelor party. We then were formally invited to join them on their bachelor party bus, which led us to the finest eating and drink establishments in Portland.
I encourage a visit to Portland, even if it isn’t Fall!
