Portlandia (the Other One)

You already heard about Salem, but that wasn’t the only leg of my great New England adventure. My mom and I also visited Portland, Maine.

I loved every second of it.

I loved Portland because it was a blend of all of my favorite things: water, lighthouses, forest, amazing food and beautiful, walkable streets. It was, quite simply, a dream destination.

The Food

The East Coast, particularly Maine, is all about the lobster. I am not. But the food was exceptional nonetheless.

Our first evening we went to Luke’s Lobster on the Portland Pier. It totally delivered. My mom and I both wanted something casual after traveling all day, and this place was absolutely perfect.

My mom opted for a lobster roll which was on her to-do list for this trip. I was a simpleton and got a burger, but it was darn good (and honestly the lobster roll was pretty good too in my seafood-averse opinion).

I also tried this beer from Allagash Brewing Co. and it was honestly so nice. Sipping a beer, looking over the water and shooting the breeze with my mom was precisely what I was in the mood for.

As fantastic as my burger was (it really was so good), the highlight of the meal was this mixed berry pie from Two Fat Cats. It’s the best fruit pie I’ve ever had. I’m currently debating having one shipped to Wisconsin just to relive this moment.

Truly, though, the food highlight of this entire trip was HiFi Donuts in downtown Portland.

I am a sucker for a really good donut (and I will not accept any lackluster donuts!). HiFi had some truly spectacular donuts. They had some really excellent flavors on offer like blueberry, pumpkin and hibiscus, but I went with a classic chocolate glazed. The simple things are often the hardest to get right, so I feel like a basic option was the best way to judge these donuts.

I don’t say this lightly: It was the best donut I’ve ever had (and I’ve had plenty). My mom went for a shredded coconut donut and it looked spectacular.

We also split a breakfast sandwich and it was way better than it had any right to be thanks to some really top-notch bacon.

If I could transplant one thing from Portland home to Milwaukee, this would be it.

The Sights

We, of course, did much more than eat in Portland. After snagging those dream donuts, my mom and I hopped on a boat tour with Portland Discovery Land & Sea Tours.

I have to say that while wandering downtown Portland and the wharves was fun, going out on the water really made me appreciate the area more.

Our tour took us around Casco Bay, the Calendar Islands and past three different lighthouses (big win for me). It reminded me a bit of Bayfield and the Apostle Islands so I obviously loved it.

The highlight of this cruise was seeing the Portland Head Light. This is the most photographed lighthouse in the world, and for good reason. Seriously, look how gorgeous it is.

The lighthouse looks out over the bay and another lighthouse (Ram’s Head Light). Talk about a dream lightkeeper assignment. Portland, if you’re hiring, hit me up!

This two-hour tour was worth every single penny. Our guide had plenty of interesting stories to tell, but my mom and I really just enjoyed being on the water and taking in the sights. It was so refreshing to be out somewhere new soaking it all in.

The Atmosphere

I cannot tell you how much I loved my short time in Portland. This city was like everything I love about my home condensed into a town of 60,000 and with ten times more maritime charm.

I mean, if I had to live here and live that lighthouse keeper casual life, I’d do it in a heartbeat. Am I in temporary vacation destination love? Maybe. But it also could be the real deal.