portland on my own

[musicmansmom]

i am a solo cruiser but i still do not do the ship tours unless i know i have to tender. if you have gotten off the ship and found something great to do by your self please let me in on it. i am hoping there is a public bus system that i can get on and go site seeing or come across a vendor that will get me on a tour. my main objective of course is to and have a great lobster meal. yummmm.

 

any ideas for me too keep me busy ( shopping is an absolute :D ) please tell me what you did? thanks alot.

[indiana]

Hi, I think we are on the same cruise. I don't think we have much planned for Portland other than Shipyard Brewing Co for some good beer - I hope! If you come up with great plans, please post them.

karen

[rfische1]

Sometimes it's hard to think of your own yard in the views of a tourist. Such is the case as I write this. However, let me get you started and I'll return with more.

 

Our bus system is not the greatest. However, I think the Metro runs special shuttles when cruise ships are in for a reasonable price. There should be one parked as you walk through the gates. Where the ship docks is the Old Port section of town which consists of small shops, restaurants and pubs, mostly locally owned. Indiana, you might want to seek out Gritty McDuffs for good microbrew on Fore St near Union.

 

To the right of the dock is the two foot railroad. I don't know if they will be running that day, but it is a nice way to tour the east side of the peninsula. Parallel to the tracks is a nice walking trail, part of Portland Trails, that also brings you around the peninsula. If you keep going about 4 miles, you end up in my neighborhood. Climb the hill at East End Beach for magnificent views of Casco Bay and it's many islands.

 

DiMillos floating restaurant has good lobster. I will research some of the smaller places near the docks for others.

 

BTW, the structure you see being built next to your berth is the beginnings of our new cruise ship terminal. That whole are is slated for new development in the next few years.

[musicmansmom]

Hi, I think we are on the same cruise. I don't think we have much planned for Portland other than Shipyard Brewing Co for some good beer - I hope! If you come up with great plans, please post them.

karen

 

hi indiana, i am just going to get off the ship and kind of wander around i guess. maybe i will be able to share a cab or something with some one and do a tour that way. or get on a bus and travel around. i had planned on doing the 3 lighthouse tour with the ship but i want to do somthing that is not in a huge group and less expensive. i get more out of a tour with a smaller group or on my own. im sure i wont be bored. i am absolutely going to get some lobster somewhere and do some shopping. if i get to see some of the lighthouses that will be fine but i have not made any plans in cement yet. i hope you find something fun to do and we have good weather the day we are there.

[musicmansmom]

thanks for letting me know about the public transportation. i will be on foot i guess unless i grab a cab and do some riding aroud. gritty mcduffs sounds great. can you tell me how to get there from the ship? i like to try different beers and that would be a good stop from the shopping i plan on doing :D .

[mii]

rfish1 thanks alot for the some great ideas. We will be in Portland in oct. and the train ride sounds interesting. Any other places of interest would be very helpful around the port area. Thanks again.

 

Marilyn

[rfische1]

Went to the Old Port for dinner tonight and the place was hopping with tourists and locals going to the islands in the harbor for what's left of the weekend. Even ran into a neighbor heading out with her pizza to be eaten on the ferry.

 

We ate at Dimillos Floating Restaurant to use up a gift certificate we got two Christmases ago. They charge tourist prices, but the seafood was nicely prepared. The scallops melted in mouth and did not have that rubbery consistancy when over cooked. The flavors of the sauces were very subtle. This is a nice sit down restaurant, but it is noisy so do not plan on a romantic dinner. I am afraid to mention lobster prices because they fluctuate daily. This year they are a bit on the high side. I did notice during our walk that Gilberts, right next to the ferry terminal, also had lobster. I've eaten there in the past and have had wonderful meals.

 

It seems that the construction of the new cruise ship dock is proceeding at fast pace. The trail to the Eastern Promenade that overlooks the islands and South Portland is now detoured as well as the entrance to the train.

 

That's it from Portland today where the weather is in the 70s and humid. It's 8:00 and dark, so fall can't be far.

[musicmansmom]

thanks for the update. it is really hot and humid here so i am looking forward to some cooler weather. i love the fall and cant wait to get there even if it is too soon for the turning of the leaves. the eating places you mentioned sound great. i am going to sightsee, shop and eat my way through portland. sounds like a great day to me :)

 

thanks again.

 

music

[rfische1]

An advertising program on our local Fox station run a show called Best of Portland featured restaurants near the cruise ship terminal. Two that I've heard of were Oolong and Portland Lobster. Portland Lobster is about 3-4 couple blocks west on Commercial St just past DiMillos. I've heard good things. They're website has a video which was part of the show. Oolong is an Asian restaurant that also serves lobster. Again I have heard very good things about this place and hope to try it out myself once the tourists go away.:p

 

Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale is now out. Had one last night and it is an interesting brew. It has a taste of the spices you would find in pumpkin pie such as nutmeg. Now personally, I don't much like the fruity ales, but this is interesting and worth a taste a few times of year. Speaking of Shipyard, was able to easily find some of their beers when in Orlando before our Mariner cruise last month. Last I heard they are trying to distribute themselves nationwide. Was fun seeing the map of Portland on the bottom of the carton I bought there.

 

As a disclaimer, I do not work for the city or any interest I mention here. I am a very proud transplant to this wonderful city (20 years) and enjoy getting the word out. I married a local and have teenage son who has no desire to leave, so it looks like I am stuck... er will be here for the rest of my life.

[musicmansmom]

wow, please keep the great info coming. the portland lobster sounds just like what i am looking for to get my lobster fix . and i will look for the punkinhead ale and give it a try. it sounds interesting and i like to try different beers. it is going to be a long 3 weeks.

 

thanks so much. and from the sounds of this great city i cant imagine you wanting to move anyway :D .

[rfische1]

MM, I live less than 4 miles from Commercial St in a suburban like neighborhood and rarely just poke around the the port. Usually we'll have a destination in mind and then drive in and out. Last night DW and I had some time and a gift certificate to use up on a warm evening, so we played a bit of tourist in our city. It was wonderful and we came up with some ideas to kill time on a nice day. One such idea grab a pizza and take the ferry to Peaks Island for a picnic. The ferries run almost hourly to that island, so no sweat.

[Host Caroline]

We did the trolley tour and Harbor Cruise combo thru a local that we booked when we got off the ship.. it was about $30 two yrs ago and we thoroughly enjoyed.. went around town, out to Portland Head Light and then had lunch. (divine lobster roll and chowder ) and then took the LIghthouse cruise... did some shopping and the railway.. a full, but relatively inexpensive day!

[luv2cruz44]

This sounds great! Thank you. We'll be there 10/2/06. Was the lunch part of the $30.00?

 

Ann