Featured Car-Free Activities

Culinary Adventures

Take the Train to Maine for an exciting culinary adventure in Portland, considered by many to be one of the finest culinary cities in the nation! Sit back, relax and enjoy the company of family and friends without the hassle of driving and parking.

Visit the Downeaster Café Car, and whet your appetite with traditional local Maine food and beverages, including Amato’s Italian sandwiches, Wicked Whoopie Pies and Shipyard microbrews. Arrive in Portland relaxed and ready to experience the culinary delights of this small city.

Start with lunch in Portland on the waterfront with any of the small chowder and lobster houses that dot the working waterfront. Or make reservations with a Maine Foodie Tour, where you’ll experience a gourmet tour including culinary treats such as award-winning artisan cheese, fresh lobster hors d’oeuvres, smoked seafood, Downeast Maine wild blueberry preserves, the original whoopie pie and dark chocolate truffles featuring Maine potatoes.

Make dinner plans early. Portland is popular.

Most restaurants accommodate walk in traffic, but some of the top-rated like Fore Street Restaurant, Five Fifty-Five Congress Street, Hugo’s or Portland Lobster Company have limited seating and you’ll need to call early or plan on a sunset meal.

Portland Chefs start their days early on the wharves, choosing the freshest seafood, Maine-grown produce, and local herbs and spices. You’ll find an array of cuisines and techniques, from traditional to ethnic. And in Portland, it’s not just what you eat, it’s where you eat. You can dine indoors or outside on a deck or patio at the most popular, coffee houses, bakeries, and award-winning restaurants.

Microbrew City, Portland Maine

The local pubs specialize in microbrews, many created on premise. You’ll find dozens of small batch micro brews like Gritty McDuffs and Geary’s. You’ll want to stop in Novare Res Bier Café with 25 taps and over 500 bottled beers from around the world.

Be sure to call ahead and make a reservation for a tour of the Shipyard Brewery, located in Portland’s historic working waterfront. Shipyard offers daily tours on the hour and half hour. This free tour concludes with a complimentary sample of their specialty ales – a sip you won’t want to miss.