Portland: A Perfect Family Vacation

When you start to explore Maine’s largest and one of New England’s most interesting cities during NDAA’s 2005 Summer Conference (July 18-20), you’ll ask yourself: “How can I get it all in? There’s so much to see and do.”

To start with, July traditionally is one of the best months to visit the city that the poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called “the jewel by the sea.” The ocean breezes temper Maine’s climate and the summer temperatures along the Portland coast average a comfortable 60-80 degrees. In short, bring lightweight clothing for day activities and a sweater for the cool evenings.

Photo courtesy of the Portland Convention & Visitors Center.

Our conference hotel, the award-winning Holiday Inn By the Bay Hotel (www.innbythebay.com) [RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY PHONE] is conveniently situated in the heart of Portland, 10 minutes from the Portland International Jetport and only steps away from many of the sights you’ll want to see. Including Portland’s acclaimed arts and shopping district, outstanding restaurants, upscale shops and museums. Featuring elegant décor and dramatic views of the Atlantic Ocean, the White Mountains and the Portland skyline, the hotel provides a variety of facilities and services, including a large indoor pool, fitness center and sauna, as well as high-speed wireless Internet access, a free business center and courtesy shuttle.

Also accommodating summer conference attendees is the Eastland Park Hotel (www.eastlandparkhotel.com), [RESERVATIONS MUST BE MADE BY PHONE] situated two blocks from the Holiday Inn by the Bay Hotel. Close to Portland’s shopping center and waterfront, it is adjacent to Congress Square, an outdoor city-center plaza reminiscent of its European predecessor. Not to be missed is its Top of the East rooftop lounge, offering breathtaking views of the Portland area. Its services include complimentary high-speed Internet, data ports, daily continental breakfast, and a complimentary concierge club business center. It also welcomes your family pet.

Photo courtesy of the Portland Convention & Visitors Center.

For families with children, the Portland area offers a variety of attractions, from hands-on exhibits at the Children’s Museum of Maine to a ride on the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad, which chugs along Portland’s waterfront. Nearby amusement and water parks provide children with the opportunity to splash in the pools or ride a seaside merry-go-round.

Downtown Portland is an enjoyable adventure. The cobblestone streets and a thriving waterfront in the Old Port section, combined with the hustle and bustle of everyday activities, convey Portland’s unique flavor. Interesting shops abound, from a wide range of art galleries to fascinating boutiques to the outlet shopping of nearby Freeport, home of the world-famous L. L. Bean store, open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year; and the 140 shops in the Maine Mall, the state’s largest indoor shopping center.

For baseball fans, the Portland Sea Dogs, an AA Eastern League farm team of the Boston Red Sox, will be at home during our summer conference, playing the Reading Phillies.

A pleasant drive from Portland is Acadia National Park, 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds and recreational facilities unparalleled along the East Coast. Hike to the top of Cadillac Mountain and enjoy a spectacular sunrise, or explore some of the quieter, more secluded mountain paths. Bike over 40 miles of the tree-lined carriage roads that wander over the hillsides and alongside near glassy lakes. Join a ranger to experience Acadia’s resources first-hand, or just admire the spectacular views, and unwind.

Another enjoyable side trip would be to Kennebunkport and the Lower Village of Kennebunk, nestled between the Kennebunk River and the ocean. On both sides of the river, waterfront buildings steeped in history are the home of fine gift shops, clothing and jewelry boutiques, art galleries and some of the finest restaurants on the Maine Coast. Two miles east of Kennebunkport’s Dock Square is the fishing village of Cape Porpoise, where you can watch lobstermen unloading their catch and view Goat Island Lighthouse.

Portland manifests the spirit of the sea in its exhilarating urban environment and myriad of maritime activities. Cruise boats offer narrated tours of the bay, seal watching or lighthouse exploration tours, or even on-sea lobster bakes. Sailboat charter and dinner entertainment cruises offer other ways of exploring the vast, alluring ocean spread out before Portland. For the more intrepid, kayak rentals let you discover the ocean intimately and at your own leisure.

Within Casco Bay’s vast waters are the 365 Calendar Islands, which can be reached by ferry from Portland. Traveling across the blue-green ocean as the sea gulls circle overhead, you can sit on sunny outdoor decks overlooking the bay. After a brief ride on the sea, you’ll step ashore one or more of the islands and into the slower pace of life that the islanders cherish, to explore the islands by foot or bike.

In addition, there’s the delightful surprise of the dining opportunities. As Gary Lee of The Washington Post put it, “In this city with more restaurants per capita than any place in the United States after San Francisco … you can work up a mean appetite just deciding where to dine.” In fact, in recent years Portland’s excellent restaurants have put it on the nation’s “best restaurants” map, with several Portland chefs attracting national attention. The fare is varied, ranging from the casual and comfortable to the contemporary metropolitan haut cuisine atmosphere.

You won’t want to miss the Portland Public Market in the heart of downtown Portland, teeming with fresh, local fare: free-range chicken fresh from Maine farms, bread warm from the oven and produce delivered daily from the fields, as well as tasty treats to eat while you’re there.

City bus tours and guided walking tours introduce you to the careful craftsmanship and fine architecture of past era. Elegantly restored museum homes offer a glimpse into the past that continues to shape the region’s character. This most unusual city’s natural attractions, as well as its historic culture, imbue the region with a grace and beauty that visitors find memorable and unique.

For more information about Portland, please visit www.visitportland.com and www.maine.info. Click here to register for the NDAA 2005 conference.