![Boats in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/IMG_20171003_131641-1024x768.jpg)
Three years ago this week, I was visiting Portland, ME, while my husband was attending a conference. I used my few days in town to take advantage of the scenery, the beer scene, and the seafood!
Hiking and Breweries
![Standing on the narrow gauge railroad tracks - they weren't kidding!](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1033022-1024x669.jpg)
My first day in town I started out with a quick hike up the East Promenade Trail, running past the Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum and on towards the beach. I ended up actually visiting the museum later on in my trip, but I enjoyed checking out the cars in the yard on my way up the trail.
![](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1034202-1024x768.jpg)
As I moved on up the trail, I got closer to the shoreline. The beach in Maine in October may not be your typical “beach destination,” but I enjoyed the views as I explored the area. As always, you can view more photos of my hike on my original travel/hiking blog (more photos, less text) here.
![Looking out over the water in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1052542-1024x768.jpg)
After my morning hike, I met up with my husband for a quick lunch near his conference site…and then embarked on a tour of the nearby neighborhood.
![Inside of Gritty McDuff's brewpub at lunch, Portland, ME.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1209372-1024x768.jpg)
My main goal of the neighborhood jaunt was brewery hopping, but I did have the opportunity to stop and view the preserved piece of the Berlin wall that is installed here in Portland. There were a few other visitors when I arrived, including a WW2 vet who was visibly moved by the landmark. I didn’t get a chance to say it then, but thank you for your service, sir.
![Piece of the Berlin wall, preserved in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1254372-1024x799.jpg)
Moving on to local breweries, here’s my first half-day’s suggested route while visiting Portland, ME:
- Gritty McDuff’s Brew Pub
- Liquid Riot Brewery & Distillery (Sit on the back patio to watch the boats coming in!)
- Sebago Brewery
- Shipyard Brewery
![Watching the boats on the back patio at Liquid Riot Brewery & Distillery in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1314132-1024x768.jpg)
While enjoying your beer crawl, be sure to pay attention to the architecture around you. Portland has a wide variety of building styles dating from various periods, so there are ample opportunities to grab a few compelling snaps. As evening approached, our group reconvened and we explored a few of Portland’s old-style speakeasies – but you’re going to have to find those yourself!
![Architecture in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171003_1423452-1024x790.jpg)
Hiking for Breweries
It still counts as hiking if you’re walking all over town for the breweries, right? Here’s my suggestions for a second half-day brewery tour:
- Maine Mead Works (Their HoneyMaker series is still one of my favorites.)
- Oxbow Brewing Company
- Rising Tide Brewing Company
![Beer sampler at Rising Tide Brewing Company in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171004_1530582-1024x768.jpg)
Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum
On our last full day visiting Portland, ME, we stopped by the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum for the full viewing in the morning. The museum has a handful of cars outside, but also many more artifacts in the building as well.
![Steam engine in the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum in Portland.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171005_1339302-1024x768.jpg)
![Inside one of the passenger cars at the Maine Narrow Gauge Railroad Museum.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171005_133733_2-1024x768.jpg)
As the afternoon wore on, I took my husband to a handful of the breweries I had visited on my own over the prior two days. But for dinner, we got what we finally came for: lobster! Now, don’t get me wrong, we had a lot of great lobster-based meals while we were in town, but it took us until this night to find a good, home-style restaurant that served whole lobster. And yes, it tasted just as good as it looks!
![Lobster dinner in Portland, Maine.](https://laurahofford.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/IMG_20171005_1720002-1024x768.jpg)
Enjoying my “Looking Back” series? Over the past few years, my love for both hiking and traveling has increased almost exponentially, and I’ve been fortunate to have had so many opportunities to travel recently. With the current health crisis, our travel plans for 2020 were scuttled; so I decided I’d take some time over the next few months to write this “Looking Back” series, where I dive into a recap of some of my favorite trips over the last few years. Click the navigation below to read more.
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