2016 Visitor's Guide

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Hop a ferry to explore the Casco Bay Islands by foot or bicycle—so close yet a world apart.

Photo: Robert Witkowski

TRAVEL ING It’s easy to get here and easy to get around once you arrive, and you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how close we are—just two hours north of Boston and less than four hours from Hartford. Airplane arrivals and departures average 100 daily, many of which are non-stop flights. The following Maine, on the “Downeaster,” Amtrak’s passenger service between Boston and Brunswick, with stops in Wells, Saco, Old Orchard Beach, Portland, and Freeport.

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public bus service from outlying areas to downtown, and Casco Bay Lines pro- vides regular ferry service to the nearby islands. Portland Trails maintains a net- work of bicycle and pedestrian routes throughout the region such as the Greenbelt Trail on which you can reach several parks in South Portland.

domestic commercial airlines serve Portland: American, Delta, Elite, Jet- Blue, Southwest, and United. Flight and airline contact information is avail- able at portlandjetport.org. The airport is conveniently located just three miles from downtown, and many hotels offer free shuttle service. Rental car, taxi, and limousine services are also available at the Jetport. For motorists traveling from north- east cities, access by auto is a breeze on Interstate 95. Greater Portland is also serviced by national and regional bus lines, offering numerous routes to Maine. Or you can ride the rails to

Portland has become a popular cruise ship stop, so your next visit could be planned around a vacation at sea. Cruise ships dock right downtown, letting passengers disembark to stroll the Old Port or take a narrated city tour or shore excursions to the villages of Freeport or Kennebunkport. You can zip between Portland and Nova Scotia in just 5 1/2 hours on the new Cat ferry. Once here, you will find the region easy to navigate with very little traffic. The Metro bus system offers convenient

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