Event Planner's Guide 2017

OUR REGION.

Seascapes and cityscapes blend harmoniously in Portland, perched on a peninsula, jutting out into island-studded Casco Bay. Within a 20-minute radius of Maine’s southern metropolitan hub, you’ll find a variety of landscapes and towns to explore. Welcome to Maine. In Portland, older architecture blends gracefully with the new as you stroll along the working waterfront or the cobblestone streets of the Old Port section of town. Portland is easy to navigate by foot, taxi or bus. Small parks and squares dot the landscape, offering comfortable respite for urban explorers. Intriguing shops and cozy coffee and teahouses beckon to passersby. Harbor cruises, historic buildings, and galleries nestle along the waterfront. On a stroll through the Old Port, one of the country’s more successful warehouse revitalization efforts, you’ll hear the squall of gulls and the low moan of bell buoys as you watch fishermen unloading their daily catch. Portland’s waterfront is still very much a working port, an integral part of the local economy. Underlying the latest tech, fashion, and culinary scene is a natural authenticity and a deep sense of continuity. With sophisticated style and artistic sensibilities, Greater Portland is never-the-less unpretentious and welcoming. In Scarborough, your attendees can enjoy a stroll on a sandy beach or a team-building canoe trip through a salt marsh. Westbrook’s Performing Arts Center is a state-of-the-art venue minutes from downtown Portland in a burgeoning arts and tech riverfront town. Grab an authentic lobster roll and photograph renowned Portland Head Light while watching surf crash upon Cape Elizabeth’s rocky coast. The state’s largest retail center is located in South Portland, near the airport and several hotel and conference centers. Freeport entices travelers to find fabulous outlet bargains, but your group can also experience active adventures there with L.L.Bean’s Outdoor Discovery School.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT • Art Museums & Galleries • Professional Dance, Theatre, Symphony & Opera • Local & National Musicians • Entertainers, Performers, Downeast Humorists ATTRACTIONS & AMUSEMENTS • Brewery & Distillery Tours • Lighthouse Photography Tours • Baseball & Basketball Teams • Parks & Wildlife Viewing • Group Art Experiences • Sightseeing Tours / Land & Sea • Maine Indoor Karting • Casino Gaming • Scenic Railroad Tours • Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens • Portland Observatory DINING • Lobster, Seafood & Clambakes • “Taste of Maine” Receptions • Local Microbreweries • Culinary Tours • Wine Education & Pairings SHOPPER’S DELIGHT • Old Port Boutiques • Maine Made Gifts • Arts District Galleries & Shops • Freeport & Kittery Outlets • L.L.Bean • The Maine Mall • Cryptozoology Museum • Portland Science Center

Photos on right: clockwise from top left: Amy Tolk; L.L.Bean; Corey Templeton; Thomas Mitchell; Amy Tolk

8 CVB