Visitor's Guide 2015

Authentic — BY NATURE Go 10 or 15 minutes in any direction and you'll doubt you're anywhere near Maine's largest metro area. Set like a jewel in the crown of Casco Bay, Portland is unique in its position as a major cultural center that equally embraces its natural environment. Photo: Chris Lawrence

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Both surrounding and within Portland, parks and preserves allow access to the tranquil natural beauty that Maine is renowned for. Seascapes abound, from the sandy beaches of Cape Elizabeth and Scarborough to the leafy trail vistas of Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport. Across the harbor from Portland, Bug Light Park offers an unimpeded view of the city's skyline and the harbor's many watercraft, while the granite breakwater at Spring Point Ledge Lighthouse literally takes you out onto the bay. Altogether, seven lighthouses in Greater Portland offer their stately profiles to avid photographers. The region's best known landmark, Portland Head Light, sits majestically in Cape Elizabeth's Fort Williams Park, where surf crashes upon granite shores and open fields are per- fect for flying kites. Pack a lunch for the beach or stop by the Lobster Shack at Two Lights where your picnic table is close enough to the sea for the ocean to

tickle your senses. For an idyllic afternoon, hop on the ferry and bicycle around one of the islands, each an intimate neighbor of Portland yet a world away from the city's bustle. Pristine country and forest landscapes lie within striking distance of the city. From the top of Bradbury Mountain in Pownal you'll gaze over a carpet of au- tumn-hued trees and New England homesteads. Cross-country ski on the groomed trails at Pineland Farms in New Gloucester, where some of the best local cheeses are crafted from cows that graze happily on hundreds of acres of pastoral grasslands. Discover native wildlife and plants as you navigate a canoe through the state's largest marsh in Scarborough. Tee off at a variety of beautiful courses open to visiting golfers, and pick apples, pumpkins, and berries at local farms. Wildlife watching has long been an interest of Maine visitors. In Portland you aren't likely to catch a glimpse of

North America's tallest land mammal, the moose, but you can get a close up look at bears, mountain lions, lynx, moose, and other species at Maine Wildlife Park in Gray. The park also has trails where you may encounter free-roaming wildlife. Bird watchers can grab binoculars and head for sanctuaries in Falmouth and Freeport or Baxter Woods right in Portland. Join Odyssey Whale Watch on an expedition to see the awe-inspiring denizens of the sea or charter your own onboard adventure with Casco Bay Custom Charters. With the ocean in its front yard and lakes, rivers, and mountains within easy reach, Portland is a city with an urban spirit complemented by a natural soul. Whether you're out for a day of shop- ping, visiting museums and galleries, or touring historic sites, you're never far from places of pure, scenic beauty; it's one of the reasons we call Portland "Authentic - By Nature."

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