Portland, Maine vs Portland, Oregon: which Portland is finest?

Relying on which US shoreline you end up closest to, Portland may imply one thing utterly totally different. There’s the Maine model, identified for its basic coastal New England vibe and maritime historical past. On the West Coast, Portland, OR, is laid-back, indie-spirited and as outdoorsy as they arrive. Each cities have elite meals scenes and have fun the pure fantastic thing about their surrounding areas, however that is about the place their similarities finish. (Although legend has it Oregon’s Portland takes its identify from Maine’s – after two males tossed a coin to carry their East Coast metropolis names of Boston or Portland west.)

So, which metropolis comes out on prime? We requested two professional contributors to vouch for his or her most popular Portland.

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Why Portland, Maine, is the most effective place to go

An enormous fan of all issues New England, Lonely Planet Senior Social Media Supervisor Rachel Lewis has a particular love of Maine: it’s one in all her grandmother’s favourite locations, and it’s rapidly develop into one in all hers.

You are feeling it the second you land: New England envelops you in quiet, with even the buzziest cities feeling quaint however welcoming. I reside in Wilmington, NC, a spot identified for its seashores and eats, sure, but in addition for its visitors and ever-increasing inhabitants, so visiting locations like Portland, ME, seems like stepping right into a slower model of the world (however with no much less to do).

Maine’s most populated metropolis, Portland remains to be underneath 70,000 individuals – the place I reside has double that quantity – and but it buzzes with creativity and all issues maritime. Huge hydrangeas curl up alongside stunning previous homes. Reside music performs all through the Previous Port. Stylish outlets like Soleil – a present store that’s blown up on the likes of Reddit and TikTok due to its lovable $1 artwork prints from native artist Ana Inciardi – show that in Portland, ME, whimsy is in all places.

Maybe the most effective a part of Portland, ME, is that it’s pleasant regardless of whenever you go. In spring, pop on a sweater and wander cobblestone streets. Benefit from near-perfect climate and day journey to Acadia Nationwide Park. Come summer time, it’s all in regards to the water, and also you merely don’t have any alternative however to make your method right down to Casco Bay by boat. A morning sail alongside the coast? Breathtaking. A sundown cruise? Magical. Even a trolley metropolis tour is value your whereas, particularly for those who’ve received your eye on all these dreamy lighthouses. Winter is for brewery and museum hopping: add the Portland Museum of Artwork, Maine Historic Society, Wadsworth-Longfellow Home and Victoria Mansion to your itinerary.

And fall. Oh, superb fall.

If, like me, you reside for all issues fall foliage, it’s laborious to beat the stunner that’s Portland, ME, in autumn. Sure, Oregon has its personal magnificence in its infinite greenery, however Maine is aware of find out how to actually do it up. Wander the Previous Port district and store downtown, take a day journey to Freeport and Bar Harbor (my New Englander grandmother’s favourite a part of Maine, for those who’re curious) or highway journey to stunning orchards like McDougal Orchards, Hansel’s Orchard and Orchard Ridge Farm, the place you’ll be able to sip apple cider, eat apple cider doughnuts, stroll the paths and pluck berries. If a quintessential fall is what you’re after, Portland, ME, is the clear winner.

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Talking of apple cider doughnuts (which, by the way in which, yum), we have to talk about the meals. I’m an outlier right here in that I’m a vegetarian, so I’ve by no means sunk my enamel into Maine’s most beloved dish: a lobster roll. However I’m advised by different journey lovers that the most effective lobster rolls in Maine are simply accessible and certainly scrumptious. (One in all our journey author’s favorites is from Luke’s Lobster on the finish of the Portland Pier.) Nonetheless, on a current go to, I discovered my palate very happy by the various vegetarian eats that Portland, ME, needed to supply – in addition to the dearth of crowds. Regardless of not making a single reservation, I used to be in a position to eat, and do it effectively, which is a uncommon factor in even medium-sized cities today. 

I fortunately ate in a single day oats – blended berries, oat milk and chia seeds – at Twinflower Café, the breakfast spot contained in the Longfellow Resort within the West Finish. For lunch, I had mushroom tempura at Inexperienced Elephant, a vegetarian bistro. A easy cheese pizza will serve you effectively after darkish at Brickyard Hole Brewing Firm, a neighborhood chain that makes connoisseur pizza from Freeport to Yarmouth (the unique) and past. (Or be bolder than I’m and provides pizza topped with Maine blueberries a strive.) After a protracted day of strolling, a mushroom lentil patty on the burger joint Black Cow will fill you up properly. All that’s to say: Portland, ME, has you coated in additional methods than simply its well-known seafood. 

Possibly you wish to eat lobster in its many types all season lengthy. Possibly you wish to see the bay by sailboat in any respect hours of the day. Possibly you wish to fill your carry-on with artwork and lovable lobster-shaped goodies. In Portland, ME, it’s virtually too straightforward.

Why Portland, Oregon, is the most effective place to go

Lonely Planet author Erin Gifford is aware of the magnetic pull of Oregon – whether or not gazing into the depths of deep blue Crater Lake, paddling the Deschutes River in Bend or sampling wines within the Tualatin Valley. Nevertheless it’s Portland’s laid-back vibes and pedestrian-friendly panorama that maintain her coming again to the Rose Metropolis.

As somebody who’s checked off half-marathons in each Portlands, I’ve loved a runner’s-eye view of what makes every metropolis hum. Nevertheless it’s the one in Oregon that retains calling me again (sorry, Maine). Possibly it’s the doughnuts. Possibly the waterfalls. Or the nationally top-ranked airport. Most likely the meals carts. No matter it’s, Portland, OR, simply speaks my language.

This metropolis rolls with an informal rhythm and a come-as-you-are vibe. Sure, it rains – 36in per yr on common – however by some means, you don’t thoughts. Portlanders stroll, bike or hop on the MAX Gentle Rail in each showers and sunshine. Simply don’t carry an umbrella. Significantly. No native would. Portland is all about authenticity, and I’m 100% on board with that.

Portland, OR, is a spot the place metropolis power blends seamlessly with nature immersion. You possibly can sip single-origin espresso in a minimalist café, bike throughout the car-free Tilikum Crossing and hike moss-covered trails at Forest Park – all earlier than lunch. Forest Park is a sprawling 5200-acre city forest with greater than 80 miles of trails, together with the 30-mile Wildwood Path that winds by way of towering firs and plush ferns. However that’s only the start. Hoyt Arboretum shelters a grove of redwoods, and Washington Park boasts panoramic views of Mt Hood, Oregon’s tallest peak. All this inside metropolis limits.

Multnomah Falls, the state’s tallest, is just half-hour from downtown, tucked into the Columbia River Gorge Nationwide Scenic Space. The area is dwelling to round 80 named waterfalls, incomes it the nickname “Waterfall Alley.” Add in climbing, mountain biking, windsurfing and even kiteboarding, and also you’ll see why Portland’s not only a metropolis. It’s a base camp. You possibly can even cease and odor the roses on the Worldwide Rose Check Backyard.

Portland additionally leans method into its quirks. That is the land of cereal-covered doughnuts, vegan strip golf equipment and individuals who transfer home solely by bicycle. There’s even a World Bare Bike Trip. And each summer time, Mt Tabor Park hosts an grownup soapbox derby that’s half race, half costume parade. But beneath the eccentricity lies a soulful, inventive core. The town thrives on independence, creativeness and group. Wander the mural-covered Alberta Arts District, then discover peace on the Portland Japanese Backyard or the Lan Su Chinese language Backyard.

Maine has lobster. Portland, OR, has all the things else. Let’s begin with the meals carts – greater than 500 of them citywide, serving up a range of flavors. For a correct intro, head to Cartopia on SE Hawthorne Blvd for wood-fired pizza, Thai road meals and Belgian-style fries with all of the house-made dipping sauces. Craft beer? Portland’s received it coated. Dozens of breweries pour all the things from crisp pilsners to juicy IPAs to tart sours. The wine scene is equally daring, particularly at Pairings Portland, a unusual wine store that pairs bottles with zodiac indicators, film characters and even {couples} on Love Island. Significantly. You might by no means take a look at a cabernet the identical method once more.

Portland helped pioneer third-wave espresso tradition, so naturally, the espresso is on level. Then there’s the doughnut scene. Begin at Pip’s Authentic – named Oregon’s finest doughnut store by Yelp (correct) – for mini honey-and-sea-salt doughnuts and a chai flight. Then make the rounds: Blue Star, Mikiko Mochi, Doe Donuts (all vegan, don’t skip the Portland Fog) and naturally, Voodoo Doughnut, the offbeat authentic with followers nationwide.

Portland is effortlessly explorable. You don’t want a automotive. Seize a motorbike, hop on the MAX or just comply with your toes. The town’s walkability makes wandering a part of the journey. Greater than something, Portland offers you house to be your self. No costume codes. No pretense. Simply parks, meals carts, trails, espresso and murals inviting you to discover, style and chill.

Portland is wild and bizarre, inexperienced and gritty, laid-back and vigorous. For those who’re deciding between the 2 Portlands, I say head west. This one by no means disappoints. Simply depart the umbrella at dwelling.