Portland, Maine – Music, Makers, Museums, Meals, and mmm Beer

Aside from lengthy European getaways, our favorite vacations are 2-day trips that we can make within easy distance of the homestead.

Last weekend we went back to Portland, Maine, to revisit some favorite sites, hear one of our favorite bands, and of course, sample some great craft beers. We had an excellent time, and discovered a new favorite brewery, while sampling culture and crafts along the way. We managed to pack in a lot of fun on this 57 hour trip!

Lodging

• Inn on Charlton – A lovely Victorian home with en suite rooms and period decorations in the West End neighborhood.

Fiber Arts

• Knitting Nook – Lisa Plourd runs a friendly neighborhood cafe / knitting shop in South Portland.  [Instagram]
• PortFiber – Catering to felters, weavers, and spinners, Casey Ryder runs a fun shop with gorgeous fibers and a selection of luxury yarns. [Instgram]

Food & Drink

• Foulmouthed Brewing – Gastro-pub with delicious eclectic dishes and wonderful craft beers brewed on site. [Instgram] Beers we sampled included:
  • Malcontent
  • Gruity Pebbles
  • Wharf Rat
  • Gallifrey
  • Horse of a Different Color
  • Chef’s Breakfast

• Lone Pine Brewing – The location we visited is a tasting room in the East End neighborhood. Good beers, but the atmosphere could use a little sprucing up. [Instagram] Beers we sampled included:
  • Tesselation (cans)
  • Gose
  • Citra Onesie
  • Diamond Unicorn
  • Portland Pale Ale

• Isa – A fabulous farm-to-table bistro in the West Bayside neighborhood. We enjoyed a lovely candlelight dinner on a Friday evening, and a perfect brunch on Sunday. Service is excellent as well. [Instagram] Beer included:
  • Florens

• The Thirsty Pig – Fun Old Port neighborhood craft beer watering hole that makes their own sausages to pair with many local craft beers. Plus live music. [Instagram] Beers we sampled included:
  • Reciprocal
  • Phosphorescence
  • The Substance
  • Bushwa

• Novare Res – A fun place to gather with friends over local craft drafts and a stunning collection of bottles from around the world. [Instagram] Beers we sampled included:
  • Insensitive

• The Little Tap House – At the time of this writing we have not had the pleasure of a meal at this quaint spot. But twice we have dropped in for beers while waiting for a spot at Bao Bao. [Instagram] Beers we sampled included:
  • Grizacca
  • Norweald

• Bao Bao Dumpling House – A small, fun, Pan Asian dumpling house with attentive staff, flavorful dishes, and fine cocktails. Great for pre-theater fare, which is how we have experienced it. [Instagram] Beer included:
  • Boomsauce

• The Holy Donut – There are a few locations in the area, but we prefer the one in the Old Port neighborhood. Read the signs and follow the rules and you’ll be rewarded with delicious potato donuts. If you’ve never had potato donuts, you are in for a treat. Bonus: they pair well with craft beer! [Instagram]

• Definitive Brewing – Currently nestled in what we call Brewery Row in the Riverton neighborhood just north of Portland this was a favorite brewery of ours this trip. We say currently because we tip this group to need a larger location soon. [Instagram] Take-away cans we purchased included:

• • Vanilla Dome (Mango)
  • Behind the Light

• Foundation Brewing – One of the few Portland breweries that seems to consistently make multiple stouts. When we visited in for this trip there were at least four stouts available for can take-aways! [Instagram]
  • Method 6 Milk Stout

    

Culture & Music

• Portland Museum of Art – We spent a few hours wandering around and were blown away by the collections. Something by everyone and for everyone. [Instagram]
• State Theater – We have seen the Robert Cray Band (2015) and moe. (2019) here and the acoustics are excellent. Plus it’s a 15 minute walk from our favorite inn. [Instagram]