For the past year, I’ve become obsessed with everything coastal Maine. The food, location, shopping, and overall vibe looked like my new favorite place. I would send video after video to my sister, saying, “We must go.” So, when our 21st birthday rolled around, we knew that a weekend in Portland was exactly where we wanted to go. And it exceeded my expectations by a million percent. So here are some of my favorite places we went!
Where to stay 🏨
We wanted to take in some of the coast and the city, so we stayed about 10 minutes outside of Portland. I have to give the credit to my sister, Nina, for finding the Inn, because the location was perfect. We stayed in Higgins Beach, a little beach town in Scarborough, in the Higgins Beach Inn. The place was so cute, but I definitely would have picked a bigger room. The location was perfect because we had beach access within walking distance from the Inn. While the beach is walking distance, nothing else really is, so I’m glad we drove.
Places to Eat 🍽️
Most locals are older and retired, but so welcoming! Everyone seems to have a dog, so I chatted with a couple of people. I actually met someone whose son and daughter-in-law were UConn alums, which showed how much people still love UConn. When we asked about places to eat, O’Reilly’s Cure was highly recommended. It’s described as a hangover cure, AKA a “social remedy,” according to the restaurant. Although we’re in need of that, it sounded so good. It was phenomenal! We shared the pork potstickers, which were amazing, and I got a cob salad as a whole. I still think about this salad; it was so fresh and filling.
We also loved Roma Cafe in Portland. We heard about the place from TikTok and wanted to see how it was. I got the Chicken Parmesan, and it was the best meal I had in Portland. The place was small and intimate, so we could kind of hear everyone’s conversations, but the food made it worth it. I think everyone should go there if they’re in the area! It’s downtown, so we got on-street parking right out front, which was very convenient.
Dessert-wise, the Dairy Corner was out of this world! There were over 70 different flavors to choose from, so there is something for everyone. I got the Raspberry Truffle, which was a vanilla base with raspberry swirled throughout. Nina got the Banana Cream Pie, which was a banana base with Nilla wafers and whipped cream swirled in it. Both flavors were incredible, and I wish we had gone back again during our trip. The ice cream shop is seasonal and closed in early October, so make sure you get there before then.
Where to drink 🍹
Since it was our 21st birthday trip, we had to go to a couple of bars while we were there. The first place we went was The Lucky Cheetah. Drinks were on the more expensive side, but that’s to be expected. While my sister went with a tequila pineapple to be safe, I went with one of the house specials called the “Jaded Lover,” which was tequila, lime, cilantro, and pineapple. We got there right before they closed, so we didn’t get to try other drinks, but both were really good. The overall vibe of the bar is so chic and pretty, I’m still thinking about the wallpaper.
We also went to Bonfire, per my mom’s recommendation, which was a completely different feel. It was more college bar feeling, with animal-themed barstools and a tire swing in the corner. It was also the NBA finals, so it was very male-dominated in there, but still super fun. I decided to just get a High Noon because I still had to get home and watch Love Island. I would definitely go there again!
Where to Shop 🛍️
Portland has an array of shops, but we loved Old Port! It’s a couple of streets lining the coast with tons of different places to go. There are some tourist gift shops, little boutiques, to kitchenware and toy stores. We spent hours roaming the streets and spending way too much money, but I loved everything we bought. If you plan to stay in Portland, everything is very walkable, but there is also on-street parking if you plan to drive!
Make the trip 🛣️
If you love New England as much as I do, I highly recommend making the drive to Portland. No matter what season, it’s so beautiful, and I had the best time. Go eat some amazing food, take the cutest pictures, and take in what makes Maine so popular!