The bucket-list things to do — and who runs each one.
Here’s the bucket list for your day ashore: the most extraordinary thing to do at each stop, who runs it, and how to book it direct — so you can weigh it against your ship’s excursion and pick what suits you.
In port at Portland, the bucket-list move is Portland Head Light & Casco Bay Scenic Lighthouse Tour. Portland Head Light runs it. Below: 2 bucket-list things to do on a Portland port day — worth weighing against whatever your ship offers.
Sail past iconic New England lighthouses on a narrated cruise through Casco Bay, culminating at the legendary Portland Head Light — Maine's oldest and most photographed lighthouse, set dramatically on Fort Williams Park's rocky shore.
Book itPortland: Sightseeing Cruise to Portland Head Light$43 per person
Run by Portland Head Light · 4.80 from 17,000 reviews
Taste your way through Portland's celebrated Old Port dining scene — raw oysters plucked from Maine's cold waters, lobster rolls at legendary shacks, artisan cheesemakers, and locally crafted ales — guided by a passionate local food expert.
Book itPortland: Old Port Culinary Walking Tour$160 per person
Run by Portland Explorer Tours · 4.90 from 528 reviews
Ascend the 1807 Portland Observatory — the last surviving maritime signal tower in the US — for a sweeping panorama of Casco Bay, the White Mountains, and the city below, guided by a specialist historian.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Hop the Casco Bay ferry to car-free Peaks Island — just 3 miles offshore — and spend the day cycling past Victorian cottages, tide pools, and ocean-facing bluffs on one of New England's most enchanting island escapes.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Step inside the Victoria Mansion — considered the finest surviving example of pre-Civil War interior decoration in America — for a private guided exploration of its jaw-dropping frescoed ceilings, carved mahogany, and gilded opulence.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Join a working Maine lobsterman aboard his traditional wooden boat, haul traps in the wild waters of Casco Bay, and learn the centuries-old art and culture of lobstering — the most authentic ocean experience in New England.
We have not yet verified a bookable operator and price for
this one, so we are not quoting either.
Your day in PortlandNothing picked yet — tick what you fancy
$0for two, booked direct
Now plan the rest of it
You know what to do on the day. Here is the trip it belongs to —
each one opens as a whole plan, not a list: where to fly in, every port, what it runs.
