Interactive Map and Guide

A reflective space in the heart of Portland, this architectural gem from I.M. Pei draws visitors with its notable collection of Winslow Homer works as well as traveling exhibitions. In addition, "PMA Movies" screens a variety of foreign, classical, and art films in their comfortable theatre space.

Funded in part by the Warhol Foundation, this contemporary arts venue always has something happening, from art to music, films to lectures, and live performance. Artists and performers range from the local to international. When people say, "You should have been there," they're usually talking about something that happened at SPACE.

The hours are unpredictable, so you need to call ahead or trust your luck. But if you get in, you're sure to find something fascinating if you love art, rare books, or odd collectibles like antique puppets from Asia or 1960s ceramics (and those are just two of many examples).

The Maine College of Art's ICA is a spare, modern series of galleries displaying contemporary work by living artists, in conjunction with public programs. With a mission to showcase new perspectives in the art world as a learning opportunity for students, the ICA often brings innovation to the Portland art scene.

At the crossroads of the Arts District, One Longfellow Square strives to put on a variety of music to please almost everybody - at least once a season. Its small size lends itself to great acoustics, and there isn't a bad seat in the house.

Running With Scissors is a multi-disciplinary artist studio space and gallery with work by the thirty-odd studio artists who specialize in printmaking, jewelry, painting, encaustic, sculpture, sound recording, design, ceramics, photography, and more. The gallery is open during limited hours but always takes part in First Friday events.

Salt is a 15-week multimedia documentary program in three tracks: writing, radio, and photography. However, it's also an organization dedicated to promoting documentary storytelling, done in part through exhibitions and events at the Salt Gallery and auditorium on Congress Street.

Sanctuary Tattoo understands the root of body decoration: as ritual, as art, and as a transformational process. You'll need to book weeks - or even months - in advance, but you can console yourself with the fact that it's a sign of the artists' quality.

In 1996 a group of locals formed a non-profit, The Friends of St. Lawrence, to restore the historic Munjoy Hill church and create an affordable, accessible venue for arts and culture, in addition to a new community center. The vibrant, eclectic calendar speaks to their success.

Kids (and adults) love the camera obscura at the top of the building, along with the wide variety of interactive exhibits, including a grocery store and a fire truck where kids are free to run amok with their imaginations. The theatre company with shows for kids is comprised of locals aged eight to 17.

Tom Veilleux helps build art collections with a deft combination of aesthetic and financial advising for clients. With a focus on modernism, the gallery buys, sells, and displays important pieces of 20th century art and antiques, while also exhibiting around the country.

An Arts District anchor, MECA grants Bachelors and Masters degrees in fine arts, hosts several galleries, and educates community members through its Continuing Studies department and Pre-College intensive for high school students.

A Gathering of Stitches is a workshop studio for those practicing the fiber and textile arts. The mission is to foster learning, expression, and development of needlework, to help people make useful, beautiful, and enduring items.

Greenhut Galleries, established by Peggy Greenhut in 1977, is the oldest year-round gallery in Portland. As the Gallery has grown, so has the reach of its artists, whose styles span the spectrum from realism to abstraction, through landscapes, still lifes and portraits, to non-figurative work in both two- and three-dimensional mediums.

The Maine Charitable Mechanic Association was founded in 1815 as a craftsman’s guild to teach and promote excellence among Portland’s various mechanical and artistic trades. Carpenters, Glass workers, Sailmakers, Shipbuilders and Riggers, Ironworkers, Stone Cutters, Brick Masons, Jewelers, Watchmakers and Nautical instrument makers, Furniture makers and similar tradesmen all learned their skills and crafts through Apprenticeship education sponsored by this Association. The Library was started in 1820 in various locations around the city for the education and enlightenment of apprentices and members until finally having a permanent home, built by its members in 1859. The Association sponsored many fairs and expositions to showcase the skills of local artisans and tradesmen. Many lectures by prominent speakers and dances in the grand ballroom were held here. For many years groups of various trades would march down Congress St. proudly carrying beautiful banners with slogans to promote their trades. A free school for Mechanical and Architectural drawing was started in 1875 and continued for over a 100 years until 1983. The Association stills supports mechanical and architectural education through scholarships and grants in local schools. Today, the Maine Charitable Mechanic Association has about 300 members. Members have the use of the historic library on Congress Street and may attend events including readings by local and national authors and travel lectures presented by producers of films from around the world. We hope to continue to play a big part in Portland’s Historic Downtown as the MCMA approaches its Bicentennial in 2015.Always looking for fresh ideas and new members to help contribute toward this goal.We are a non-profit 501(C) (3) organization, and hope to increase our Endowment Fund for the future stability of the Association. The Library welcomes new members. If interested, please contact Pat Larrabee at 207-773-8396 during library hours;10:00-3:00;Tues.,Wed,Thurs. The Library is also a participant in Portland’s First Friday Art Walks, exhibiting a new artist every month.

The 2 Degrees Portland Arts Challenge celebrates two of Portland’s greatest attributes: its arts and culture, and its people. The Portland Arts Challenge is about forming relationships with your neighbors, discovering Portland’s diverse arts scene, and having fun. And there are prizes too! Teams will compete to attend the most number of Portland cultural events in the month of March, and the winning team will be crowned “The Arts Champions of Portland.” How to Play Sign up on the Portland Arts Challenge website before February 22nd. Team assignments will be announced on Feb 24th. Attend as many events as possible that are listed on the official calendar from March 1st-26th. The calendar will be available online and emailed to each member of the team before the challenge. At least 2 members of the team must attend to accrue points. Only one point per event will be counted.* At each event, post at least one photo to the Portland Arts Challenge Facebook event page. There will be a Portland Arts Challenge event page to track points. with your team’s #, #PortlandArtsChallenge, and event Title/Location. Please remember to always attribute artists names if photographing their work! Get creative with your photos! Take group selfies with the artists, detail images, photos of the band, your tickets, etc *First Friday Art Walk has a maximum of 5 points which must be from 5 different venues. Add #PortlandArtWalk to those posts. Win prizes! We will have a big party on March 30th announcing the Arts Champions and toasting all Please note: Many events are free but some performances charge a cover or for tickets. If the cost of participating becomes an issue, please let us know. The teams are random on purpose. The 2 Degrees Portland program connects people from all over to our creative community. The Portland Arts Challenge is as much about building connections with new people as well as the arts community. By participating in the Portland Arts Challenge, you grant permission to Creative Portland to use any text, photography or any other content generated during your participation.

Portland has a wealth of great cafés, but Arabica is one of the best places to work, meet, read, and refuel. Their grinders are Italian, but their servings sizes are American. They're also adored simply for serving toast - a rare find in a coffee shop.

While it is a fine food and wine market, Aurora Provisions is also a coffee bar, bakery, cafe, and kitchen (for a catering empire). As a Slow-Food USA member, Aurora's prepared foods are locally sourced and seasonal. Their dessert case has its own following.

If you fall in love with Bard's coffee but don't live here, never fear! On their website, Bard sells coffee by the pound and expounds upon the backstory of all of their beans. The coffee is great, but the place is also popular for meetings and WiFi.

Portland's ur-roastery, Coffee By Design, is the first in a proud lineage of local micro-roasters who take coffee seriously. Given the proximity to the Maine College of Art, this flagship location is usually filled with as many students as office workers in suits.

The owner of the perennial Portland favorite Arabica seized the opportunity to do more great coffee in a big, beautiful, brick warehouse space. There is plenty of room to spread out, a cozy fire, and tables near the windows have views of Casco Bay.

Neighborhood favorite Hilltop is a true local's coffee shop, with breakfast sandwiches, espresso drinks, and the option to grab a pastry here, or from the Rosemont Market next door.

The Our Lady of Victories statue marks the site of Portland's original public market, built in 1825. The new Public Market House and outdoor farmer's market carry on the tradition in Monument Square, with a community kitchen in the basement and food from local vendors on the first and second floors, with open table seating.

A three-person team of former Blue Bottle employees who helped build the brand alighted on Portland intent on creating something special. From the spare modern space to their magnificent malt iced coffee, micro-roasted beans, and the people themselves, Tandem is a tiny pleasure. Bicyclists are especially welcome.

Those searching for flavor perfection will get a kick out of the Speckled Ax, where you can even have your coffee brewed by siphon or several other methods. This place is serious. Yes, they'll make you a caramel latte too, but here you'll get real caramel instead of syrup.

Following the success of their East Bayside micro-roastery, Tandem brought on Director of Quality Control Vien Dobui as managing partner of its new West End location. The bakery is headed up by former Brooklyn-based baker extraordinaire Briana Holt. Tandem's unique building was once a gas station, then a laundromat - now a beautiful place to sip coffee, eat delicious baked goods, and chat with friends.

Blame it on The Big Lebowski, but these days a bowling alley also needs to make killer cocktails. Bayside pairs its twelve top-notch lanes with a bar, good food, and a lounge for live music and karaoke. They're also home to leagues of all levels.

Blackstone's is a dive bar, but it's a friendly dive bar. As the oldest gay bar in Portland, it's respected as a regular's watering hole and beloved for its inventive theme nights, which are helped along by strong drinks.

Bubba's is complete kitsch, and everyone seems to want it that way. A dive bar for dance parties, Friday nights are devoted to the 80s and Saturday nights to "everything," from Diplo to the Beegees. The floor lights up regardless of the theme.

They bill themselves as "a revival of the great American oyster bar" and yet that's selling themselves short. Yes, they have a huge array of oysters (from both here and away), but they're also doing inventive small plates of seafood—and brunch!—in a bright, casual atmosphere.

The East Coast farm-to-table movement started at Fore Street, and its impact on the Portland restaurant scene has been huge. Chef Sam Hayward was the first James Beard Foundation award winner in Maine. While the menu changes often, the quality is consistent, and the atmosphere is always warm.

Geno's is a rite of passage for any new band in Portland. They don't allow covers, so new acts have to make it on their own merits. And the club has a genius, terraced layout that allows you to get more beers without missing the music or losing a prime view of the action.

J's has basically refused to change since 1977, and that only makes it more popular. The all-female waitstaff will show you how to eat a steamer or crack a lobster without judgement. Fair warning though: it's a joint for eating AND drinking. The bar takes up most of the restaurant.

When LFK moved into a space formerly occupied by an indepdendent bookstore that went out of business, they decided to carry on the tradition. While most people come for cocktails or the great house burger, you can also opt to buy or borrow the books along the walls.

Local 188 is a large, sprawling farm-to-table restaurant that's also part bar and lounge with a popular nighttime scene. Given the open layout, it's a great impromptu meeting spot at all hours, but it really shines at brunch time. As a bonus: you eat surrounded by local art.

Mead is the world's oldest fermented beverage, and the process of making it is celebrated through free tours at Maine Mead Works. Here, all of the wines are produced from locally cultivated honeys in a sustainable system. The tasting room offers samples of regular styles, along with limited releases and reserves.

Mama's is a neighborhood dive bar that celebrates things like live-piano playing and poetry. They only take cash and they only serve beer, but that includes local brews by the bottle and on tap. The interior feels like a shoebox, but in a good way.

Sonny's is a Southwestern/Latin fusion restaurant (the sister of Local 188), but it's also the most beautiful bar in Portland. Housed in an ornate antebellum bank, chef/owner Jay Villani took great care in its restoration, followed by equal care on an outstanding cocktail menu. Beer drinkers will also be satisfied by the variety of craft brews.

A proper Irish pub, this East End favorite is everything a whole lot of Old Port bars wish they were. Perhaps it's a telltale sign of its devoted following, but the Snug repeatedly wins city-wide "best bartender" contests. It's also a good refueling station before walking or biking up Munjoy Hill.

This East Bayside warehouse, micro-farm, and apiary is a lab for permaculture and fermentation, crafting goods like pickles, sauerkraut, and hopped hard-cider while hosting meetups, lectures, potlucks, and swaps. They're open for retail, tastings, and tours on Fridays and Saturdays.

Crowd-funded by popular cocktail mastermind Nan'l Meiklejohn in 2014, The Jewel Box's speakeasy anonymity (and lack of sign) can make it hard to find. Once you're inside, the combination of Victorian-hip aesthetic, a surprising welcoming warmth, and a constantly-changing menu of craft cocktails and small plate snacks makes this a unique bar experience in Portland.

You will either fall in love or feel nonplussed by the tender, cakey Maine potato donut. Whatever your reaction, you will at least have eaten a treat made without artificial sweeteners, high fructose corn syrup, or hydrogenated oils. Between 12 and 14 flavors, including vegan and gluten-free varieties, rotate daily.

Boda will break any previous association with the term "Thai restaurant." Here, authentic street food and tapas are served at mahogany tables. The late-night (until 1am) menu is one of the best deals in town, and the back bar is a great place to enjoy dinner for one.

You don't go to Hugo's to get a steak, you go to Hugo's to get surprised. People make pilgrimages just to eat here; it's an experience as much as a restaurant. Hugo's cutting-edge cooking techniques and mainly locally sourced ingredients have garnered national attention and local devotion.

While it is a fine food and wine market, Aurora Provisions is also a coffee bar, bakery, cafe, and kitchen (for a catering empire). As a Slow-Food USA member, Aurora's prepared foods are locally sourced and seasonal. Their dessert case has its own following.

Browne's is known for fresh fish. And caviar. And uni, and many other hard-to-find specialty foods. They even employ a "smokemaster" who works his magic without chemicals, dyes, or preservatives. Thanks to Browne's, your home kitchen can have the same fish that's shipped to fancy restaurants around the country.

Portlanders appreciate all things hand-made, and chocolate truffles are no exception. This husband and wife team creates masterpiece confections in a surprising array of flavors, often with signature Maine ingredients (everything from potatoes to Allagash stout). Best of all: there are always samples.

The hand-cut Belgian fries are done in duckfat and come with eight different dipping sauce options. They are reason enough to go and order a beer or a milkshake, but if you're hungry the casual atmosphere and hot-pressed sandwiches, soups, and salads always satisfy. It's also Portland's #1 place for poutine.

They bill themselves as "a revival of the great American oyster bar" and yet that's selling themselves short. Yes, they have a huge array of oysters (from both here and away), but they're also doing inventive small plates of seafood—and brunch!—in a bright, casual atmosphere.

Technically, it's a chain restaurant, but it's an organic chain restaurant with pride of place. This one has a prime location (and deck) right on the water, with an exposed, stone pizza oven inside. They offer salads and pies to eat in or take out, and carry gluten-free and vegan options.

The East Coast farm-to-table movement started at Fore Street, and its impact on the Portland restaurant scene has been huge. Chef Sam Hayward was the first James Beard Foundation award winner in Maine. While the menu changes often, the quality is consistent, and the atmosphere is always warm.

The Green Elephant is a refuge for vegetarians, a place where you never have to question if the dishes contain traces of meat - and that can be a rare find for an Asian eatery. The glowing interior tends to have a comfortable buzz of happy patrons at both lunch and dinner.

Run by three brothers on Custom House Wharf, Harbor Fish Market is a scenic stop for caught-today seafood, as well as imported exotic fish. They always have specials on sale and are willing to ship across the US - and they're patient about newbies' questions.

Even if you chose an "Imposter Blend" - teas that mimic the taste of treats like Good N' Plentys or birthday cake - you are still selecting something with healing power. The proprietor of Homegrown specializes in Ayurvedic medicine and will create concoctions for whatever ails you.

J's has basically refused to change since 1977, and that only makes it more popular. The all-female waitstaff will show you how to eat a steamer or crack a lobster without judgement. Fair warning though: it's a joint for eating AND drinking. The bar takes up most of the restaurant.

When LFK moved into a space formerly occupied by an indepdendent bookstore that went out of business, they decided to carry on the tradition. While most people come for cocktails or the great house burger, you can also opt to buy or borrow the books along the walls.

Local 188 is a large, sprawling farm-to-table restaurant that's also part bar and lounge with a popular nighttime scene. Given the open layout, it's a great impromptu meeting spot at all hours, but it really shines at brunch time. As a bonus: you eat surrounded by local art.

The Micucci market carries a variety of imported Italian foods and wine, but foot traffic picks up at lunch time because of their Sicilian-slab pizza served in the back (go up the short flight of stairs). There's no need to order as there's only one kind, first-come, first-serve straight to the baker's racks.

Masa Miyake is the rare chef who has made a style of food all his own. Blending experience at fine French and Italian restaurants in New York and Tokyo with a feel for local flavors and a deep love of farming, Masa creates sushi dishes that cannot be found anywhere else. For an affordable introduction, try the Tei Shoku lunch menu.

Mount Desert Island Ice Cream is a local import from Bar Harbor that's received national press for their inventive flavors (try Cereal Milk, Jack Daniel's, or Chocolate Wasabi). The Exchange Street shop feels like a parlor in the best sense and they are generous and patient with sampling.

When the original Otto opened on Congress Street, only five standing customers could fit inside at a time. The pizza proved so immediately popular that they quickly expanded into a sit-down operation next door and opened a larger restaurant on the East End. Since then, they've continued the enterprise across state lines. Go find out why.

When the original Otto opened on Congress Street, only five standing customers could fit inside at a time. The pizza proved so immediately popular that they quickly expanded into a sit-down operation next door and opened a larger restaurant on the East End. Since then, they've continued the enterprise across state lines. Go find out why.

After the success of his sushi restaurant Miyake, chef Masa Miyake decided to try his hand at a casual noodle bar. Pai Men means "100 noodles" in Japanese, and you can taste the very best in ramen here, with broths rich in pork, chicken, and vegetables. Try the weekday Tei-Shoku lunch special for tastes of sushi, dumplings, and vegetable specialties.

Don't you wish you had a vivacious French grandmother to cook you comfort food like onion soup and steak frites? Petite Jacqueline serves affordable French classics in true bistro style, down to carafes of wine, perfect French bread, marble tabletops, and waitstaff in stripes. Music by the likes of Serge Gainsbourg completes the scene.

The Our Lady of Victories statue marks the site of Portland's original public market, built in 1825. The new Public Market House and outdoor farmer's market carry on the tradition in Monument Square, with a community kitchen in the basement and food from local vendors on the first and second floors, with open table seating.

Rosemont is the neighborhood market for locavores and epicures. Maine produce and products are nestled next to gourmet imports year-round. An array of soups, salads, sandwiches, and sweets are made daily, and in a town known for baking, their bagels are among the best.

Sonny's is a Southwestern/Latin fusion restaurant (the sister of Local 188), but it's also the most beautiful bar in Portland. Housed in an ornate antebellum bank, chef/owner Jay Villani took great care in its restoration, followed by equal care on an outstanding cocktail menu. Beer drinkers will also be satisfied by the variety of craft brews.

A bakery in the French tradition, Standard is the lower half of Fore Street restaurant and provides all of the sumptuous breads served there. While their goods are phenomenal, picking them up in the bakery yourself is an important part of the gustatory experience.

A mecca for the Maine whoopie pie, Two Fat Cats is also known for their pies, cakes, cupcakes, cookies, and pastries—all made from scratch. On Mondays they offer a "New England breakfast": a slice of pie and a coffee for $3.75.

They're called breakfast sandwiches for lack of a better term, but OhNo serves them all day, on freshly baked bagels and bialys. Their #1, maple-glazed prosciutto, Tabasco, Vermont cheddar, and egg is the local favorite. Open 8-8, they're also known for carrying hard-to-find beer along with lunch and dinner.

Following the success of their East Bayside micro-roastery, Tandem brought on Director of Quality Control Vien Dobui as managing partner of its new West End location. The bakery is headed up by former Brooklyn-based baker extraordinaire Briana Holt. Tandem's unique building was once a gas station, then a laundromat - now a beautiful place to sip coffee, eat delicious baked goods, and chat with friends.

Funded in part by the Warhol Foundation, this contemporary arts venue always has something happening, from art to music, films to lectures, and live performance. Artists and performers range from the local to international. When people say, "You should have been there," they're usually talking about something that happened at SPACE.

Blame it on The Big Lebowski, but these days a bowling alley also needs to make killer cocktails. Bayside pairs its twelve top-notch lanes with a bar, good food, and a lounge for live music and karaoke. They're also home to leagues of all levels.

Bubba's is complete kitsch, and everyone seems to want it that way. A dive bar for dance parties, Friday nights are devoted to the 80s and Saturday nights to "everything," from Diplo to the Beegees. The floor lights up regardless of the theme.

Geno's is a rite of passage for any new band in Portland. They don't allow covers, so new acts have to make it on their own merits. And the club has a genius, terraced layout that allows you to get more beers without missing the music or losing a prime view of the action.

At the crossroads of the Arts District, One Longfellow Square strives to put on a variety of music to please almost everybody - at least once a season. Its small size lends itself to great acoustics, and there isn't a bad seat in the house.

In 1996 a group of locals formed a non-profit, The Friends of St. Lawrence, to restore the historic Munjoy Hill church and create an affordable, accessible venue for arts and culture, in addition to a new community center. The vibrant, eclectic calendar speaks to their success.

A gilded 1930s movie palace with a storied history, the updated State reopened to much fanfare in 2010 and is attracting top touring acts who enjoy playing to enthusiastic crowds in an intimate space. The multiple bars (including one on the balcony level) help spread out the crowd.

The 2 Degrees Portland Arts Challenge celebrates two of Portland’s greatest attributes: its arts and culture, and its people. The Portland Arts Challenge is about forming relationships with your neighbors, discovering Portland’s diverse arts scene, and having fun. And there are prizes too! Teams will compete to attend the most number of Portland cultural events in the month of March, and the winning team will be crowned “The Arts Champions of Portland.” How to Play Sign up on the Portland Arts Challenge website before February 22nd. Team assignments will be announced on Feb 24th. Attend as many events as possible that are listed on the official calendar from March 1st-26th. The calendar will be available online and emailed to each member of the team before the challenge. At least 2 members of the team must attend to accrue points. Only one point per event will be counted.* At each event, post at least one photo to the Portland Arts Challenge Facebook event page. There will be a Portland Arts Challenge event page to track points. with your team’s #, #PortlandArtsChallenge, and event Title/Location. Please remember to always attribute artists names if photographing their work! Get creative with your photos! Take group selfies with the artists, detail images, photos of the band, your tickets, etc *First Friday Art Walk has a maximum of 5 points which must be from 5 different venues. Add #PortlandArtWalk to those posts. Win prizes! We will have a big party on March 30th announcing the Arts Champions and toasting all Please note: Many events are free but some performances charge a cover or for tickets. If the cost of participating becomes an issue, please let us know. The teams are random on purpose. The 2 Degrees Portland program connects people from all over to our creative community. The Portland Arts Challenge is as much about building connections with new people as well as the arts community. By participating in the Portland Arts Challenge, you grant permission to Creative Portland to use any text, photography or any other content generated during your participation.

Quietly plying their craft amid the uproarious Portland music scene, these dedicated luthiers are famous among string players across the country. Drop in for weekly bluegrass, old-time, and folk-dance jam sessions, or sign up for workshops that range from instruction to design.

This workshop and storefront is the headquarters of the eponymous international design brand inspired by Maine. Rotating window installations showcase the signature patterns of Angela Adams rugs, furniture, textiles, and accessories.

While it is a fine food and wine market, Aurora Provisions is also a coffee bar, bakery, cafe, and kitchen (for a catering empire). As a Slow-Food USA member, Aurora's prepared foods are locally sourced and seasonal. Their dessert case has its own following.

Blanche + Mimi is a reliable stop for birthday presents, hostess gifts, and baby shower items. From lucite earrings to antique French linen, or onesies in unique prints, store owner Hilary Sinauer has a keen eye for both new and vintage. Merchandise changes regularly.

Browne's is known for fresh fish. And caviar. And uni, and many other hard-to-find specialty foods. They even employ a "smokemaster" who works his magic without chemicals, dyes, or preservatives. Thanks to Browne's, your home kitchen can have the same fish that's shipped to fancy restaurants around the country.

Coast City Comics and the Fun Box Monster Emporium is an employee-owned and operated enterprise. These are people who live for comic, video game, and toy culture and are excited to share their passion. Check out the pinball machines in the back!

Corey & Company is a working studio and shop in one. With a combination of hand-sewn on-site clothing and thoughtfully selected women's wear in natural fibers, this off-the-beaten path boutique is well worth a linger, especially now that it's connected to Fiachre, a garden and home store.

Portlanders appreciate all things hand-made, and chocolate truffles are no exception. This husband and wife team creates masterpiece confections in a surprising array of flavors, often with signature Maine ingredients (everything from potatoes to Allagash stout). Best of all: there are always samples.

Enterprise Records is a proud purveyor of LPs - they've never sold a CD, and at this point it looks like the shop has outlasted the format that was supposed to put them under. They are fussy about the condition of their vinyl and have deep collections in most genres.

A letterpress, studio, and store in one, Ferdinand has made a successful business out of selling small, pretty, and odd items since 2001. Shop owner/artist/crafter Diane Toepfer makes about half of the merchandise and can tell you stories about where she's sourced the rest.

Find is a consignment shop and clothing exchange, where you'll net 30% of the sale price of your items in cash, or 50% in store credit. The driving principle of the buyers is to select true "finds," whether that means a deeply discounted pair of designer jeans or funky retro sunglasses.

The Green Hand might just be a time vortex. Browsing the huge selection of used books, or chatting with the owner, Michelle Souliere, makes time stand still. Michelle is the editor of the Strange Maine Gazette and runs the blog Strange Maine: True Tales from the Pine Tree State.

Run by three brothers on Custom House Wharf, Harbor Fish Market is a scenic stop for caught-today seafood, as well as imported exotic fish. They always have specials on sale and are willing to ship across the US - and they're patient about newbies' questions.

Even if you chose an "Imposter Blend" - teas that mimic the taste of treats like Good N' Plentys or birthday cake - you are still selecting something with healing power. The proprietor of Homegrown specializes in Ayurvedic medicine and will create concoctions for whatever ails you.

A fantastic find for fiberphiles, KnitWit offers everything you need to pick up the hobby or enhance your skills, from classes to supplies. They specialize in natural materials, including locally-produced yarn from Quince & Co. Regulars applaud them for their customer service and reasonable prices.

Longfellow is an independent shop that mixes new and used books side by side. As the beating heart of Portland's literary scene, they hold regular readings and book releases that include everyone from emerging local authors to international best-sellers. The staff is savvy and helpful, but also happy to leave you alone to browse.

The Micucci market carries a variety of imported Italian foods and wine, but foot traffic picks up at lunch time because of their Sicilian-slab pizza served in the back (go up the short flight of stairs). There's no need to order as there's only one kind, first-come, first-serve straight to the baker's racks.

Graphic designer Amy Teh and her musician husband, Noah DeFilippis, are willing to silkscreen almost anything and you can find the fruits of their labor among other funky collectibles and clothing at their retail store. The couple also help organize Portland's beloved biannual craft fair, Picnic.

The Planet Dog Company Store has virtually anything you need for your pet, including gourmet food and grooming services. They have a romper room for socializing puppies and offer training classes for all ages. It's a go-to destination for questions about life with a dog in the Portland area.

Their fibers come in so many delicious, hand-dyed colors it does feel like a candy store. From wool to silks, everything here is sumptuous, and if it's not, then it's practical. Check out their community and classes if you're at all intrigued by fiber arts.

The Flea-for-All is two floors of artisan and antique goods, open every Saturday and Sunday from 10-5. Given the affordable booth space, vendors range from vintage furniture sellers to stands of all-vinyl or just jewelry. Come with five bucks or 500, and you'll find something to spend it on.

A successful Etsy shop gone brick-and-mortar, PGS is another variation on the theme of all-natural, small-batch production that is Portland's specialty. Here you can find everything from Tobacco beard oil to Hunting Camp soap, as well as their signature Face Bomb - a deep-cleansing mud mask. It's aromatherapy for the rugged.

The Our Lady of Victories statue marks the site of Portland's original public market, built in 1825. The new Public Market House and outdoor farmer's market carry on the tradition in Monument Square, with a community kitchen in the basement and food from local vendors on the first and second floors, with open table seating.

Kazeem Lawal might just be the friendliest shopkeep in Portland. His lifestyle-based concept shop focuses on clothing and goods handmade in New England, with well-chosen selections from the world at large. It's a good mix of modern and vintage, masculine and feminine.

Rosemont is the neighborhood market for locavores and epicures. Maine produce and products are nestled next to gourmet imports year-round. An array of soups, salads, sandwiches, and sweets are made daily, and in a town known for baking, their bagels are among the best.

Custom House Wharf is home to a fish market, loads of lobster traps, and the sustainable design workshop Sea Bags, famous for recycling used sails into fashionable tote bags and home accessories featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Nylon, and The New York Times.

South Street Linen is the creative union of three friends who bridge their own styles of painting and printmaking to create a cohesive collection of block-printed linens. Influenced by ephemera, architecture, and Japanese and Scandinavian traditions, their work covers everything from throws and pillows to aprons and scarves.

A reflective space in the heart of Portland, this architectural gem from I.M. Pei draws visitors with its notable collection of Winslow Homer works as well as traveling exhibitions. In addition, "PMA Movies" screens a variety of foreign, classical, and art films in their comfortable theatre space.

Quietly plying their craft amid the uproarious Portland music scene, these dedicated luthiers are famous among string players across the country. Drop in for weekly bluegrass, old-time, and folk-dance jam sessions, or sign up for workshops that range from instruction to design.

Blame it on The Big Lebowski, but these days a bowling alley also needs to make killer cocktails. Bayside pairs its twelve top-notch lanes with a bar, good food, and a lounge for live music and karaoke. They're also home to leagues of all levels.

Portland's working waterfront is best seen by boat. Casco Bay Lines ferries service six different islands and leave nearly every hour throughout the year. They are the cheapest, most convenient way to witness a sunrise or sunset on the water, or find an all-day adventure.

This 68-acre public expanse is a defining part of Portland, not just for the beautiful ocean vistas, but for the variety of activities the area supports for people of all stripes. The action changes with the seasons, from summer picnics on the beach, to winter sledding on the slopes.

Looking for traces of the weird in Portland is much easier than tracking the Yeti. Let director Loren Coleman be your guide to “cryptids” from Big Foot to the Loch Ness Monster (and more obscure creatures) at the world's only cryptozoology museum.

Mead is the world's oldest fermented beverage, and the process of making it is celebrated through free tours at Maine Mead Works. Here, all of the wines are produced from locally cultivated honeys in a sustainable system. The tasting room offers samples of regular styles, along with limited releases and reserves.

The Observatory has offered the best views of Portland Harbor since 1807. Built as a signal tower to alert dockworkers to the kind of cargo coming in to port, it's now a museum that's open to the public from Memorial Day through Columbus Day - a great spot to watch the sun set.

The early 20th century schooners Bagheera and Wendameen leave for two-hour public tours of Casco Bay several times a day from May through October. The windjammers are also available for private charters with options including overnights, weddings, and lobster bakes.

In Portland, nature is always nearby. Portland Trails has created 50 miles of accessible public land for walking and biking. The terrain varies from the open and easy 3.5-mile loop around Back Bay to woodland paths, and a circle around Mackworth Island that provides a different vantage on the city.

Sanctuary Tattoo understands the root of body decoration: as ritual, as art, and as a transformational process. You'll need to book weeks - or even months - in advance, but you can console yourself with the fact that it's a sign of the artists' quality.

Kids (and adults) love the camera obscura at the top of the building, along with the wide variety of interactive exhibits, including a grocery store and a fire truck where kids are free to run amok with their imaginations. The theatre company with shows for kids is comprised of locals aged eight to 17.

This East Bayside warehouse, micro-farm, and apiary is a lab for permaculture and fermentation, crafting goods like pickles, sauerkraut, and hopped hard-cider while hosting meetups, lectures, potlucks, and swaps. They're open for retail, tastings, and tours on Fridays and Saturdays.