• Commercial Street - Portland’s Harbor, the body of water you just sailed on, is a “deep water” port that generally does not freeze over during the winters. The Gulf of Maine has very strong tides that mix the water column, bringing deeper, warmer water to the surface along the coast.

Note: This 10+ mile-long tour covers the essentials of Portland in 1-2 hours.

• Victoria Mansion - This is the Victoria Mansion, built by Ruggles Morse in 1858. It is considered “the best standing example of Victorian art, architecture, and decoration.” Named after Britain’s Queen Victoria, it was built as Morse’s summer home.

• The Danforth - On the left-hand side, you can see the colorful brick rowhouses. Originally built for the servant class, these rowhouses are now expensive condominiums. After numerous fires, brick became the primary building material throughout the city, replacing wood.

• West Street - The Maine Medical Center is home to the Barbara Bush Children’s Wing. Mrs. Bush, the wife of the 41st president and mother of the 43rd president, lived much of her life in Kennebunkport, Maine, 30 miles south of Portland. She passed away in 2018. Mrs. Bush did significant work raising money for the treatment of children with severe illnesses, and her legacy is honored in the Children’s Wing of the Maine Medical Center.

• One Longfellow Square - On the right side of the coach, we’ll pass the home of Neal Dow. A former Portland mayor, Neal Dow is known as the father of American Prohibition. In 1851, then-Mayor Dow pushed through a statewide prohibition banning the sale and consumption of intoxicating beverages, which became the model for National Prohibition.

• Arts District - This is Portland’s Arts District, an area with many independent art galleries, working studios, coffee houses, and restaurants. Up ahead on the right is the Portland Art Museum.

• Brown Street - Just past the nondescript building on the right—the gray/brown Maine Historical Society headquarters—is the Wadsworth Longfellow House. It’s the brick building set a little back from the road on the left. This is the house where the poet grew up. Built after the Revolutionary War by Peleg Wadsworth, a Revolutionary War General and the grandfather of Henry Longfellow, it’s the oldest brick house in Portland.

• Temple Street - On our left side is the First Parish Unitarian Universalist Church, the oldest church in Portland. The building is the second to house this congregation.

• Portland City Hall - On the left is Portland’s City Hall, a beautiful building for a small city. This is the third City Hall building on this site; the first two were destroyed by fire.

• Franklin Street - The tall brick and concrete building to your left is the Franklin Tower, built in the 1970s. It’s the tallest building in the state of Maine at 16 stories.

• Eastern Cemetery - Here’s Portland’s Eastern Cemetery, the oldest cemetery in the city. Some headstones date back to 1768. The oldest markers were wooden and were lost to fires.

• Portland Observatory - Let’s go back to the 1800s. During that time, ships entering Portland Harbor could not be seen from the docks until they rounded the point of land at Spring Point Ledge and were almost in the harbor.

• Waterville Street - Notice the several examples of the “flattop triple-decker” tenement housing style, typical in New England, built from the 1880s to the 1920s.

• Munjoy Street - Off to the right is Portland Harbor, part of Casco Bay, an inlet on the southern coast of the Gulf of Maine. The City of Portland sits along its southern edge, and the Port of Portland lies within.

• Casco Bay - If you look over your right shoulder, you’ll see the landmass with the oil tanks. That’s the City of South Portland.

• Eastern Promenade Trail - The Eastern Promenade is a great space where Portlanders enjoy the nice weather and sea breezes. At the foot of the Eastern Prom is a small beach called East End Beach.

• Walnut Street - After the British destroyed the city in 1775, Portland’s city leaders decided to build a fort. The green space on the right is the result of that decision.

• Fore Street Restaurant - Earlier, we mentioned the streets in Old Portland and how they were named due to their proximity to the water. They are Fore St, Middle St, and Back St.

• Casco Bay Bridge - Continuing our drive in Portland, we will make our way to the Casco Bay Bridge. The bridge spans Casco Bay and connects the City of Portland with the City of South Portland.

• Meetinghouse Hill - As we make our way through the City of South Portland, we approach Meetinghouse Hill. It’s a quintessential New England scene with a cemetery on the left, a Civil War statue on the right, and a beautiful church behind the statue.

• Fort Williams Park - We’re now entering Fort Williams Park, where you’ll notice several military installations.

• Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone
• Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
• Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
• Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
• Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
• Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
• Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
• Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!

• Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations