Day One: Portland

It's a long drive, but Portland is always worth the effort. Even the long boring stretch of I-495 can't detract from the charm of this city. Portland is small but intense, and is a microcosm of sorts for Maine itself. Portland has that gritty blue-collar feel of a city that has made its living from shipping and fishing in the waters of the Atlantic. Layered above this core is a stylish veneer of new money and youth. Portland's hard-working, venerable past can be seen on the waterfront, in the wooden piers smelling of fish and wonderful old red brick buildings. Portland's youth and future can be seen in the coffee houses and galleries that now inhabit these buildings, in the new concrete and glass offices that now share this skyline. It's energy and vitality can be felt even along the century old cobblestones of Wharf Street.

Old Port, Portland

Dinner at Gilbert's Chowder House was great. Since it was my first night in Maine, I felt almost obligated to order the lobster. It turned out to be the perfect choice as I enjoyed a spectacular sunset and moonrise over the waters of Casco Bay.