Introduction
What to do
Where to eat
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

Portland travel guide

Portland Tourism | Portland Guide

You're Going to Love Portland

With a population of 66.194, Portland is the largest city in Maine, United States by the number of inhabitants. It is one of the most popular cities to visit in the country. Portland deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Portland

If you’re looking for affordable options, Evo Kitchen + Bar (443 Fore Street) and Scales (68-72 Commercial St) are great picks.

When to visit Portland

Portland in January
Estimated hotel price
$129
1 night at 3-star hotel
Portland in January
Estimated hotel price
$129
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Portland in July, when the average temperature is 68 °F, and the highest can go up to 78.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 14 °F, with an average temperature of 23 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in November, when precipitation is around 4.5″. In contrast, August is usually the driest month of the year in Portland, with an average rainfall of 2.9″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Portland

Plane

When flying to Portland, you’ll arrive at Portland Airport (PWM), which is located 5 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Portland include American Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Portland departs from Charleston and takes around 2h 24m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Portland, followed by Acela. The train journey from Portland to Boston takes 2h 30m and costs around $34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $115 for a 8h 13m trip. The train station in Portland is called Portland, and is located 3.0 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Portland is to pick up a car rental from Boston, which is about 159 km from Portland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in Boston.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portland, including Concord Coach Lines, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Boston, the bus ride to Portland takes 185 km and will cost you around $54. From New York, the ticket costs about $170 for a journey of 579 km. The most popular bus station is Portland City Hall, located 0.3 km from downtown Portland. Portland Bus Stop is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Portland, you’ll arrive at Portland Airport (PWM), which is located 5 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Portland include American Airlines, United Airlines and Air Canada. The shortest domestic flight to Portland departs from Charleston and takes around 2h 24m.

Train

Amtrak is the most popular train carrier serving Portland, followed by Acela. The train journey from Portland to Boston takes 2h 30m and costs around $34 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from New York, expect to pay about $115 for a 8h 13m trip. The train station in Portland is called Portland, and is located 3.0 km from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Portland is to pick up a car rental from Boston, which is about 159 km from Portland. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in Boston.

Bus

Several bus lines operate bus routes to Portland, including Concord Coach Lines, Greyhound and FlixBus. From Boston, the bus ride to Portland takes 185 km and will cost you around $54. From New York, the ticket costs about $170 for a journey of 579 km. The most popular bus station is Portland City Hall, located 0.3 km from downtown Portland. Portland Bus Stop is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 km from the city center.

Airports near Portland

Airlines serving Portland

KLM
Good (1,411 reviews)
Lufthansa
Good (7,576 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,003 reviews)
British Airways
Good (7,532 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,047 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,788 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (9,019 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,025 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,664 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,417 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,493 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (10,462 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (874 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,305 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,583 reviews)
Cathay Pacific
Good (1,061 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,334 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (11,317 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,136 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (1,406 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Portland

Average rates range from around $157 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $342 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hampton Inn Portland Downtown - Waterfront and Inn at Portland.

Where to stay in popular areas of Portland

Most booked hotels in Portland

Harraseeket Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.8, 951 reviews)
$117+
Holiday Inn Portland-By The Bay
3 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1730 reviews)
$85+
Portland Harbor Hotel
4 stars
Excellent (8.4, 1183 reviews)
$116+
Hampton Inn Portland Downtown - Waterfront
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1641 reviews)
$100+
The Westin Portland Harborview
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 991 reviews)
$105+
Comfort Inn South Portland Airport
2 stars
Excellent (8, 1008 reviews)
$109+

Renting a car in Portland

Renting a car in Portland costs $77 per day, on average, or $153 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Portland is the Budget branch at 1001 Westbrook Street, which is 5 km from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 10% more expensive than at Portland.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Portland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Portland is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar) are, on average, 40% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Portland costs $77 per day, on average, or $153 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Alamo, Budget and Enterprise Rent-A-Car are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Portland is the Budget branch at 1001 Westbrook Street, which is 5 km from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 10% more expensive than at Portland.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Portland (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Portland is Intermediate (Hyundai Elantra or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Chevrolet Tahoe or similar) are, on average, 40% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.