On our first full day in Portland we decided to rent buggies and explore Peaks Island. Unlike the 4×4 off-road vehicle we had in Whistler, these were a lot more leisurely and were in the form of golf carts like you would use on a golf course. Neither of us had ever driven a golf cart before but we figured how hard could it be. We had to take a ferry from Portland to the island, which took about 15 minutes – fortunately the water was calm so Si didn’t go green!

Once we arrived the rental place was right next to the ferry terminal so after a 1 minute lesson on how to operate them we were off. We rented them for 2 hours and it was a fun way to travel around the whole island.

Apparently they are the most popular mode of transport there, with even locals using them to get around. There were hardly any cars, it was all buggies, bikes and pedestrians…very strange. It is not a huge island and it probably took us around 45 minutes to do a whole loop (so we did it twice) and it is very picturesque as the majority of it is right next to the the coast. There are also a lot of interesting houses and buildings along the way. You are able to “park” your cart anywhere too which meant you could leave it at the side of the road whenever you wanted to take a photo or have a stroll (or get a coffee). We even went “off-road” a few times, down some dirt roads which were very narrow and bumpy…not sure the tires were really cut out for this though so it was a relief to get back to more solid ground. All in all it was great way to spend the morning.

Lighthouses

One of the things that Portland is most famous for (along with fresh seafood and lobster rolls) are lighthouses, so after the buggies we visited a few of them. The first, and probably best, was Portland Head Light, which is the oldest (and apparently the most photographed) lighthouse in Maine, and located on the shores of Fort Williams Park, Cape Elizabeth.

Although you are not actually allowed in the lighthouse itself you can still get near it and the views of it as you walk along the cliff edge are stunning.

Once we’d visited the lighthouse we discovered there was more to do in Fort Williams Park than we thought including a lovely walk along the coastal path, and we got to explore the demolished US army post Fort Williams.

Bug Light

The second lighthouse was called “Bug Light”, not to be confused with the drink Bud Light, which is what I thought it said at first. It’s proper name is Portland Breakwater Light but it has the affectionate nickname of Bug Light due to its small size and shape. This is located in South Portland and does have nice views of the main harbour, where we were earlier to catch the ferry.

Spring Point Ledge

The third and final lighthouse was Spring Point Ledge, which was about a 40 minute walk from ‘Bug Light’. It is located on the campus of Southern Maine Community College and there is a jetty of rocks/boulders to walk along to reach it which was really cool. And the views across the water were great too.

Day 2 in Portland

Our second day we did a hike in the morning, which took us through a forest and up to a small waterfall, then we went to the mall to have a look around the shops before heading for a few beers. We found this area, like an industrial estate, which had 3 breweries literally next to each other. So after much deliberation of the beer menus in each, we went to ‘Battery Steele Brewing’ and the ‘Foundation Brewing Co’. It was my Dad’s birthday that day too so we made sure to raise a glass to him!

More from us from Bar Harbor soon…

Lucy