Traveling with Laura

Since I don’t have any major trips planned for this summer, I’ve decided this will be the summer of day trips and local adventures. And my first stop is none other than one of my favorite New England cities, Portland, Maine. Since I’ve been to Portland many times before I wanted to do a couple of things I hadn’t done before.

Though I’ve visited the Casco Bay Islands on previous trips, I’ve never taken the time to get off the ferry and really explore any of the islands. So my first order of business was to catch the 9:15 ferry to Peaks Island, a short 15-minute ride from the ferry terminal in downtown Portland.

I was soon walking up Island Avenue to get my second breakfast of the day (I already had a bowl of cereal before I left home). A sticky, gooey, and deliciously sweet morning bun and an iced mocha greeted me at Baba’s Cafe. I was determined to sit outside despite the nonrelenting gusty wind but did have to don my sweatshirt to keep warm. After a relaxing breakfast, I headed just down the street to Brad and Wyatt’s Island Bike Rental to pick up a bike to explore the island.

A four-mile loop circles the island and provides views of the rocky coast, surrounding islands, beautiful beach roses, and of course, the Atlantic Ocean. I took a wrong turn early on and missed the road along the water but rejoined the route along Seashore Avenue which follows the back side of Peaks Island. Seashore Avenue features waves crashing along the rocky coast and plenty of places to stop and enjoy the view. 

I also missed the turn for the road to Battery Steele but managed to find a small trail that led me there from the main road. Battery Steele was used as a World War II fortification during the 1940s. Today, it is mostly overgrown and covered with graffiti. I walked through the two sides but didn’t walk through the completely dark and wet interior. 

I rode the rest of the way back to the ferry landing and returned the bike before stopping to admire a museum that is in the Guiness Book of World Records: The Umbrella Cover Museum. Yes, you read that right. The museum is dedicated not to the umbrellas themselves but to their covers. Nancy 3. Hoffman started the museum in 1996 with only 80 covers but since then the collection has grown to over 2,500 umbrella covers. It was interesting to see and the museumgoers were even treated to an accordion singalong of the museum’s theme song. The museum’s mission statement reflects an encouragement to celebrate the mundane, and I certainly did that during my visit today.

I took the 12:45 ferry back to Portland, stopped to reapply sunscreen and change shoes in my car and then headed to Eventide Oyster Co. for lunch. Eventide is most known for their brown butter lobster rolls which turned out to be the perfect size for a light lunch. I paired it with a Freedom’s Edge cider which was also delicious. 

Then I was off to walk up Munjoy Hill and the Eastern Promenade. It was cloudy and less breezy but alas my plans to visit the Portland Observatory fell through when I realized the last entry was at 3:30 and I wasn’t close enough to make it in time. I continued my loop back to the Old Port and then wandered around to do some window shopping on my way to dinner.

I eat at Duckfat just about every time I am in Portland because how can you pass up duck fat poutine and a crème anglaise and Tahitian vanilla bean milkshake? It was obviously delicious, as always.

My last stop for the day was at Fort Williams Park in Cape Elizabeth, just south of Portland. The park is most known as the home of the Portland Head Light, one of the most recognizable lighthouses on the Maine coast. I wandered along the cliff walk and took some pictures before getting back in the car to head home. Every time I visit Portland, I ask myself why I don’t go there more often since I absolutely love the city and its surroundings. Who knows… perhaps I’ll find myself back in Portland again before the summer is over!