Guided tour

Portland, Maine: Hidden Histories Downtown Walking Tour

4.8 / 5

23 reviews

Activity provider: Portland by the Foot
Guided tour

Portland, Maine: Hidden Histories Downtown Walking Tour

Activity provider: Portland by the Foot

From US$ 49 per person

Explore Portland's downtown, Old Port, and working waterfront on foot with your locally-raised guide. Hidden histories are revealed about folks and events left out of the mainstream history books.

About this activity

Free cancellation
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Covid-19 precautions
Special health and safety measures are in place. Check your activity voucher once you book for full details.
Duration 2 hours
Check availability to see starting times.
Live tour guide
English
Wheelchair accessible

Experience

Highlights
  • Smell the fresh ocean air blowing in at Portland's charming waterfront
  • Discover the forces of war, nature, and economics that shaped the city
  • Learn about Indigenous Wabanaki diplomats, Chinese laundrymen, and more
  • Stroll through 400 years, hearing local stories and seeing historical images
  • See the buildings that rose from the ashes of the great fire of 1866
Full description
Discover Portland's hidden histories on a guided walking tour of the Old Port, downtown, and the working waterfront. Marvel at images of the past and at the colorful storytelling your guide shares with you to make the past come alive. Hear stories only a local knows about the city's sights, streets, and buildings. Explore the Old Port, Portland's major public buildings, and the working waterfront, winding through intimate cobblestone streets along the way. See the city's charming red-brick buildings, its waterfront filled with seafood restaurants and sea views, and more. Learn fascinating anecdotes and facts about Portland, sharing them with friends down the line to show your newly-gained local knowledge. End your tour in a waterfront park, about a 5-minute walk from where you started, surrounded by boutiques, restaurants, and other activity opportunities to continue your own discovery of the city. Entertainer-historian Dugan Murphy leads unforgettable jaunts through his hometown, telling an inclusive, empowering, and surprising constellation of tales you won't hear on other tours. Find out why TripAdvisor named him Portland's #1 tour guide!
Includes
  • Walking tour
  • Tour guide
  • Printed historical images
  • Donation to the restoration of the Abyssinian Meeting House
  • Tips

Select participants and date

Participants

Date

Meeting point

Meet your guide at the Post Office Park, on the corner of Middle and Exchange Streets in the heart of the Old Port. This is 0.5 miles (.8 km) from the cruise ship terminal. Tommy's Park is on the other side of Exchange Street. Your guide will be waiting amongst the big rocks in Post Office Park. He'll be carrying a Portland by the Foot sign. To find parking, give yourself plenty of time. The Temple Street Parking Garage (https://www.mhrmanagement.com/portland-maine-parking/temple-street-parking-garage) at 11 Temple Street is one block from where the tour starts. Street parking options are restricted to 2 hours or less, and the tour is 2 hours, so it is best to park in an official parking lot. Parking meters are free on Sundays.

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Important information

What to bring

  • Comfortable shoes
  • Umbrella
  • Water
  • Weather-appropriate clothing

Not allowed

  • Pets (assistance dogs allowed)

Know before you go

  • If you use a wheelchair, a walker, or are unsteady on your feet, you might experience mobility challenges on the tour as your traverse cobblestone streets, uneven brick sidewalks, and narrow pathways
  • The tour normally descends a staircase of 17 steps; let your guide know if you need to avoid the staircase and he will reroute while seeing the same landmarks
  • You will walk 1.5 miles and will only spend about 1/4 of the time in motion. The longest distance between tour stops is about 0.2 miles (a 4-minute walk)
  • This tour takes place rain or shine
  • A portion of every ticket sale will help fund the restoration of the Abyssinian Meeting House, Maine's oldest—and America's third-oldest—Black church
  • There are no bathroom stops en route. There are public bathrooms at the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal (https://www.cascobaylines.com/about-us/parking-and-directions) on Commercial Street
Customer reviews

Overall rating

4.8 /5

based on 23 reviews

Review summary

  • Guide
    4.9/5
  • Value for money
    4.7/5

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great time in Portland

November 21, 2022

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Knowledgeable and informative presented with humor

October 23, 2022

Excellent! Very well done and informative. It was great having a local who clearly loves his city guide and share his knowledge. Highly recommend!!!

October 22, 2022

Product ID: 414813