Nestled between Maine’s forest-covered mountains and spectacular rugged coast, Portland is a rough-hewn gem of New England. Seascapes and cityscapes blend harmoniously in Portland, perched on a peninsula, jutting out into island-studded Casco Bay.

Within a 15-mile radius of the city lies a range of countryside and coastal landscapes including ocean, many beautiful freshwater lakes, great mountains for skiing in the winter, and the unsurpassed beauty of Acadia National Park. Portland is Maine’s business, financial, and retail capital, and the city’s natural deep water port rivals Boston, New York, and Philadelphia for cargo and oil shipments. Historic architecture blends gracefully with the new as you stroll along her working waterfront or the cobblestone streets of the restored Old Port section of the city.

The waterfront provides access to the sea for commercial shipping and a host of pleasure activities. Today, from the welcoming beacon of Portland Head Light to the salty lobstermen of Casco Bay, the coast remains an area steeped in nautical history and graced with the beauty of the sea.

Reprinted, with permission of the publisher, from 50 FABULOUS GAY-FRIENDLY PLACES TO LIVE (www.FabCities.com) © 2005 Gregory A. Kompes. Published by Career Press, Franklin Lakes, NJ. 800-227-3371. All rights reserved.