Working Remotely in Portland, Maine
This is part of my remote work travel series where I review places I visit as a digital nomad. Follow me on Instagram, YouTube, Substack, and TikTok for more travel content!
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Portland, Maine: Travel Guide for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
Welcome to another edition of my fall road trip! Kyle and I continued driving down the East Coast and are enjoying all of the fall foliage.
Portland, Maine is one of the clear highlights of the trip — even though we were only here for a few days. Here are my travel tips for you if you’re planning on visiting Portland soon!
Where to Stay in Portland, Maine for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
We stayed in this very cute Airbnb that was deceptively huge, with loft-like high ceilings and a huge kitchen and cozy bed. The location of our place was unbeatable: we were in walking distance from great brunch spots, coffeeshops, and dinner places that were the best that Portland had to offer.
The only downside of being centrally located is that there can be a bit more noise, but it wasn’t too bad if you’re used to city noise like I am.
With Portland, do some research before you pick a place to stay. Some neighborhoods are much better (and safer) than others, and there were parts of Portland that weren’t as nice as the area we were in.
What to Do in Portland, Maine for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
The ocean views next to the Portland Head Light
We didn’t have much time in Portland, so my partner Kyle and I decided to drive to the Portland Head Light. Kyle and I aren’t the biggest lobster roll fans (especially as I’m more of a strict vegetarian these days), but one of the best lobster rolls in Portland is located right next to the Head Light at Bite into Maine.
What to Eat in Portland, Maine for Digital Nomads and Remote Workers
I was pretty impressed by most of the things we ate in Portland.
For Breakfast and Bagel Sandwiches: Forage Market. These bagel sandwiches were some of the best I’ve had in a long time! It gets a bit crazy on weekends so expect a line, but it still moved pretty fast. We went here two days in a row because I was obsessed.
For Green Smoothies: Bay Bowls Portland ME. This is right down the street from Forage Market, so after you get your bagel walk down to grab your green smoothie from here!
For Donuts and Hot Chocolate: Hifi Donuts. These were my personal favorite donuts in the city — and their hot chocolate was pretty great, too.
For Potato Donuts: The Holy Donut. Portland is known for their famous potato donuts, so come here to get your fix. Expect a line — this place is the most popular donut shop in town!
For Dinner: Cong Tu Bot. I love Vietnamese food, and this dinner spot didn’t disappoint. You can’t go wrong with anything on the menu, here.
Overall Thoughts on Portland, Maine as a Digital Nomad
Portland was a lively stop on our Northeast Roadtrip, but I’m not in a rush to return. If you love lighthouses and some fresh lobster, this is a good stop for you, but otherwise you may be better off prioritizing other destinations.
My Ratings of Portland, Maine as a Digital Nomad
Affordability: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Not the cheapest city I’ve been to this year, but fairly affordable.
Food Quality: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars. The food was really solid here: nothing breathtaking, but some really delicious places if you know where to look.
Vegetarian Options: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5 stars. There were plenty of vegetarian options here, so it’s not an issue.
Adventures/Day Trips: ⭐️ 1/5 stars. Other than the lighthouses, there aren’t a ton of compelling day trips nearby.
Cafes/Co-Working Space Availability: ⭐️ 1/5 stars. There weren’t very many coffeeshops that seemed to have a good amount of space and cozy workstations.
Digital Nomad-Friendly City: ⭐️ 1/5 stars. Portland feels like a place tourists come — but not necessarily a place you live. It’s great that certain areas are very walkable, but I’ve enjoyed other cities more.
Value of Accommodations for Remote Workers: ⭐️ 1/5 stars. Decent options are available, but you might have to compromise on location or quality.
General Weather: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Portland had some pretty solid weather for us during our short trip here, so even in October it wasn’t too cold.
Air Quality: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. The air quality is typical for a major U.S. city. Meaning? Pretty bad for your health.
Water Quality: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. People say the tap water safe, but we tested the tap it and it was hard water. Better to go bottled.
Overall Rating: ⭐️⭐️ 2/5 stars. Portland is a nice U.S. city, but that’s not saying very much. I liked the food here — and though it was one of the better destinations on our road trip! — but I found myself missing Europe quite a bit.
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