Portland, Maine, USA
On a peninsula in Casco Bay, this darling of the Pine Tree State – formerly its capital – lends urban sensibility to the wild splendor of the craggy coastline beyond. At the Old Port waterfront, restaurants and revelry now fill the 19th-century warehouses. Stroll along cobblestone streets and breathe in the fresh scent of the sea. Perhaps catch the strains of some bluegrass or blues from a nearby bar while hardworking fishermen on the wharves catch the next day’s lunch. At Cape Elizabeth just to the south, the Portland Head Light stands as a beacon to the ocean’s travelers.