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(Clockwise from top) Downtown Portland offers great restaurants and gay nightlife. (Photo by Chris Lawrence); Downtown Portland is a great spot to check out small stores, restaurants and galleries. (Photo courtesy Portland Convention
and Visitors Bureau); Portland, Maine’s largest city, appeals to travelers seeking beautiful scenery and cultural activities.
(Photo by Mike Leonard)
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HOME > ENTERTAINMENT > FEATURE
By: AMY CAVANAUGH COMMENTS
 
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a great deal of work by Maine artists into its collection. The museum also has a small sculpture garden, filled with wild flowers and overlooking the ocean, a great place to relax before moving onto the next gallery. The museum, 543 Shore Road, is open through Oct. 31. For more information, visit www.ogunquitmuseum.org. Head back to the center of town and hit the half-dozen galleries lining the street that showcase local, contemporary artists.
Gay-owned the Front Porch is ideal for both dinner and to kick off a night out, as there’s a lively piano bar upstairs. The starter menu presents nice takes on classic dishes — the fried calamari is accompanied by two sauces, a Portuguese tomato sauce and a hot smoked paprika aioli, both of which complemented the fresh-tasting squid nicely, and the mushroom flatbread, topped with sugar cured bacon, caramelized onions and cheddar, was a great combination of flavors, and could have stood alone as a meal. The tempura shrimp salad showcased the lightest, most delicate tempura I’ve ever had, and the ginger soy vinaigrette coating the field greens was a gentle, yet flavorful topping. A summery sangria rounded out what was a nearly perfect meal. The restaurant is located at 9 Shore Rd. For more information, visit www.thefrontporch.net.
Ogunquit features a few gay bars, including the Maine Street Video Bar, which holds lots of special weekend parties, weekly karaoke and monthly women’s dances. The bar is located at 195 Main St. For more information, visit www.mainestreetogunquit.com. Next door to the bar is Tapas and Tinis, where a long list of martinis guarantees that you’ll be in the mood to dance before heading to the bar, and the outdoor porch allows for people watching.
Spending the night in Ogunquit lets you take advantage of the nightlife without worrying about how you’re getting back to Portland. The Dolphin Den, located on a quiet street a few minutes’ walk from the town center, is a tiny gay-owned inn. The four cozy rooms are decorated with a nautical theme and include conveniences like air conditioning and a refrigerator. The owners, Rick and Joe, are incredibly helpful and accommodating, and they pointed me in the direction of gay-owned businesses in town. The Dolphin Den, 69 Cottage Street, is open through late fall. For more information, visit www.thedolphinden.com.
Another inn to check out is the Ogunquit Beach Inn, which is also gay-owned and located close to the gay nightlife. Open through Halloween, the inn includes breakfast on the porch, Internet access, and it’s a quick walk to the beach. The inn is located at 67 School Street. For more information, visit www.ogunquitbeachinn.com.
For more information on gay activities in Ogunquit, visit www.gayogunquit.com, and for activities in Portland, visit www.gayportlandmaine.com.
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