Portland, Maine
If you want that ultra-local experience, think Portland, Maine. We’re talking art galleries, microbreweries, distilleries (including vodka and…mead!), and one of the best farmers markets in the country. Just by heading to Deering Oaks Park on Saturday morning you can see restaurant chefs picking their ingredients for the day.
In Portland, staying local pays off! According to consulting firm Runzheimer International, an average dinner in Portland will run you about $34, including tax and tip, whereas in nearby Boston, a similar meal will cost more than $45.
One way to keep it local is to eat those Maine lobsters. Portland Lobster Company serves one of the best lobster rolls in the city, using only the catch that came in that day.
Just outside of town’s Maine’s forrest and coastline caters to adventure. If weather permits,you can rent out a snowmobile for the day and cruise around the many snow trails that dot the area.
Where are you traveling this year? Tell Peter your top picks for 2012 in the comments.
For more ideas and information, check out:
- Peter’s CBS This Morning Report on Hot Destinations in 2012
- Peter’s CBS News Report on How Americans Can Travel to Cuba
- 10 Lesser Known Treasures in Portugal, part 1 and part 2
- Past problems in Burma and Myanmar
By Steve Breazeale for PeterGreenberg.com
