Portland Explorer: Working Waterfront Walking Tour with Seafood
Recommended by 93% of travellers
Badge of Excellence
Portland, USA
- 2 hours 30 minutes (approx.)
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
What's Included
- Seafood at Local Seafood Market
- Fascinating maritime stories from expert guides
- Guided walking tour of Portland’s historic waterfront
- Water at Portland Beer Hub
- Alcoholic BeveragesWelcome pour of beer or soda at Portland Beer Hub
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
Meeting point
- Portland Beer Hub320 Fore St, Portland, ME 04101, USA
Arrive 15 MINUTES before the start time of your tour. Meet inside of the retail store, Portland Beer Hub (320 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101), in downtown Portland's Old Port.
End point
This activity ends back at the meeting point.Itinerary
1
Old Port
1 hour • Admission Ticket Free
2
Commercial Street
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Near public transportation
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Travellers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- Not recommended for travelers with seafood allergies
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travellers
Supplied by
Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveller Photos
Reviews
4.8
based on 27 reviews
Sort by: Most recent
Peter was a kind person but was lacking in enough facts and anecdotes to keep the tour interesting. There just wasn't enough to see. We were supposed to visit a fish auction, but he wasn't aware that it was cancelled for the day. That seems like something a tour guide should have checked on and perhaps come up with another activity to fill the time. Disappointing. There was very little in the tour that counted as "working". We walked to a retail fish market. We ate sushi. Not much more than that. Really felt taken on this one.
Peter, our tour guide, was great. He was friendly, knowledgeable, entertaining and kept us on track.
We did not know what to expect with this tour and we were pleasantly suprised along the way. From the first interaction with Eric (our guide), we were blown away by what we experienced. This is an educational tour that allows you to really understand the process of 'line to table' in the fishing industry. We visited a seafood market, a fish auction / warehouse, and finished with a unique visit to ISF for some incredible sashimi to end the day. I highly recommend this tour and it was one of the highlights of our New England vacation.
Our guide was a high school history teacher and she was fabulous! As a person she was joyful and loved the work she does. As a guide, her articulation of the subject was insightful, easily understood, very broad and in depth as our group asked more and more questions! I highly recommend her for others!!
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Sounds like a wonderful tour with Elise! She's such a wealth of knowledge for Portland's maritime history and we know how much she enjoys sharing that knowledge with everyone. Portland's working waterfront is incredibly storied and we're incredibly honored to be able to showcase it every day. Thanks for joining us, and we hope to see you sometime soon!
reasonable price for an excellent tour by a local guide who was very knowledgeable about the city. He was very detailed in his presentation.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thanks so much for joining us on the Working Waterfront tour! Portland's history as a true working waterfront is incredibly rich and detailed and we love showing off that side of Portland's history, as it made the city into what we know today. There are a lot more places to explore so we hope to see you again soon!
It was a good tour Eric was very really knowledgeable about the warf and fishing . We walk all along water. Visited some fishery's and a fish warehouse where they auction off fish by the pound. Very interesting. Stop and got some sushi was great. Then back to a beer for q free sample. I got blueberry beer 🍺 amazing!
Response from Host, Sept 2026
So happy to hear you had a good tour! To be able to talk about Portland's working waterfront and maritime history is something we (Eric especially!) take very seriously and love to do. And some good food on the tour is the cherry on top! Thanks so much for joining, and we hope to see you again soon!
Very informative tour with Pete. Learned a great deal about local history and events and how the fishing industry operates in Portland.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thanks so much for joining us on the Working Waterfront tour! Portland's maritime and industrial history is incredibly rich and we're so honored to be able to showcase it every day. We're glad to hear you had fun, and thanks again for joining!
Learned a great deal of economics of fish. Got access to fish auction. Eric was great a wealth of information!
Response from Host, Sept 2026
We're so happy to hear you had a good time on the Working Waterfront tour! As a true Portland native who grew up lobstering, Eric's knowledge of the waterfront is second to none and we're so lucky to have him share it with others. We hope to see you again in town sometime soon!
Pete was a fantastic tour guide and made the experience a lot of fun! Great way to see the waterfront and learn the history
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thanks so much for joining us on the Working Waterfront Tour! Pete's such a wealth of knowledge for Portland and its maritime history, and we're so glad to hear that you enjoyed the tour with him. There's certainly a lot more to explore around town so we hope to see you again sometime soon!
Our guide grew up in a local fishing family with first hand knowledge of the industry, town and people, is a wonderful historian who made the history stories real and interesting. We had a wonderful morning.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
We're so happy to hear that you had a good time on the Working Waterfront Tour! Portland's maritime and industrial history are incredibly rich and we're so lucky to have guides who know it well and love sharing it with others. Thanks so much for joining us!
This was an amazing tour. Our tour guide was engaging and very knowledgeable about the history and the working fish/pier. I highly recommend this tour to everyone
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thanks so much for joining us on the Working Waterfront Tour! Portland's maritime history is incredibly rich and we're so honored to be able to showcase it every day. We're so glad to hear you had a fun time, and thanks again for visiting!
This is the best tour we have ever taken. We have done Viator tours all over the world and this is the best. Our guide grew up the son of a local lobster fisherman and worked the waterfront since he was a teenager. He knew and clearly explained in a manner we could understand everything about the lobster business, processing and marketing. Plus since he knew everyone by name we were able to go inside facilities where the normal public is not allowed. Highly recommended.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Wow, thank you so much for these kind words! Our Working Waterfront Tour is something we're incredibly proud of because we hope it shows Portland in a way that promotes history and preservation. And with Eric (your tour guide!) having grown up working on the waterfront, there are no shortage of stories! We're so glad to hear you had a good time, and thank you so much for joining us.
Peter was an excellent guide - very knowledgeable and personable. We got a good understanding of the fish and lobster industry past and present. The pace was leisurely and Peter kept us engaged with lively commentary as we moved through the wharf/docks area of the city. Finishing up with an authentic lunch at the ISF lunchroom was perfect.
Response from Host, Sept 2026
Thanks so much for joining us on the Working Waterfront Tour! Pete is such a wealth of knowledge for all things Portland and maritime history, and we know much he enjoys showing all the ins and outs of some lesser-explored parts of the city. There's a lot to explore so we hope to see you again soon!
This was a fantastic view into the fishing industry that has defined Portland from its inception. ..
Response from Host, Aug 2026
Thanks for joining us on the Working Waterfront tour! Portland's history as a true working coastal town is integral to what it is today and we're always thrilled to be able to highlight that part of the history/culture today. We're glad to hear you had a fun time on the tour!
Eric gives an amazinging and informative walking tour of the old warfare area of Portland. You get an up close and personal stroll through the working areas from someone who has been here and done it. Very interactive, and ends with a delicious taste of the fresh products the local water waters have to offer. Definitely worth doing.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We're so glad you had a good time on the Working Waterfront tour! As a born and raised Portland local, Eric's knowledge of the history is second to none and we know much he enjoys being able to showcase Portland's significant working waterfront. Thanks for joining, and we hope to see you again soon!
Eric was a wonderful tour guide. If you want to learn more about Maine's fishing industry from an insider, this one's for you. The side quest to the Japanese processing facility was a real hidden gem. He patiently answered all of our questions and made this one of our favorite tours ever!
Response from Host, July 2026
We're so happy to hear you had a good time on the waterfront tour! Portland's history as a working waterfront is something we feel is tremendously important to preserve so we're always honored and thrilled to do this tour. And Eric's knowledge of it all is truly astounding. Thanks for joining us!
Tom gave an excellent tour. He took us on a very interesting tour learning about the waterfront and the fish industry, learning and seeing the process of how fish are caught and the process that gets them to our tables. A very unique and enjoyable stop for a bite to eat that fit in with the history of the waterfront. It ended with an enjoyable stop at a local pub to sample one of their fine ales. This tour is recommended.
Response from Host, Aug 2026
We're so glad to hear you had a good time on the Working Waterfront tour! Portland's history as a coastal shipping/fishing town is incredibly rich and we're so grateful to have Tom share it with folks. His knowledge and passion are extensive and we're so happy you got to join him for a day of sightseeing. Hope to see you again soon!
Absolutely excellent tour. Local guide was informative and interesting. Totally recommend this tour.
Response from Host, May 2026
Thanks so much for the kind words! We're thrilled to hear you had a good time. There's a lot of depth to Portland, and we're always so honored and excited to showcase our home!
Excellent. Very informative.
The clam chowder was Excellent!! Our guide was the best. Very knowledgeable
Response from Host, Apr 2026
We're so happy to hear that you had a good time on the tour! Our guides love being able to show the local food and share the history of Portland. There's so much more to do and see in the city, so we hope to see you back sometime soon!
It was a great way to experience the city and get a personalized tour of what the old port has to offer. Our guide was awesome!
Response from Host, Dec 2025
Thanks so much, Blake! We’re glad to hear the Old Port Working Waterfront tour gave you a great feel for the city — it’s one of our favorite ways to show off Portland’s character. Wonderful to hear your guide made the experience awesome as well. Hope you’ll join us again on your next visit!
I love history and this tour did not come up short. What an amazing journey through the Old Port and time! Our guide Pete painted a picture of the past that you could see in the existing buildings and roads. He answered questions (about the port history and dining recommendations), took time to get to know us, and made us feel as if we were walking through town with an old friend. P.S. his dining recommendations did not disappoint
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for this wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear how much you enjoyed exploring Portland’s Old Port and its history with Pete. His storytelling and passion for the city truly bring the past to life, we love that it felt like walking through town with an old friend! We’re also glad his dining recommendations hit the spot. We truly appreciate your kind words and hope to see you again for another Portland Explorer adventure soon!
Excellent tour! Explored the wharf and surrounding area. Eric, our guide grew up and worked in the area. He was incredibly knowledgeable and shared stories as well as facts. The seafood tasting at the end of the tour was a highlight. As a side note I accidentally left something at the meeting/ending site. They went above and beyond making sure i knew I left it and keeping it safe until I was able to return. Well run tour organizers! Would tour with them again
Response from Host, Oct 2025
Thank you so much for sharing such a wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you enjoyed exploring the wharf and waterfront with Eric — his local knowledge and stories really bring Portland’s history to life. We’re also so glad you loved the seafood tasting and that our team was able to reunite you with your lost item , we always strive to go the extra mile for our guests. We truly appreciate your kind words and can’t wait to welcome you back for another Portland Explorer experience!
Member Pricing
From
USD 75.05
per personWas USD 79.00(-5%)
up to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Portland Explorer: Working Waterfront Walking Tour with Seafood
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