(800) 814 COOL Questions? Call Us Now!

Ultimate Portland Self-Guided Driving GPS Audio Tour

47 Reviews | Portland, USA

Book online or call us

1 to 2 hours (approx.)

Mobile ticket

Instant confirmation

Overview

Experience historic architecture, harbor views, and rich seaside culture with this driving tour of Portland, Maine! Cross the cobbled streets of Old Port, chock full of shops, restaurants, and bars, all complemented by the sparkling bay. Dive into the city’s long and embattled history at a church still sporting British cannonballs. See iconic Maine lighthouses and visit pristine beaches. Portland may be a small city, but it packs a big punch!

Purchase one tour per car, not per person. Everyone listens together!

After booking, check your email to download the separate Audio Tour Guide App by Action, enter your unique password, and access your tour. These steps require good internet/Wi-Fi access. From there, follow the audio instructions and the route.

Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

This isn't an entrance ticket. Check opening hours before your visit.

What's Included

Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!
Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!
Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!
Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!
Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!
Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!
Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone

Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations

See 5 more See 4 more

Meeting Location

Meeting point

Ocean Gateway Pier
Portland, ME 04101, USA

Show on Google Maps

Detailed check-in instructions, including the exact address, are provided with your booking confirmation.

End point

This activity ends back at the meeting point.

What To Expect

Commercial Street

Portland’s Harbor (the body of water that you just sailed in on) is a “deep water” port, it generally does not freeze over during the winters. the Gulf of Maine has very strong tides, and those tides mix the water column and bring deeper, warmer water to the surface all along the coast.Note: This 10+mile-long tour covers the essentials of Portland in 1-2 hours.Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Victoria Mansion

This is the Victoria Mansion. Built by Ruggles Morse in 1858. “the best standing example of Victorian art, architecture and decoration.” He named it “Victoria Mansion” after Britain’s Queen Victoria, It was built as his summer home.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

The Danforth

On the left-hand side, see the colorful brick rowhouses. These were built originally for the servant class, these rowhouses are now very nice… expensive condominiums. After all those fires, brick was used from that point on throughout the city, not a lot of wood.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

West Street

The Maine Medical Center is home of the Barbara Bush Children’s Wing. Mrs. Bush, the wife of our 41st president and the mother of the 43rd president, she lived much of her life in Kennebunkport, Maine, 30 miles south of Portland. She passed away in 2018. Mrs. Bush did so much great work raising money for treatment of kids with terrible illnesses, and her legacy is remembered in the Children’s wing of the Maine Medical Center.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

One Longfellow Square

On the right side of the coach we’ll pass the home of Neal Dow. A former Portland mayor, Neal Dow is known as the father of the American Prohibition. In 1851, then Mayor Dow pushed through a statewide prohibition-- banning the sale and consumption of intoxicating beverages--that became the model for the National Prohibition.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Arts District

This is the “Portland’s Arts District”. The area has many independent art galleries, working studios, Coffee houses and restaurants. Up ahead, on the right, is the Portland Art Museum.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Brown Street

Just past the non-descript building on the right—the gray/brown Maine Historical Society headquarters—is the Wadsworth Longfellow House. It’s the brick building set a little back from the road, on the left. This is the house where the poet grew up. Built after the Revolutionary War by Peleg Wadsworth, a Revolutionary War General and the grandfather of Henry Longfellow, it’s the oldest brick house in Portland.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Temple Street

On our left side is the 1st Parish Unitarian Universalist Church. This is the oldest church in Portland. The building is the second building that has housed this congregation.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Portland City Hall

On the left is Portland’s City Hall, a beautiful building for a small city. This is the third City Hall building on this site. The first two building were destroyed by fire

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Franklin Street

The tall brick and concrete building to your left is the Franklin Tower, built in the 1970s. It’s the tallest building in the state of Maine at 16 stories.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Eastern Cemetery

Here’s Portland’s Eastern Cemetery, it’s the oldest cemetery in the City of Portland Some Head Stones date back to 1768. The oldest markers were wooden, and they were lost to the fires.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Portland Observatory

Let’s go back to the 1800’s, during that time, ships entering Portland Harbor could not be seen from the docks until they rounded the point of land at Spring Point Ledge and were almost in the harbor.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Waterville Street

Notice that there are several examples of the “flattop triple-decker” this tenement housing style, which is very typical here in New England, were built in the 1880s to the 1920s.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Munjoy Street

Off to the right is Portland Harbor. Part of Casco Bay, an inlet on the Southern Coast of the Gulf of Maine, the City of Portland sits along its southern edge and the Port of Portland lies within.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Casco Bay

If you look over your right shoulder, see the land mass with the oil tanks. That's the City of South Portland.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Eastern Promenade Trail

The Eastern Promenade is a great space where Portlanders get out and enjoy the nice weather and the sea breezes, at the foot of the Eastern Prom is a little beach called the East End Beach.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Walnut Street

After the British destroyed city in 1775, Portland’s city leaders decided that they need to build a fort. The green space on the right is the result of that decision.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Fore Street Restaurant

You'll remember earlier we spoke about the streets in Old Portland, how they were named due to their proximity to the water. They are Fore St, Middle St and Back St.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Casco Bay Bridge

Continuing our drive here in Portland, we will make our way to the Casco Bay Bridge. The Bridge spans Casco Bay and connects the City of Portland with the City of South Portland.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Meetinghouse Hill

While we make our way through the City of South Portland we approach Meetinghouse Hill. Meetinghouse Hill is a kind of quintessential New England scene with the cemetery on the left and the Civil War statue on the right and a beautiful church behind the Civil War statue.

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Fort Williams Park

We’re now entering Fort Williams Park. You’ll notice several military installations here in the park

5 minutes • Admission Ticket Free

Show 19 more stops

Additional Info

Confirmation is instant and will be received at time of booking
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
How To Access: After booking, you’ll get an email and text with setup instructions and password (search “audio tour” in emails and texts). • Download the separate tour app by Action • Enter the password sent by email and text. • MUST download the tour while in strong wifi/cellular. • Works offline after download.
How to start touring: Open Action’s separate audio tour guide app once onsite. • If there is just one tour, launch it. • If multiple tour versions exist, launch the one with your planned starting point and direction.

Go to the starting point No one will meet you at the start. This tour is self-guided Enter the first story’s point and the audio will begin automatically Follow the audio cues to the next story, which will also play automatically. Enjoy hands-free exploring. If you face audio issues, contact support. Stick to the tour route & speed limit for the best experience.
Travel worry-free: Use the tour app anytime, on any day, and over multiple days. Start and pause the tour whenever you like, taking breaks and exploring side excursions at your own pace. Skip anything you don’t care about or explore bonus content for everything that interests you
Savings tips: Driving tours: purchase just one tour for everyone in the car
Buy once, use for one year! Ideal for extended visits and return trips over the next 12 months.
Audio Setup: Connect your phone to your car's stereo system using Bluetooth, USB, or AUX. For the best experience, consider using headphones for walking tours. Audio playback is compatible with Apple CarPlay, with navigation features coming soon. Support for Android Auto is also on the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

(6)

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Ultimate Portland Self-Guided Driving GPS Audio Tour?

A: You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund. For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EDT). Read more Apr 2025

Cancellation Policy

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

Still have questions?

We're here to help.
Activity code: C-259640P10

Traveler Photos

See more

See more

Reviews

4.06

47 reviews

Average 4.06 out of 5 stars based on 47 traveler reviews collected by City Boat Tours and partner sites such as Cool Destinations and TripAdvisor

5 stars

19

4 stars

20

3 stars

4

2 stars

0

1 star

4

Similar Tours & Activities

Sail Portland Maine's Lighthouse Cruise

Sail Portland Maine's Lighthouse Cruise

New To The Site!

2 hours Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$700

Small Group Scenic Lighthouse Boat Cruise With Local Drinks

Small Group Scenic Lighthouse Boat Cruise With Local Drinks

53

1 hour 30 minutes Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$81

Seven Portland Lighthouses Tour

Seven Portland Lighthouses Tour

12

2 hours 15 minutes Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$99

Portland Pedicab Taxi Reserve

Portland Pedicab Taxi Reserve

New To The Site!

5 to 20 minutes Hotel pickup offered Free Cancellation

from
$50

Travelers Who Bought This Tour Also Bought

Discover Portland City and Lighthouse Tour

Discover Portland City and Lighthouse Tour

612

1 hour 45 minutes Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$54

Vintage Fire Truck Sightseeing Tour of Portland Maine

Vintage Fire Truck Sightseeing Tour of Portland Maine

730

50 minutes Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$39

The Real Portland Tour: City and 3 Lighthouses Historical Tour with a Real Local

The Real Portland Tour: City and 3 Lighthouses Historical Tour with a Real Local

1,299

1 hour 45 minutes Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$69

Portland Tall Ship Cruise on Casco Bay

Portland Tall Ship Cruise on Casco Bay

226

2 hours Free Cancellation Instant Confirmation

from
$102.35

Last Minute Availability

Popular Portland Searches

Accessible Portland Tours & Activities

Things To Do in Portland

Portland Calendar

Portland Guides

The answers provided below were previously given in response to questions from City Boat Tours customers.

Q: What is the cancellation policy for the Ultimate Portland Self-Guided Driving GPS Audio Tour?

A:

You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the tour for a full refund.

For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the tour start time.
If you cancel less than 24 hours before the tour start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
Any changes made less than 24 hours before the tour start time will not be accepted.
Cut-off times are based on the tour local time (EDT).

Apr 2025

Q: What's included in the price?

A:

The following is included:

Engaging storytelling: Uncover unique tales and thrilling history for a memorable journey!.
Perfect narrator: nothing can beat listening to a great voice. Proven with tons of rave reviews!.
Offline maps: no signal, no problem! Works perfectly without cellular or wifi.
Comprehensive route and stops: See it all, miss nothing, leave no stone unturned!.
Go at your own pace: Start anytime, pause anywhere, enjoy breaks for snacks and photos freely!.
Hands-free: audio stories play on their own based on your location. Easy to use!.
Great value: purchase per car, not per person. More affordable than bus or guided tours!.
Easy-to-use app: download Action’s Tour Guide App onto your phone.

The following is NOT included:

Attraction passes, entry tickets, or reservations.

Apr 2025

Q: What is the minimum age for this tour?

A:

There is no minimum age for this tour, so bring your wee one along for an adventure..

Apr 2025

Q: My date is not available in the calendar, I am just checking to see if it is available?

A:

If a date or time is not listed on the calendar, it’s sold out or unavailable for another reason. Support cannot assist further if a date or time is not on the calendar.

If you find a date and time that works for you, book it NOW because things always sell out at this time of year.

Apr 2025

Q: Is this an accessible tour?

A:

Accessibility information for the Ultimate Portland Self-Guided Driving GPS Audio Tour is as follows:

Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels

Apr 2025

Q: Where is the meeting point for this activity?

A:

Detailed check-in instructions – including meeting point address, Google map, and parking information – for Ultimate Portland Self-Guided Driving GPS Audio Tour will be included in your confirmation email from City Boat Tours. Please be sure to double and triple check your email address is correct at checkout so this important email makes its way to you!

Mar 2024