One night--Should we stay in Old Port or Cape Elizabeth?

Hello all and thanks in advance for your advice.

My wife and I recently moved to Boston and we were planning a short trip up to Maine and over to the White Mountains to see foilage this weekend. We are driving up coastal Maine and would like to spend one night in the Portland area but we cannot decide between staying in Old Port versus Cape Elizabeth (Inn by the Sea). What are your thoughts?

Cheers.

Chris.

One night--Should we stay in Old Port or Cape Elizabeth?

If you stay in Cape Elizabeth, at Inn by the Sea, for example, you%26#39;ll have a true ocean-view room. But you%26#39;ll be stuck there for the evening and have to drive to dinner or anything else. Unless, of course, you eat dinner at the Inn.

If you stay in the Old Port, your ocean view will be more of a busy port view. But you will be able to walk to dinner or a bar for a pre- or post- dinner drink. And you%26#39;ll be able to walk the cobblestone streets to morning coffee or early shopping. And even know of a couple who hit four restaurants for four courses to make a delicious meal.

We stayed at Inn by the Sea our first few times and it is very nice. We walked the path down to the beach one morning. Very pleasant and very Maine, with little fir-covered islands.

Now we stay in the Old Port at The Regency, sometimes at the Hilton Garden Inn. We have excellent martinis in the comfortable businessmen%26#39;s bar in the lower level of The Regency. We walk over to Street and Company or Fore Street for an excellent dinner. We stroll to catch the lights of the town in the evening. In the morning, we pick up the papers (free) at the hotel and walk over to Exchange Street for a cinnamon bun and latte at Breaking New Grounds. When the shops open, we always hit the wonderful kitchen store, Le Roux Kitchen, and the Italian Market, Micucci%26#39;s, before asking for the car and going to Whole Foods on our way out of town.

One night--Should we stay in Old Port or Cape Elizabeth?

Thanks Bonnie! I think that%26#39;s what we will end up doing. We will most likely visit Cape Elizabeth during the day and stay in Old Port.