Paddling near Portland, ME

Set on the Cumberland County coast, Portland puts three kinds of paddling within an hour's reach. Casco Bay — one of New England's premier sea-kayaking arenas — fronts the city with an archipelago of islands, lighthouses, and coves, while the Sebago Lakes region and the Saco River watershed add lake and river options. The Maine Island Trail, America's first water trail, runs straight through the bay, with Jewell Island an 8-mile overnight paddle from East End Beach.