With over 200 restaurants in Portland, there's almost too much to choose from for a night out. Stop by Norm's Bar & Grill on Congress Street, a favorite hangout for ribs. Or pop into Benkay Sushi & Japanese Restaurant, one of five Sushi restaurants in the city.

If you want to splurge, make reservations at Fore Street, written up in the New York Times as one of the best restaurants in the country. Then there's the 37,000-square-foot fresh food hall, the Portland Public Market, featuring products from over 25 local farmers and food producers.

The city boasts half-a-dozen brew pubs and there are several microbrew companies that make Portland one of the top cities in the country for locally-brewed beers and ales.

The city's Old Port, a historic district dating back to the 1860s, features a mix of coffee houses, bookstores and funky clothing and jewelry stores. It's the kind of city where a local entrepreneur, Angela Adams, designs high-end rugs featured in Metropolitan Home magazine and purses that are now on sale at Neiman Marcus.

The Downtown Art District is anchored by the Portland Museum of Art, located in a building designed by I.M. Pei. Just down Congress Street is the Maine College of Art, which trains artists of the future and draws some of the best contemporary artists in the world to its gallery, the Institute of Contemporary Art. There are over 50 art galleries in the area with work ranging from traditional Maine landscapes to the latest installation art.

It's an easy city in which to be entertained. Live music, featuring a particularly strong roots-music scene, flourishes in local clubs and bars. Big-name acts like Elton John, Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton play the Cumberland County Civic Center. The 1,900-seat Merrill Auditorium draws performers such as Lyle Lovett, Jerry Seinfield and cellist Yo Yo Ma. And there are a half-dozen resident theater companies, including the professional Portland Stage Company. When it comes to classical music, there's the Portland Symphony Orchestra, the Portland Opera Repertory Theater and the Portland String Quartet.

With all this sophistication, it's easy to forget the amazing range of outdoor activities in Portland. Outside magazine named Portland one of its "Top 10 Dream Towns" as one of the best places in North America to live. In the city of Portland there are over 100 miles of walking trails, including a 7-mile-stretch right on the ocean. There are four outstanding beaches within a half-hour's drive of the downtown.

Portland is located on the western side of Casco Bay. The bay's 220 islands make it the perfect place for kayaking, sailing or fishing. There are cross-country-ski areas within a half-hour of the city; and major downhill ski areas within an hour and a half's drive.

Just 20 miles to the west is the Sebago Lake region, with over 50 lakes dotting the landscape, providing ample opportunities for canoeing, fishing and swimming. Covering 45 square miles, Sebago Lake is the second-largest lake in Maine.

The city is home to a minor league hockey team, the Portland Pirates and the local baseball team, the Portland Sea Dogs, is affiliated with the Boston Red Sox.