Post Office Park

Small cobbled park between Market and Exchange Streets.
Plenty of shade and benches to enjoy a book or people watching. Sonny’s offers seating on the park and there are a couple of vendors nearby.

History lessons with Steffasaurus: Post Office Park — as you may have guessed — used to be home to Portland’s post office. Currently, it’s home to an open, spacious, urban public park. From the red brick paths, to the stone work, to the beautiful landscaping it’s become an oasis in the middle of the retail-​oriented Old Port. It’s also home to Japanese mailboxes from Portland’s sister city, Shinagawa, Japan, where some of the park’s design was adopted from. (Also: I’m not sure how much truth there is to it, but I heard somewhere that the boulders at the front of the park are supposed to mimic the formation of Casco Bay’s islands.)
Ohhhh, I spent much of my teen years in Post Office Park. Doing what? Mostly just hanging out. Lounging on those aforementioned low, flat rocks to sunbathe. Drinking Coffee By Design while immersed in philosophical conversations too big for me to understand then. Taking a break from Old Port shenanigans. Y’know… it doesn’t sound too different from what I’m still doing in Post Office Park today (kidding… kind of). As such, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the little park located along Spring Street, tucked between Exchange and Market.
Post Office Park…
… has a charming, European feeling to it making it a beautiful spot to picnic in.
… is great for people watching and late night viewings of vaudeville-​esque acts (jugglers, fire throwers, hoolahoopers, etc.) and even impromptu musical performances (especially of the a) acoustic guitar variety or b) 1980’s travel karaōke machine variety).
… offers (legit) concerts and kid-​friendly performances throughout the warmer months
… is definitely THE SPOT for the best Old Port Festival’s Shoestring Theater parade viewings
However, it has been known, from time to time, to attract less savory characters after hours. Would I hang out here at 1am? Nope. But, I definitely would dawn to evening-​ish. I don’t know that this park is a destination necessarily, but it’s certainly nice to pass through. So, grab a coffee and a book, a sandwich and a friend, and get some fresh air at Post Office Park!