Budget Romantic Getaways: Winter in Portland, Maine

One of the best ways to save on travel is to visit destinations during the off-season. Portland, Maine can be biting cold in winter, but it's still a beautiful, interesting, artsy place that's great for a romantic getaway.

Where to Stay

Aside from airfare, accommodation usually takes up the largest chunk of your travel budget. While bed and breakfast prices can soar over $200 a night in the summer season, in winter you can find easily find rooms for less than $100 a night. The Inn at St. John offers value rooms in winter for less than $50 a night, or you can splurge on a room with a jetted tub at top-rated bed and breakfast Morrill Mansion for $99 a night.

Where to Eat

Choosing a bed and breakfast over a hotel will have one meal a day already taken care of. Be sure not to sleep through breakfast so you can fill up on food that you've already paid for in your room rate. Many restaurants in Portland have different menus and different prices for lunch and dinner, and dinner prices are often double that of lunch prices. For lunch try ethnic restaurants like Pom's Thai or Green Elephant where you can fill up on scrumptious Asian cuisine for about $25 for two people. If you hold off on drinks, a romantic Italian dinner for two at The Corner Room will set you back about $45 and a hearty meal for two at RiRa Irish pub should run less than $40. Truly frugal couples can buy wine or beer at a local market and chill it in the B&B fridge.

What to Do

There are plenty of things to do in Portland that don't cost a dime, although in winter you'll want to be sufficiently bundled up. Window shop in Portland's West End arts district, enjoy the view from the Eastern Promenade and stroll through the Old Port. Portland Museum of Art has free admission on Fridays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m, although if you can't make it for the freebie adult admission is only $10/$8 with student I.D. The collection is well worth the price and can keep you busy for a half a day. You can also leave the museum and come back later on the same day on the same admission ticket.

Take a sunset drive to Portland Head Light or connect with other couples through the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club. Check out Portland's local markets or spend an afternoon catching up in a funky coffee shop like Hilltop Coffee. Coffee shops are a great place to find out about local events like open mic nights and poetry slams.