South Portland

The city of South Portland, Maine, fits its home state slogan, “The way life should be,” and the waterfront haven offers residents a number of amenities that make it a comfortable place to live. Among the list of things to see and enjoy in South Portland is Bug Light Park, so named for the unusually small and stout Portland Breakwater Lighthouse, dubbed Bug Light.    Continuing along South Portland’s shoreline is Spring Point Shoreway, a mile-long stretch of walkway by the water that runs through Southern Maine Community College and up to another of the city’s charming harbor lighthouses, Spring Point Ledge Light. There’s also more than 350 acres of parks and trails, like the Trout Brook Nature Preserve.   The town of 26,000-plus residents has median home values just above the national average at around $270,000, which is a tradeoff for the above-average public school system, ample restaurants and coffee shops, and proximity to the beach.   The Portland area has a well-regarded theater scene, and Mad Horse, one of the region’s top professional theater companies, resides in South Portland.    The city touts a number of activities and offerings that will appeal to both young and old. There’s a senior drop-in program at the local community center, providing educational classes and activities for retirees, and families will enjoy the brand-new 10,000-square-foot skate park and 66-acre Wainwright Recreation Complex.   South Portland is also home to the Maine Mall, the largest shopping mall in the state. —TW