These southern Maine towns are decorated for the holidays

The Staircase Hall at the Victoria Mansion in Portland, decorated for the 2022 holidays. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

Hall design has reached a whole new level in southern Maine in recent years.

Restaurants, bars, historic sites, and other public places have made it a tradition to dress up their establishments over the top for the holidays. You may find a lobby full of fully decorated trees in one spot and a ceiling covered in shiny ornaments in another.

So if you love Christmas decorations—but not holiday decorations—it’s easy to find a place where you can enjoy them without lifting a finger, except perhaps to pick up a cocktail glass. Bars and restaurants in particular are on board and are busy decorating the holidays.

Here are some suggestions for some truly decorated places to visit in southern Maine this holiday season.

The Tinsel Bar at the Kennebunkport Inn is spruced up for the holidays at the Kennebunkport Inn Photo by Douglas Merriam

FESTIVE FLOWERS

Via Vecchia, An Italian restaurant in Portland’s Old Port fills its brick room with flowers and ornaments this time of year. The front of the restaurant is decorated with red flowers and red ornaments throughout, along with a gorgeous floral display above the entryway. The back room sparkles with gold. The railings are draped with glitter and sheer tulle, green and gold ornaments hang from the ceiling, and there are gold flowers everywhere.

Flowers and ornaments take center stage in the Christmas decorations at Via Vecchia, an Italian restaurant in Portland’s Old Port. Photo by Anthony DiBiase

BELLS, ARCHES, BIDDEFORD

The Lincoln Hotelin a renovated 1850s mill building in downtown Biddeford, is decorated this year in silver and gold. The hotel’s upstairs lobby – including a bar and cafe – will be decorated entirely in gold, while the downstairs area and disco-style event room will be filled with silver decorations.

Down at the Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford in 2022. Heidi Kirn photo

Batson River Brewing goes all out to decorate its Maine locations, including Portland, Kennebunk, Wells and the ground floor of the Lincoln Hotel in Biddeford. Last year, the Portland location was full of greenery and warm, gold lights and ornaments. Lights, Christmas trees and Santa hats on moose heads have also been seen in other locations over the years.

Batson River Brewing in Portland in 2023. Photo by Heidi Kirn

HOUSE PARTY

Christmas at Victoria Mansion in Portland is an annual event where designers come together to artfully decorate rooms in the Morse-Libby House, a stately home built in 1860. The regular season is spring through fall, but it reopens on the holidays (from the day after Thanksgiving to…). (just after New Year’s Day) when the decor changes seasonally. The theme that the designers followed this year was “Stories of the Season,” taking inspiration from stories or folklore from the 19th century. Tickets range from $6 for students to $19.25 for adults. Entry is free for children under 6 years old. For more information or tickets, visit victoriamansion.org.

The living room at Victoria Mansion during the holidays in 2022. Gregory Rec/Staff Photographer

CHRISTMAS IN THE KENNEBUNKS

Buddy’s Bar is a holiday pop-up taking place in the Rabbit Hole on the ground floor About Sophia by the Sea Restaurant in Kennebunk. The space is decorated with bright lights and candy-striped walls, an homage to Buddy, Will Ferrell’s character in the 2003 Christmas comedy “Elf.” There’s live music and a photo booth where you can dress up an “elf” with props like lace shoes and an elf hat. There’s even a life-size cutout of Buddy in full elf garb. There are cocktails and snacks from Buddy’s four food groups: candy, candy canes, candy corn and syrup.

Nearby on Kennebunkport InnThe bar at Burleigh Restaurant will become Tinsel Bar during the holidays. There will be floor-to-ceiling Christmas decorations, presents, twinkling lights and ribbons. There is also live music and special cocktails.

The Rabbit Hole in Kennebunk transforms into Buddy’s Bar for the holidays, named after Will Ferrell’s character in the movie “Elf.” Photo by Heidi Kirn

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