If you're visiting my beloved city of Portland, Maine this summer and want to experience all the best vistas, I challenge you to find a new way to see them. Anyone from away can see the touristy spots the traditional way, but as Mainers, you deserve to see our beauty through a different, more unique lens.

Use these photos as inspiration for seeing Portland, Maine in a new way and you'll give yourself an unforgettable summer adventure.

Portland Head Light from the Water

Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
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Anyone can go to Fort Williams Park and see Portland Head Light up close and personal, but find a friend with a boat (or book a scenic cruise) and take in the most photographed lighthouse in the country from the water.

Eastern Promenade at Sunrise

Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
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The Eastern Promenade is an amazing place to see any time of day, but only a few wake up in time to see the gorgeous multicolored sunrises over the eastern horizon. Brew some coffee and go breathe in the beauty of the East End before everyone else rolls out of bed. You can go back to bed after.

The Working Waterfront from Portland Observatory

Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
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Portland's working waterfront is filled with scenes of lobstermen and fishing boats and water taxis and Casco Bay ferries. After you walk the working waterfront along Commercial Street, trek up Munjoy Hill and climb the stairs to the very top to see the waterfront from a bird's eye view. There are plenty of other views to take in up there, too. It's a great spot for people watching and you can see all the cool rooftop decks from that height.

East End Beach at Dawn

Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
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You may think midday is the best time for the beach, but you're missing out on all the crisp, cooler, less humid summer air when you wait until the later hours to dig your feet into the sand. Plus, East End Beach is off-leash dog friendly before 9 a.m. so your pups will enjoy the early morning beach trip, too.

Maine State Pier During a Concert

Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
Kylie Queen/WJBQ.com
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There's something about live music from a band you love that screams summertime, but it's even better when they strum the first chords of your favorite song just as the sun begins to set. Grab some tickets to a Maine State Pier show this summer and you'll see exactly what I'm talking about.

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