Riverton - Portland, ME

Riverton Trolley Park, started in 1896, allowed residents to ride the trolley to Portland for five cents. Very little of the ambitious amusement park remains today, but the neighborhood of Riverton lives on as a bedroom community to Portland. When the University of New England merged with Westbrook College in 1996, the area became something of a college town.

The greater Portland area ranks high among best cities for foodies, and Riverton has a decent selection of unique restaurants and cafés. Riverside Grill, located on Riverside Golf Course, offers New American cuisine served up by Chef Colin. Known for its great service and friendly atmosphere, the Riverside Grill is a local favorite for a family meal. Kozeta's Restaurant serves up classic and new Greek and Italian dishes with authentic flair. The unassuming storefront conceals some of the best food outside of downtown Portland. A surprising addition to the local scene, Babylon Restaurant offers authentic Middle Eastern food, with an open buffet, take out and a traditional Iraqi menu.

If you are planning a night out on the town, start at Allagash Brewing Company, the northeast's premiere small brewery. Though not a night spot (they close at 5 p.m.), the brewery offers tastings, tours, wine and spirits.

If you're on a beer kick, head over to Bissell Brothers Brewing Company, which many locals consider the best beer in town. The small operation gives you a real feel for their style and their craft. You get a chance to taste new recipes and learn about how the brewmaster works.

What's with all the breweries? Just up the street from Bissell Brothers you will find Geary's Brewing Company, another local craft brewery that bottles its classic Hampshire Special Ale for distribution across the northest.

A classic Irish pub, Madden's Pub and Grill serves beer, wine, and cocktails and is a great spot if you don't feel like venturing into the city center for a couple of drinks. The place to be, however, is Bruno's Restaurant and Tavern. The best Italian food in town with unique cocktails and a festive atmosphere makes Bruno's the first choice among locals for a night out.

A few sports bars and taverns dot the landscape between Riverton and Portland as well, but the real night life is in the city of Portland itself, where a decent complement of clubs and bars create an interesting late-night scene.

If you want to get anywhere in Riverton, you are going to need a car. Portland METRO offers limited regional bus service, but most everyone here drives their own car to get where they need to go. The area is bicycle and pedestrian friendly to some extent, but the winter weather keeps all but the most hearty souls off the sidewalks.

Parking is ample most everywhere you need to go in Riverton, with some exceptions in downtown Portland. Cabs are rare and must be ordered in advance. Uber and other ride-share programs have not made their way to the area yet. So the car is your best option.

Very few developed parks sit within the boundaries of Riverton but those that are here are well kept and safe. Riverton Park is the site of the old Riverton Trolley, and it features some walking trails and informational plaques about the former amusement park that was sited here in the 1900s. Baxter Woods Park, on the southeast side of the Riverton neighborhood provides a nice spot for a picnic or to let the dog run around a bit on a nice day.

In the cold winter, the Riverside Golf Course opens up with groomed cross country ski trails, giving locals the chance to get a workout in when the course is covered in snow.

As if the harsh winters weren't enough, the cost of living in Riverton is far higher than the national average. This is in large part due to the high cost of housing, but across the board, it simply costs more to live here than other places in the region and country.

The average rental cost in Riverton is $946, but locals and transplants often complain about the lack of available housing. Fuel prices are slightly higher than the national average but not exceedingly high. A night out with a meal and a couple of beers costs an average of $30 per person, not an unreasonable sum, but by no means cheap either. The higher cost of living here is attributable to the high property tax rates and the simple fact that Portland is a long way from other metropolitan areas. The cost of the small town isolation is more expensive living.

If you are looking to shop, head over to North Deering or down to Westbrook, as Riverton is almost completely devoid of retail centers. In North Deering, stores such as Rite Aid and Walgreens are available but also great little finds like Letterpress Books, a locally owned bookshop with friendly helpful staff.

Down in Westbrook, your hardware needs are met with a Home Depot store, your clothing shopping can be done at Kohl's, and bargain hunters can hunt for treasures at Dollar Tree.

Most Riverton locals shop for groceries in North Deering at Shaw's Supermarket, a fully stocked store with a decent selection of produce and meats, along with the other staples you may need. Smaller markets abound as well, with a surprising variety of specialty shops, including an East African market and a wholesale market specializing in Italian food.

Serious Riverton shoppers head into Portland itself, where small boutiques, thrift shops and specialty stores line Congress Street just waiting to relieve you of some of your hard-earned cash.