My Only In Your State AI-Generated weekend guide to Portland

When it comes to the world of AI, I have to admit that I am a skeptic. Having a “robot” organize my thoughts and manage my daily tasks just seems so foreign to me. And as a writer, I also worry that artificial intelligence will soon take over an industry that I dearly love. So, up until recently, I have been avoiding using AI as much as possible. However, my curiosity is growing and perhaps getting the better of me. With travel as my specialty, I’m wondering how AI stacks up for vacation planning. So, I’ve decided to give it a try. I invite you to come along with me for the ride while I delve into the world of AI and test out the Only In Your State Travel Planner to map out my family weekend trip to Portland, Maine.

My husband and I have visited Portland together and have fallen completely in love with the coastal Maine city. On our last trip, we celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary in Old Port and spent the night at a romantic hotel, ate dinner at a fancy Italian restaurant, and partied at the area’s many speakeasies. Our next getaway will be a family trip, so our itinerary will be completely different. I’m curious to see what the travel planner has in store for us. Let’s get started.

I type in Portland, Maine as my destination, and the planner asks me how long I wish to visit, the month of the trip, and who will be accompanying me. On the next screen, there are choices for activity interests, dining experiences, and accommodation options. I hit the green “plan my trip” button, and within seconds, I am presented with a curated list titled “Weekend Getaway in Portland, ME: Attractions, Dining, and Family Fun.”

I scan through my weekend guide and discover several family-friendly suggestions for “What to Do” and “Where to Eat.” Each destination has a brief description that includes information about highlights, hours and days of operation, and prices, as well as a link to an article about the establishment. Overall, there are some spot-on places that I would definitely consider visiting, and yes, some of these may not have come across in a quick personal internet search. I love the suggestions for the Children’s Museum & Theater of Maine and the Rocky Bottom Fisheries Lobster Demonstration Tour. Additionally, I would have never thought to bring the kids to eat at the Arcadia National Bar until I read the article mentioning that it is filled with vintage video games. 

Now that I have my AI-generated itinerary, I will have to wait until vacation time to test it out. While I know in my heart that the travel writer in me will never give up the personal planning search (this is one of my favorite parts of vacationing), I have a feeling that I may be utilizing our planning tool for future trip suggestions. Perhaps a bit of AI isn’t so bad after all.

This article was made using our award-winning dashboard planner. Feel free to check it out at the Only In Your State Travel Planner link. We would love to hear all about your trip.