Online Reservations for the 2023 Season Are Now Available! Our Season Begins May 11th!
Travel aboard the M/V Miss Samantha 9 miles out from Bar Harbor, to visit one of the crown jewels of Acadia National Park. Explore the 130-acre island, Gilley family farmstead, and Baker Island Lighthouse.
Join us for a spectacular nature cruise among the islands and shorelines of beautiful Acadia National Park and Mount Desert Island. Take in breathtaking scenery, rugged maritime landscapes, and ocean teeming with wildlife.
Join us aboard the Miss Samantha, Maine’s largest lobster passenger boat! Watch our experienced fisherman haul in lobster traps, then head off to a small island to view seals basking on the rocks.
This evening trip is one of the most beautiful ways to experience Frenchman Bay and Acadia National Park as the sun sets. Learn information about the environment, history, and culture of the area.
An adventure to remember! Head offshore in search of whales while your guide educates you about the whales and other species of the Gulf of Maine.
Ride aboard state-of-the art catamarans with professional and knowledgeable naturalists and crew to see 3 island lighthouses! Spot puffins, razorbills, guillemonts, and common and Arctic terns!
Coming to Bar Harbor in late summer and fall? If yes, this is a boat cruise not to be missed! Join us as we explore the waters of Mount Desert Island to enjoy spectacular views of historic lighthouses and Acadia National Park.
View amazing wildlife and the best natural and historical sites that Maine has to offer with Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company!
We believe strongly in protecting the whales we love and the many we know as individuals and by name. Our captains, crews and naturalists are expertly trained and promote responsible whale watching and conservation efforts on our Bar Harbor tours.
If no whales are spotted on your whale watching cruise, your trip ticket(s) will serve as a “Rebook Voucher” to go out on another whale watch or any of our other available cruises within three (3) years.
The crew was fantastic and went out of their way to find whales. I highly recommend this excursion.
– Theresa Holdheide | Google ReviewWe enjoyed getting to see what came up with the traps and getting to hold a live lobster. It was a good length of a tour and I'd definitely recommend it for the kids or adults like me who are still kids at heart. The ship captain and naturalist were very friendly and great guides.
– Kate Sutliff | Google ReviewWe booked a whale watching tour through this company. It was a great experience we saw several whales and porpoise and dolphins while on the tour. The crew and staff were great and they really took time to make our tour extra special. We highly recommend this company to all who want to experience an once in a lifetime experience.
– Bruce Forshey | Google ReviewDuring our adventure we saw seals, the infamous puffins, bald eagles along with many other critters as well. The crew were accommodating, professional, a little humorous, and knowledgeable. Highly recommend if you're up for a boat ride in the Bar Harbor area.
– Shawn Mahkorn | Google ReviewSo fun! Our guide was extremely knowledgeable, the boat had plenty of room to walk around and the captain did a great job making sure we could all see the landmarks they were pointing out. I’d go again!
– Caleb R | TripAdvisorInteresting history of Bar Harbor area coupled with eagles, hawks, cormorants, gannets and other sea birds. Good narration by our naturalist, Ruth, who was informative and interesting. Enjoyed the lighthouses and seeing the diverse harbors and island shores.
– 123naturelover | TripAdvisorWe loved both Captain Edwin and narrator Andy. Both were so gracious, clearly caring about everyone's comfort and involvement. The knowledge that both shared regarding the local seas, lobsters, crabs, seals, and landmarks was very interesting and informative. We caught a variety of sea life in the traps - lobster, crabs, and a sea cucumber. We spotted dozens of seals. The boat itself was stable, clean, and well maintained. It had flaps to protect from high winds and sea spray, but you are allowed to open the flaps as you want. I am someone who can get seasick easily, but I did not feel even the bit queasy. They do post a sign at the dock on the day of your tour that states the sea sickness level, so if it indicates a high level of sea sickness, you can take Dramamine or other in advance. Kids and adults alike enjoyed this tour and it was very interactive.
– 508stevenw | TripAdvisorThe boat is roomy, both inside ans out on the decks; staff friendly and knowledgeable. The sound system is nice and clear so all guests can hear what the naturalist is saying about the wildlife. And...oh...the whales!!! It was amazing, and I hope to do it again. Well worth the price.
– Deborah Burger | Google ReviewOn this once in a lifetime experience, we chose to go with this whale 🐋 watching 👀 tour There are many companies that offer varying tours, and this is the only one I've ever experienced, so can only speak about this one; nor do I have anything to compare it to. This experience was 100% as expected (and advertised) with zero surprises. The Captain, crew, ancillary staff,safety/security personnel and tour guide were all highly trained, knowledgeable, courteous, professional, & welcoming. It was just a fantastic overall 'refreshing' vibe. The scenery was nothing short of amazing, awe-inspiring, and magical. We saw EIGHT humpback whales!!! I am a seasoned world traveler, have visited numerous bucket list places, and have done literally hundreds of excursions through Trip Advisor and similar platforms. I 100%, would do this again if the opportunity presented itself. For others? I highly, highly recommend this experience. 👌
– Chad Clawson | Google ReviewWe went on the lighthouse tour and it was wonderful! The guide did a fabulous job informing us about lighthouses, history of the area and alerting us to wildlife. Highly recommend this tour!
– Travelwife | TripadvisorThe captain and crew went off their route to find interesting sights and sea life for our cruise. The Naturalist on board was knowledgeable and interesting. Highly recommend it!
– Rick Fike | Google ReviewWe had a great experience with the Nature Cruise, we learned a lot about the area and saw some great scenic views! I highly recommend binoculars, you can rent some on the boat, but they’re limited. We got to see seals, porpoises, and a few bald eagles, which was really cool because I had never seen one before and they were what I wanted to see most! I definitely plan on going back again for more cruises!
– Molly DiMatteo | Google Review