Bar Harbor is in the northeastern corner of the United States, approximately 120 miles from the Canadian border. A waterfront community bordered by Frenchman Bay to the east and Acadia National Park to the west, Bar Harbor offers a wide variety of recreational activities on water and land. Whales up to 80 feet long feed and frolic off the Maine coast, according to the state's tourism office, providing ideal viewing conditions for visitors.
The Acadian Whale Watcher offers guaranteed whale sightings and uses side sonar to determine where to direct tours. A four-hour tour aboard a 94-foot boat specifically built for whale watching holds up to 149 passengers and features a heated cabin, galley, restrooms and warm blankets for outdoor deck seating. The owners of the Acadian Whale Watcher claim to have seen more right whales, humpback whales and finbacks than any other boat originating in Bar Harbor and offer one of the fastest boats in Maine for whale watching. A naturalist provides commentary during the tour, and the captain is experienced and works closely with the crew. Casual clothing is recommended, and binoculars are available to rent. The Acadian Whale Watcher departs from the Bar Harbor Regency Holiday Inn Marina, and tickets are available at their office at the intersection of Main and Cottage streets.
Acadian Whale Watcher
Main and Cottage streets
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-9794
inusa.com/tour/me/mtdesert/aww.htm
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company offers several tours aboard four boats to view whales and other wildlife off the coast of Maine. The company's tour that focuses exclusively on watching whales is three-and-a-half hours in length on a speedy catamaran to maximize viewing time. Foggy days may require longer search times, the owners caution, and the types of whales typically seen include humpbacks, finbacks and Minke whales. Food and beverages are served in the galley during the tour.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company
1 West Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-2386
barharborwhales.com/just-whales.php
For a longer tour with additional wildlife, Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company's "Puffins and Whale Watch" adventure travels to Petit Manan National Wildlife Refuge where Atlantic puffins reside. During the four-hour tour, watch for dolphins, porpoises, seals, eagles and lighthouses along the coast. The final destination of the tour is to identified whale grounds to watch various species glide in and out of the water. The tour is narrated by a naturalist who offers facts and entertainment about the wildlife and locations seen. For whale watching tours, the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company operates a 140-foot luxury catamaran with two heated cabins and a slightly smaller high-speed catamaran, also with heated cabins and a full galley.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company
1 West Street
Bar Harbor, ME 04609
207-288-2386
barharborwhales.com/puffins-whales.php
