Acadian Boat Tours

We did the Puffin and Lighthouse tour on May 21st. We were on the smaller of the two boats as there were about 20 folks total. It was chilly at first in the bay, then got down-right cold out on the open ocean. To see Puffins, we traveled to Petit Manan Island which is 16 miles from the starting dock. The boat does not get close enough to get any pics with a cell phone, but I'm sure the folks with the massive cameras got some nice pics because we did see Puffins! We had binoculars, which were helpful, but with the boat bobbing up and down so much it was hard to focus. I'm sure this cruise would be fantastic if the winds were calm. The best part to us was the wonderful, informative narration from the crew, and the lighthouses we saw. If you tend to get motion sickness and it's at all windy, take that Dramamine! We would highly recommend this tour.

We took the sunset tour while visiting Bar Harbor, and our tour guide was so informative and involved! The views were absolutely beautiful, and we saw many wildlife creatures. So glad we found and took this tour. It was an amazing way to tie up our Bar Harbor weekend! The boat was “two stories” with stairs to sit at the top of the boat. Remember to bring a jacket in late September/October - it’s chilly!

It was a great Fjord, Lighthouse and Nature Tour. The weather was not perfect, and it was quite foggy sometimes (and a bit of rough sea) but still a great tour with amazing tour narrators. We saw all the highlights on the way from Bar Harbor to Somes Sound and back. A great afternoon.

Great tour. The staff was friendly and knowledgeable. We saw an amazing sunset along with famous homes including Stephen Kings. We were lucky enough to see harbor seals, porpoises and eagles. Well worth the money and time.

Great price, plenty of parking, a little shuttle down to the meeting point. Boat was very clean, staff was friendly and knowledgeable. There's snacks and a bathroom on board. Would highly recommend wearing/bringing layers- don't wear shorts or capris. Wear socks and sneakers. Bring a hat. It gets cold out there when you are moving on the water. We were able to see puffins, seals, an ocean sunfish, porpoises, and a bald eagle as well as beautiful scenery and lighthouses. The narration was great. Would highly recommend!

It was a fabulous trip despite some rough waves at times. The crew were incredible. Always checking in to see how we were feeling and offering ginger tea and candy in case of sea sickness. I was right at the front seat outside, which was cold but kept me from feeling too bad.

The views were wonderful we saw the island with puffins, one with seals and even saw some porpoise.

Two years ago I did a whale watch with another company. Lots of passengers were sick but we never once saw the crew.

I can’t say enough good things about the crew we had on this trip. They were friendly, knowledgeable and so attentive.

If I do another boat tour, I’d go with this company.

Had a great time on last tour of the season! We saw harbor porpoises, many seals, and many bald eagles! The narrators were funny and knowledgeable!

Wonderful boat tour! Carl was super informative and funny, loved listening to him! Boat was overall fairly clean, comfortable and good prices at the snack back. Will definitely be using Acadian Boat Tours again on our next trip up to Bar Harbor

It was super foggy, we were offered a chance for redund because our tour was supposed to a sunset tour but we went for the ride and had a very nice time. Our tour guides were wonderful and knowledgeable, as well as entertaining. We saw dolphins and seals and many beautiful estates.

This was our first cruise on a trip, and I think we've been spoiled. The narration was great through, though it's much easier to hear up top than inside due to the boat noise. We got to see many pieces of birds, tons of puffins, and even more seals. We also learned a lot of about the surrounding islands, their owners, and the history. This was well worth the cost ($63 per person) and we would absolutely go again if we are back in Acadia.

Highly recommend the sunset cruise! It was a highlight of our trip. We got to see seals. I recommend bringing a pair of binoculars, but you can rent them for five dollars on the boat. You can also bring drinks and food. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable and spoke for about 75% of the boat ride.

Had a great experience on their Puffin Tour excursion. The boat guide was very informative and entertaining telling us about the wildlife, history, and culture of the areas we were visiting. He was happy to answer any questions my children had and was extremely knowledgeable. Very nice that they don't overload the boat with passengers so it's easy to find a good viewing spot at all times on they boat. Definitely recommend bringing or renting binoculars on the boat. While you can see the wildlife, the puffins are small and the binoculars really allow you to experience them better. My family had such a good time we have decided that one of their tours will be a recurring activity on future trips to Acadia NPS.

We did a 10a nature cruise that lasted about 2 hours. Cost was $41/per and we left a tip for the crew. Up top seating was a little chilly. As for wildlife, we saw 2 bald eagles and the seals by the lighthouse. Interesting facts shared about the area. Good guides.

This tour takes you around several islands in the Frenchman’s Bay. The views are spectacular and Captain gets you close up! They suggest dressing carefully, and with good reason. One side of an island can be 75° while the other side can be 50°. So take their advice. They do not serve beverages or snacks, so it’s BYOB. You are permitted to bring alcohol on the boat. I do feel that the narration could be shorter so that we can enjoy a part of the trip in our own thoughts.

Our family went on the Puffin & Lighthouse Tour end of July. The scenery was breathtaking and the crew took excellent care of everyone. My favorite part of the tour was all the interesting stories, tidbits of info, and fascinating facts shared by our guide Carl on the top deck. If you want to hear him clearly, grab a spot on the upper deck near the ladder. At the end of our tour, he kindly shared with us the best places to take our kids to explore tidal pools, hike off the beaten path, and try lobster rolls where the locals go. We followed all of his advice and had a fabulous time on Mount Desert Island. We hiked the trails he told us about and we had the trails pretty much to ourselves, had no problem parking, and enjoyed breathtaking vistas and challenging rock scrambling.
The puffins on this tour were really difficult to see, even with binoculars. They are so far away (as required by law) and small (size of a crow) that it is challenging to distinguish which birds are puffins and which are ducks because you can only see the birds tiny outlines. I could tell the difference but our younger kids could not. That being said, we loved the lighthouses, landscapes, and we saw lots of other animals including seals, sea birds, and even a mola mola fish up close. At the very end of the tour I even saw a dolphin jump out of the water. This particular boat tour goes out farther than most other boat tours and we loved really getting to explore out on the open ocean outside of Somes Sound. We thought it was so cool how the temperature instantly drops about 10 degrees the second you leave Somes Sound and hit open ocean. Definitely, bring a lightweight jacket and/or warm hoodie even if it’s a hot day in July. It’s chilly out on the open ocean. (If you stay in Somes Sound you maybe don’t need the extra layers) Wear sturdy closed-toed shoes with a good grip on the sole and bring sunscreen. I wish I had brought my DSLR and my good telephoto lens. Although I hadn’t planned to take wildlife photos (too busy checking up on our 4 kids) we could have seen the wild life better through that lens using it like binoculars. We did rent 5 or 6 pairs of binoculars for $5 each and we appreciated being able to do that. But, if you have a great pair of binoculars or, better yet, a telephoto lens, definitely bring it. And, if you’re lucky enough to get Carl as your guide, book your boat tour on your first day on Mount Desert Island and then follow his advice on where to go to explore and eat next.

We LOVED our tour. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and genuinely seemed happy to be there and answer questions. The captain did a great job navigating the waters and getting some great views. We saw lots of wildlife on the Sommes Sound tour. I will be recommending to anyone visiting the area!

What an incredible worthwhile tour! We lucked out during our sunset cruise and got a clear sky and a beautiful cotton candy sunset. Our tour guides were super informative and kept us entertained throughout the boat ride. 11/10 recommend

Great experience today. Enjoyed the history portion of the tour while searching for wildlife. I sat on the top near the front and I could hear the guide clearly.

We took the 3½ hr Puffins, Lighthouses, & Seabirds Cruise. It was wonderfully narrated as we cruised out past 3 lighthouses to see where the Puffins mated and raised their young. While we did see two Puffins in the water, they were a ways off. We went on August 10th, and it was the end of the season for the Puffins being on land. I recommend going earlier in the summer. Overall, it is worth the money. We saw and learned a lot about the birds and lighthouses.

Took the lighthouse and nature tour today. Didn’t know what to expect but I will tell you, it was one of the best tours I have been on!
The guide was hilarious with all his dad jokes, the lighthouses were amazing, saw lots of seals and porpoises. I highly recommend this tour!