Boothbay Harbor Boat Tours, Whale Watching and Outdoor Days

Boothbay Harbor boat tours: which cruise to pick

The harbor is the reason the town exists, and a boat day is the thing to plan first. Boothbay Harbor boat tours come in four main flavors: a scenic harbor cruise, a whale watching trip out to open water, a lighthouse cruise, and a lobstering trip where the crew hauls traps and explains how the fishery works. Each is a different length and a different mood.

A scenic cruise is the short, easy one. It stays in and around the harbor, and it is the right first boat if you have never been on the water here. Lobstering trips are the local favorite. You watch traps come up, learn how a working boat is run, and come back understanding the town better than any museum could manage.

Lighthouse cruises put you close to the historic lights along this stretch of coast, and the crews tell the stories behind them. If you are traveling with someone who wants to see Maine but is nervous about a long trip offshore, this is the one.

Most tours depart from the waterfront within a short walk of the inns. Book ahead in July and August, and ask the operator about the day's conditions the morning of.

• Scenic harbor cruise: shortest, calmest, good with kids
• Lobstering trip: watch traps hauled and learn the fishery
• Lighthouse cruise: close to the historic lights, with the stories
• Whale watching: longest trip, furthest offshore

Whale watching from Boothbay Harbor

Whale watching trips go the furthest and take the longest. You leave the harbor, pass the outer islands and head for open water where the whales feed. Even in August it is colder out there than on Commercial Street, so bring layers and something windproof.

The same boats double as wildlife tours, and the wildlife is good even on a day the whales are shy. Eagles work the shoreline, seabirds are everywhere, seals sit on the ledges, and dolphins turn up offshore. Bring binoculars if you own a pair.

If you want the best odds, ask us which operators are reporting sightings that week. We hear it from guests at breakfast.

Sailing charters, fishing charters and lobstering trips

If you would rather feel the boat than ride it, book a sailing charter. A charter can be a couple of hours of wind and quiet or a full day exploring the islands, and the boats go out to wildlife spots and secluded coves that the bigger tour boats skip. Crabbing trips run from the same docks and are a hit with children.

Fishing is taken seriously here. Both saltwater and freshwater fishing are on offer, with a range of species depending on the season. Join a fishing charter for the full experience, or cast a line from the pier in town if you would rather keep it simple. The pier version is free and takes ten minutes to set up.

Lobstering trips are covered above, but they deserve a second mention. If you eat lobster at a waterfront restaurant that night, you will look at it differently.

Kayaking and paddleboarding the harbor's coves

Kayak and paddleboard rentals are affordable and the harbor's coves and inlets are made for a slow paddle. Hug the shoreline and you will see more wildlife than the big boats do, because you are quiet and they are not. Mornings tend to be calmer.

You do not need experience. The rental outfits set you up, and the inner harbor is protected. Go for an hour the first time and see how you feel.

Coastal walks, forest trails and Ocean Point

The Boothbay peninsula has forest trails that run out to the water, and they suit every pace, from a slow stroll to a real hike. Fresh air, birdsong, and then the trees open onto a view of the ocean. That is the pattern, and it does not get old.

Ocean Point, a short drive from the harbor, is rocky coastline and open ocean views, and the drive out is scenic on its own. Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens, also a short drive, has both gardens and trails and is worth a half day in summer, not only for the winter lights.

In town, the harbor walkway along the waterfront is the easy option, and it is a good one at sunrise.

Birdwatching, photography and stargazing in Boothbay

Birdwatchers do well here. Eagles are regulars along the shore, and the seabird traffic in and out of the harbor changes with the season. A morning on the water or an afternoon on a coastal trail will fill a list.

Photographers come for the harbor sunrises and, in fall, the foliage against the water. Boats, lobster traps and working docks give you the foreground. The light comes on its own.

At night, the sky is dark enough to matter. Away from city lights the stars come out in numbers, and the sky deck at Greenleaf Inn is the best seat we have for them.

Where to stay for a boating trip to Boothbay Harbor

Both inns are on Commercial Street, so the docks are a walk, not a drive. Greenleaf Inn has ten king rooms and a third-floor sky deck for watching the boats come and go. Admiral's Quarters Inn has eight rooms, a glass solarium and a harbor lawn with a fire pit, which is where most of our guests end a boat day.

After the boat, the waterfront restaurants along the harbor serve fresh seafood with the water in view. Go early. The good tables face the harbor and they fill by sunset in summer.

Questions we get asked