Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
4.5
Nature & Wildlife AreasLighthousesBoat ToursDolphin & Whale Watching
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About
Our 2024 season has come to an end!
We will open again in early May 2025.
Bookings for the 2025 season are now available on our website www.barharborwhales.com!
You can also reach us at info@barharborwhales.com.
The Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company offers a variety of boat cruises for all ages that show different sights and wildlife in the area around Mount Desert Island, Maine. The cruises that we offer include whale watching, puffin and lighthouse cruise, nature cruise, lobster fishing and seal watching.
We also have a gift shop in our ticket office, where you can purchase souvenirs during your time in town. We hope to see you on one (or more!) of our boat cruises so we can show you why Bar Harbor, Maine is such a special place!
Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company is a certified Whale SENSE company and follows regional whale watching guidelines. To learn more, visit whalesense.org.
Bar Harbor, Maine
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Awards
Travelers' Choice
2024
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Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co.
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
2,479 reviews
Excellent
1,604
Very good
453
Average
181
Poor
91
Terrible
150
Zainab W
Louisville, KY23 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
This was one of our favorite experiences in Bar Harbor. We did the 8:30am tour. I would highly recommend taking motion sickness meds a half hour PRIOR to the tour. Don’t eat a huge breakfast. Take a sweatshirt, a jacket, hat and gloves. I know it seems insane in the middle of July but once the boat starts going the wind will freeze you.
The company had been tracking a humpback whale and were able to find it. For a long time it would come up a couple times and then dive down and seemed pretty quiet. We’d see its fluke once every three times it would surface. Then it pooped. Then it did the most amazing breach out of the water and dived back in. It looked like the prudential commercial . It happened so fast. Then it was splashing its fin and tail and was very playful.
I was impressed with the company. They were sensitive to the whale and were very careful to make sure not to disturb it. The tour was educational, professional and the staff seemed to really care about whales and the earth.
One big tip is to find a spot on the railing and stay there. Don’t try to jump from side to side to see the whale. The captain will turn the boat to make sure everyone gets a good view of the whale.
The company had been tracking a humpback whale and were able to find it. For a long time it would come up a couple times and then dive down and seemed pretty quiet. We’d see its fluke once every three times it would surface. Then it pooped. Then it did the most amazing breach out of the water and dived back in. It looked like the prudential commercial . It happened so fast. Then it was splashing its fin and tail and was very playful.
I was impressed with the company. They were sensitive to the whale and were very careful to make sure not to disturb it. The tour was educational, professional and the staff seemed to really care about whales and the earth.
One big tip is to find a spot on the railing and stay there. Don’t try to jump from side to side to see the whale. The captain will turn the boat to make sure everyone gets a good view of the whale.
Written July 16, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review and sharing your experience on the whale watch! We greatly appreciate you joining us and are so pleased to hear that you had a memorable experience. Hope you can join us again in the near future!
Written July 20, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
roncierge
Delray Beach, FL49 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
Very good experience top to bottom, but there are some things I wish I knew beforehand:
1. It's chilly - they tell you this in the email when you book - but I had already packed and arrived in Bar Harbor. So I didn't pack gloves... and I might have preferred a slightly warmer jacket.
2. You can rent binocs - so no need to travel with them if you're flying.
3. Good seats fill up fast - people line up at least an hour before departure. We lined up about 30 minutes before and were lucky to get seats outside.
4. The timing is not guaranteed - it may take longer if you don't find whales easily
The public address was very informative, we saw a few whales for quite a bit of time / long encounters. Unfortunately, it's loud, so was kind of hard to hear every word, but I got the gist. Friendly staff, clean boat, organized and delivered on the whales. If you don't see any, you get a voucher for another trip within three years. Very fair, IMO. Again, overall it was a fantastic experience and a good value for the money.
1. It's chilly - they tell you this in the email when you book - but I had already packed and arrived in Bar Harbor. So I didn't pack gloves... and I might have preferred a slightly warmer jacket.
2. You can rent binocs - so no need to travel with them if you're flying.
3. Good seats fill up fast - people line up at least an hour before departure. We lined up about 30 minutes before and were lucky to get seats outside.
4. The timing is not guaranteed - it may take longer if you don't find whales easily
The public address was very informative, we saw a few whales for quite a bit of time / long encounters. Unfortunately, it's loud, so was kind of hard to hear every word, but I got the gist. Friendly staff, clean boat, organized and delivered on the whales. If you don't see any, you get a voucher for another trip within three years. Very fair, IMO. Again, overall it was a fantastic experience and a good value for the money.
Written August 15, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Great to hear about your experience with us! Thank you very much for providing feedback about your whale watch cruise. We greatly appreciate you kind words and highlighting the efforts of our staff and crew.
Written August 19, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
greenlimo
Phoenix, AZ116 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
Fantastic experience with our whole family. We had an 8 year old to 82 year old and everyone loved it. Best advice I can give is to read and follow every instruction the tour company sends to you in advance. If you do, you’ll have the best time. If you don’t, you’ll be freezing and sick. We packed expecting to be freezing. We brought beanies, gloves, layers of clothing (long sleeves and heavy sweatshirts) and rain jackets. It might seem like a lot to bring/carry on and you may think there is no way you’ll use it all. Trust me - you will use it all! You can carry a backpack or bag with all your gear so don’t worry about bringing too much. We even got wet/soaked from the spray on the way out to the whales but we were fine because of our rain coats. Oh and if you think you’ll stay warm by staying inside one of the cabins on the boat - note they are freezing because of the air conditioning! So, you’ll still want to have a warm jacket/heavy sweatshirt at least.
We took Dramamine 2 hours before and wore a patch for extra precaution. We also didn’t eat a lot before our tour too. Not a single one of us was sick. So many people were sick. One guy next to me had his head down the entire time and didn’t see a thing.
That brings me to the whales - we saw two humpbacks! The boat gets as close as they can all while narrating and telling you all about these marvelous creatures. We also saw dolphins.
We are so glad we booked the tour and all of us will remember it forever.
We took Dramamine 2 hours before and wore a patch for extra precaution. We also didn’t eat a lot before our tour too. Not a single one of us was sick. So many people were sick. One guy next to me had his head down the entire time and didn’t see a thing.
That brings me to the whales - we saw two humpbacks! The boat gets as close as they can all while narrating and telling you all about these marvelous creatures. We also saw dolphins.
We are so glad we booked the tour and all of us will remember it forever.
Written July 22, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your very kind review and feedback! All the information your shared is very helpful and appreciated.
We are so pleased that this was a memorable experience for you and your family! Thank you again for sharing your experience at Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company!
Written July 31, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Amy R
8 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
Awesome trip! Our family of five (all adults) sat on the upper deck for our whale watching tour. Our naturalist and captains were professional, friendly and knowledgeable. We had some fog as we left the Bay, but it soon lifted as we headed towards the Gulf of Maine. It’s true that the temperature is a good 20 degrees cooler than on shore, so wear layers. If you run into fog, a raincoat or windbreaker is perfect.
We saw three whales (two humpback and a Minke). The humpbacks we saw multiple times - they were so beautiful. The captain turned the boat often so that each side of the boat had a view. We were appreciative of that. We were on the upper deck, and once we spotted the whales, we all stood around the railings. There was plenty of room for us all to see when the whales were on our side of the boat. We had a calm day, so no seasickness, but we took our Dramamine just in case about 45 minutes before our trip. This tour exceeded my expectations - we spent a good 1.5 hours watching these awesome animals play in the water. I’m so glad we booked this tour! I also reaped enjoyed our naturalist guide - her information was interesting and helpful.
We saw three whales (two humpback and a Minke). The humpbacks we saw multiple times - they were so beautiful. The captain turned the boat often so that each side of the boat had a view. We were appreciative of that. We were on the upper deck, and once we spotted the whales, we all stood around the railings. There was plenty of room for us all to see when the whales were on our side of the boat. We had a calm day, so no seasickness, but we took our Dramamine just in case about 45 minutes before our trip. This tour exceeded my expectations - we spent a good 1.5 hours watching these awesome animals play in the water. I’m so glad we booked this tour! I also reaped enjoyed our naturalist guide - her information was interesting and helpful.
Written June 5, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed your experience and that it exceeded your expectations! Thank you very much for taking the time to write a review. We greatly appreciate you kind words and hope you can join us again in the near future.
Written June 6, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Joyce D
9 contributions
Aug 2024 • Couples
It was a clear day but as we made our way out of the harbor, became foggy and a little choppy for approximately an hour or so (they warned us before leaving if anyone wanted to get a refund for a later day/time in the future) before clearing up for the rest of the trip. We were able to see dolphins briefly, a seal and quite a few fin whales. I would recommend this trip but do not expect to see a lot of whales the entire time-approximately 4 hour trip). They are sporatic and you have to be diligent and ready when looking for them.
We were pleased overall & would recommend this tour. Tip-you may want to bring Binoculars. I also did get to see one whale as he turned on his side & showed his flippers! They are beautiful creatures.
August 5, 2024.
We were pleased overall & would recommend this tour. Tip-you may want to bring Binoculars. I also did get to see one whale as he turned on his side & showed his flippers! They are beautiful creatures.
August 5, 2024.
Written August 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for your review and recommendation! We are happy to hear that you enjoyed the experience on the whale watch.
Written August 13, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tracy B
West Chester, Pennsylvania, United States6 contributions
Jul 2024 • Family
The 2-Hour "Sunset Happy Hour Nature Cruise" was so much fun and amazing! Our family thoroughly enjoyed it. The bar prices for alcohol were very reasonable and they offered a wide variety of options! 1st hour is narrated, and we got to see bald eagles and seals on our trip! The 2nd hour is just music with beautiful sunset views over Frenchman Bay! We thought that it was a well worth-it cruise that had a perfect balance of narration and downtime...
Written July 8, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so pleased to hear about your experience on the Sunset Nature Cruise! Thank you very much for your kind review and sharing highlights of the cruise. Hope you can join us again in the near future!
Written July 12, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
jc17oh
New Hartford, CT41 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
We did the Puffin and Light house tour. We had calm waters so didn’t notice any passengers with motion sickness. We could all hear the narrator very clearly. She did a great job at explaining history and sea life. We had seats. We could also move about the boat for viewings when we wanted to. The captain was adapt at slowly swinging the boat around so both side got equal time at viewing various angles of islands and light houses. We saw several varieties of birds, including puffins, we saw sea porpoise, seals and several light houses. Because we had a clear day, this tour was excellent. I could see how fast fog would make a viewing go sideways. The narrator did say that we had an exceptional day on the water. She mentioned that sometimes views might not be optimal because of a bit of fog. Just be willing to accept that the crew is very skillful and will try to get the best out of the current weather conditions.
Written June 21, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the Puffin and Lighthouse cruise! Thank you very much for your kind words and feedback. We greatly appreciate sharing your experience and hope you can join us again in the near future!
Written June 24, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
sue t
22 contributions
Sep 2024 • Family
We had the opportunity to join the Whale Watch cruise in September. Prior to the trip, we received detailed information regarding the whale watching cruise. This included clothing to wear, places to park, possible length of trip, and other suggestions for a comfortable trip. Great communication! The trip was as described and provided an amazing opportunity for whale watching. The captain and crew located an area that provided viewing of multiple types of whales. Included were Right whales, many humpback whales, a Minke whale, and Finback whales. We also saw Atlantic White Sided Dolphins during the trip. The captain did a great job of turning the boat so everyone aboard could enjoy the whales and watch all of the activity and we were provided ample time to enjoy the amazing sites! The day was fantastic. One of the comforts of booking something that is dependent upon wild animals, was the promise of a voucher for a future trip if whales were not observed. This made it an easy decision knowing that, if the trip had not gone well, we would still have another chance. Thankfully, that wasn’t needed and we had an awesome day, with loads of pictures, to help us commemorate the trip!!
Written October 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Wonderful to hear about your whale watch experience! Thank you very much for joining us and sharing your kind feedback. We are so pleased that it was a memorable experience!
Written October 14, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
illinigal
Indianapolis, IN49 contributions
Jun 2024 • Couples
We did the puffin and lighthouse tour. We were originally supposed to do it last August, but it was cancelled because of rough seas, so we came back to try again. When we got there the morning of the trip, they said the seas were a little rough and told us they cancelled a different tour that was scheduled earlier that morning. My husband is prone to seasickness so we took our Dramamine and hoped for the best. He really wanted to see puffins and our tour wasn’t cancelled thankfully since the seas improved. When we got out on the water, it wasn’t bad at all… we’ve definitely seen worse. You definitely need to come prepared with binoculars. The boat can’t get very close and we wouldn’t have been able to see the puffins without binoculars… would have just looked like any random bird from afar. We fortunately saw puffins which was our goal. And many terns, other birds and seals. The guide was good about pointing out wildlife and the boat turned several times so everyone on both sides could see. I enjoyed seeing the various lighthouse and islands during the cruise as well. We sat on the upper deck for better views and we were thankful to have coats with hoods and gloves since it gets chilly at sea when you’re moving at speed.
Written June 25, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you very much for joining us for a Puffin and Lighthouse cruise and leaving a review! We are so pleased to hear that you came back to try another day. We greatly appreciate sharing your experience.
Written June 26, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Steven F
Wallingford, CT170 contributions
Sep 2024 • Family
Despite the foggy conditions, our nature cruise was delightful. We saw several eagles and an enormous number of seals. There is also the beauty of the islands and coast line. The narrator kept everyone entertained with a constant flood of interesting information.
Written September 4, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Thank you for your kind review! We are so pleased to hear that you enjoyed the Nature Cruise. Greatly appreciate your feedback.
Written September 5, 2024
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Is early June a good time to go whale watching?
Written January 13, 2025
Is the last week in September a good time for a whale watching cruise?
Written July 30, 2023
I think September is still a good month (August being better), dress warm and get a seat inside the boat. It’s COLD AND WINDY!
Written August 1, 2023
Do you get to see any lighthouses on the whale cruise?
Written August 18, 2022
No, we went pretty far out to seek whales. BUT we took a seal and lighthouse boat tour out of Boothbay Harbor Maine which was really nice.
Written August 19, 2022
We will be visiting the last week in July and our midwestern boys are excited to see whales. I see that there are three different cruises on the day we are planning. Is there a time that wildlife is more active? Morning, mid day, or afternoon? Help us decide.
Written February 27, 2022
How many people go out per cruise on the whale watching 11AM trip?
Written October 6, 2021
It’s a large ship with indoor and outdoor seating. Masked are required indoors and while boarding.
Numbers vary based on who signs up. We went in a Friday and the boat had a good number but wasn’t packed.
Written October 7, 2021
We are coming to the area & would like to book a tour on October 9 in hopes of seeing some whales. Is this too late in the season for them, and if so, what tour do you suggest?
Written September 10, 2021
Hello! There is still a chance of seeing whales in October, but it is toward the end of the whale watching season and sometimes the sightings can be a bit more "hit or miss". But we go out and give it our best try (just as we do every trip) and if for some reason you don't see whales you get a 3 year voucher so you can come back and try again or use for another boat cruise we offer!
Written September 13, 2021
We will be in Maine next week and would like to see some seals, porpoises, etc. What would be the best cruise for this and also do people often get motion sick? Do you see any wildlife on the sunset cruise?
Written August 11, 2021
Hello there! The nature cruise, lobster fishing cruise or lighthouse cruise would be a good option. We've seen porpoise and seals on the sunset nature cruise on previous trips, so there is a chance of seeing wildlife on that cruise!
Written August 12, 2021
This will be our first attempt to see whales; anyone have any input as to weather the morning 830 am or the afternoon 130pm show would be ideal?
Info: It will be mid August, 3 adult travelers and no history of seasickness in years of combined boating in the south East.
Written July 26, 2021
In 2017 we went on afternoon tour and saw no whales. In 2021 we went on morning tour and saw whales and dolphin although it was very chilly. Depending on where you are staying, it may be easier to find parking in the morning.
Written July 27, 2021
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