Bar Harbor Boat Tours

Before or after a tour with Diver Ed, tour the College of the Atlantic's gardens. Nationally renowned garden designer Beatrix Farrand created her namesake garden, a series of rock-walled rooms, in 1928. Also worth viewing are Turrets Seaside Garden and the Sunken Garden. – Hilary Nangle

One of the best ways to take in the region is on the water. Bar Harbor offers a bevy of boat tour options that will cater to all kinds of interests.

Lulu Lobster Boat

This two-hour tour invites visitors to hop aboard and learn all about Maine lobsters and how they are sourced from the sea before arriving on your plate. En route, you could see seals, sea birds, and lighthouses while enjoying coastal views. The two-hour tour departs up to four times daily from early May to mid-October. Recent visitors have called the Lulu Lobster Boat educational, fun, and a must-do experience.

Fees: Start at $45 for adults, $42 for seniors, and $35 for children ages 6 to 12.

Dive-in Theater with Diver Ed

During this unique tour aboard the purpose-built Starfish Enterprise, the guide dives into the ocean equipped with an underwater camera and microphone, allowing attendees to watch the underwater life that dwells below them in real-time. The guide also brings up critters from the ocean's floor for visitors to observe in the onboard touch tanks (and returns them to the water afterward). Recent passengers laud this adventure, calling it a fun and educational experience. Families rave about how Diver Ed and his crew manage to keep even the little ones entertained for the entire trip.

Fees: Approximately $60 for visitors 13 and older, $45 for kids 6 to 12, and $25 for those 5 and younger. The boat departs from the College of the Atlantic campus.

Acadian Boat Tours

Learn about the birds and mammals inhabiting Frenchman Bay on an accessible and pet-friendly 1.5- to 2-hour narrated sightseeing and nature cruise with Acadian Boat Cruises. They also offer longer, themed cruises focusing on puffins, lighthouses, and seabirds; lighthouses and Acadia National Park; and a third that includes Somes Sound fjord along with the lighthouse and park tour. Additionally, Acadian offers private family fishing trips where you might catch cod, pollock, mackerel, or Acadian redfish.

Fees: Rates vary by cruise and age; adult tickets typically run $42 to $64 with discounts for children. The Acadian offers free on-site parking near its dock at the Atlantic Oceanside Hotel. Visitors praise the fun, friendly, and knowledgeable guides, though some have mentioned that the sound system can be hard to understand.

Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines

Imagine skimming across Frenchman Bay on a traditional sailing schooner with Downeast Windjammer. They offer morning, afternoon, and sunset cruises aboard the four-masted Margaret Todd, the two-masted Bailey Louise Todd, or the two-masted Joshua. Beer, wine, and soft drinks are available for purchase on afternoon and sunset cruises. You're welcome to bring food aboard, but not alcohol. All cruises welcome leashed pets.

Fees: Rates vary by cruise and route, with adult fares ranging from $45 to $55. Keep in mind that windjammers require wind to sail, so calm days may not live up to expectations. Passengers praise the friendly and informative crew, though some note that ships may be substituted. Downeast Windjammer Cruises also operates two pet-friendly passenger ferries ideal for day trips.

Other Water Activities

If water sports are more your speed, consider a kayaking tour with Maine State Sea Kayak or Coastal Kayaking Tours, both of which explore the Acadia coastline. You can also rent a paddleboard or take part in a variety of guided paddleboarding experiences via Acadia Stand Up Paddle Boarding, including a tour along the lakes of Acadia National Park as well as paddleboard yoga.

With so many options available, travelers could easily spend more than a week sampling all that's available. Each tour operator has their own set hours and prices. Keep in mind these excursions tend to favor spring, summer, and early fall departures. For more information on each tour operator, visit their individual websites.