Boothbay Harbor, on the mid-coast of Maine’s Lincoln County, is one of the busiest boating hubs in New England. The town’s deep, sheltered harbor — which could hold 400 to 500 vessels in a single storm in its 19th-century heyday — now serves as the departure point for dozens of daily boat tours, sailing charters, whale-watching excursions, and kayak tours. Whether you’re looking for a two-hour harbor cruise or a full-day trip to a remote island, the options departing from Boothbay Harbor cover the full spectrum.
All the cruises and operators listed here are seasonal; most operate from late May or early June through September or October. Hours, prices, and availability change year to year, so always confirm current schedules and booking directly with each operator before your visit.
About Boothbay Harbor
The Abenaki people who lived in this region called it Winnegance. English settlement began in the area in the 1660s but was disrupted multiple times by colonial-era wars before Colonel David Dunbar established a permanent settlement called Townsend in 1730. The town was incorporated as Boothbay in 1764; the community at the harbor was incorporated as its own separate town — Boothbay Harbor — on February 16, 1889. By the late 19th century the harbor had developed a substantial fishing and canning industry, and today the town of roughly 2,000 residents is one of Maine’s top summer tourist destinations.
Guided Cruises and Sailing Tours
1. Tidal Transit Kayak
Tidal Transit Kayak offers guided harbor kayak tours with two docks positioned to accommodate high and low tides. Guided tours cover the harbor and local wildlife, with naturalist guides explaining the area’s ecology and history. Personalized and sunset tours are available in addition to the standard harbor trips. Kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals are also offered, with basic instruction, a life jacket, and paddle included. SUP rentals include a wetsuit.
2. Eastwind Schooner
The 65-foot Schooner Eastwind offers two-hour sailing excursions giving passengers views of lobster boats working the bay, marine wildlife, lighthouses, and uninhabited islands. Up to four trips are offered daily during the season. Passengers can take an active role aboard during the sail.
3. Cabbage Island Clambakes
Cabbage Island Clambakes, founded in 1956, runs exclusive day trips to Cabbage Island aboard the Bennie Alice. The centerpiece is a traditional Maine clambake cooked over an open fire at the water’s edge. After the meal, guests can explore or relax on the island before the return trip to Boothbay Harbor. Advance reservations are essential, as trips frequently sell out.
4. Cap’n Fish’s Cruises
Cap’n Fish’s Cruises offers several departure options, including a 3.5-hour whale-watch cruise — one of the original whale-watching operations out of Boothbay Harbor. The company offers a standby ticket guarantee if whales aren’t sighted. Additional options include a 1.25-hour harbor trip with lobster fishing and a 1-hour harbor cruise passing seals and lighthouses. Puffin-watch and whale-watch combination trips are also available.
5. Balmy Days Cruises
Balmy Days Cruises offers the main daily ferry service to Monhegan Island, a full-day trip that departs Pier 8 at 9:30 a.m. and returns at 4:15 p.m., giving visitors approximately three hours and 45 minutes on the island (the crossing is about 1.5 hours each way). The ferry also offers a half-hour circumnavigation of Monhegan at 2:00 p.m. (weather permitting). Additional offerings include 1.5-hour harbor sails, 2-hour mackerel fishing outings, and 2.5-hour lighthouse cruises. Hour-long harbor tours are also available.
6. Lazy Jack Cruises
The 48-foot Schooner Lazy Jack, built in 1947, offers day sails and private sailing charters. Two-hour schooner excursions pass Burnt Island Light, Ram Island Light, and Squirrel Island, with opportunities to spot osprey, harbor seals, and bald eagles.
7. Midcoast Sailing Company
Midcoast Sailing Company’s Wind’s Will, a 30-foot sloop, takes passengers on half-day sailing excursions to Linekin Bay, Burnt Island Light, Squirrel Island, and Ram Island Light. Full-day trips extend to Cuckolds Lighthouse, Fisherman’s Island, Monhegan Island, and Damariscove Island.
8. Breakaway Sportfishing and Sightseeing Tours
Breakaway offers both fishing charters and sightseeing tours aboard a larger charter boat, with three fishing zone options to choose from. Sightseeing trips cruise the harbor shoreline and outer islands for those preferring scenic sailing to fishing.
9. Sweet Action Charters
Sweet Action Charters combines sightseeing and lobster fishing trips, with additional mackerel fishing on the Kennebec, Back, and Sasanoa Rivers and Hockomock Bay. The company also offers family adventure trips that include fishing plus a meal at Five Islands Lobster Co. in Georgetown. Private boat charters are available.
Boat Rentals in Boothbay Harbor
10. Tidal Transit Kayak (Rentals)
In addition to its guided tours, Tidal Transit rents stand-up paddleboards and kayaks by the hour, with basic instruction, a life jacket, and paddle included. SUP rentals include a wetsuit.
11. West Harbor Recreation Inc.
West Harbor Recreation rents both sailboats and powerboats by the half-day, full day, or week, suitable for fishing, island hopping, or watersports.
Nearby Boat Rentals and Tours
12. Maine Kayak (Bristol)
Maine Kayak, based in Bristol, offers sea, lake, and whitewater kayak rentals and trips. A range of 2-hour, half-day, full-day, and multi-day options are bookable.
13. Midcoast Kayak (Damariscotta)
Midcoast Kayak in Damariscotta offers canoe, kayak, and SUP rentals plus guided tours. Boat excursions include full moon and sunset cruises, as well as oyster ecology tours.
14. Damariscotta River Cruises
Also in Damariscotta, Damariscotta River Cruises offers day cruises focusing on oyster farming, seal watching, wine or beer sampling, and fall foliage. Private charters are available.
15. River Run Tours (Bath)
River Run Tours in Bath runs day excursions on the rivers and shorelines of the area aboard the River Runner, a custom-designed pontoon boat. Passengers are welcome to bring their own food and drinks.
16. Sail Muscongus Day Cruises
Sail Muscongus Day Cruises features two wooden vessels: the Sarah Mead, a 42-foot lobster boat used for lobster boat tours that follow the wind past seals, lighthouses, and porpoises; and The Paula Anne, a 25-foot wooden catboat used for Boothbay Harbor island cruises. Sunset excursions are available on both vessels.
Highlights Worth Adding to Your Visit
Burnt Island Lighthouse
Burnt Island Lighthouse sits at the western entrance to Boothbay Harbor on a 5-acre island accessible by ferry from Pier 8 (approximately 15 minutes). Built in 1821, it is the second-oldest surviving lighthouse in Maine — behind Portland Head Light (1791). The lighthouse has never been rebuilt since its original construction, a testament to the quality of its granite rubble construction. The island is now managed by the Maine Department of Marine Resources as a living history site; in summer, interpreters in period dress portray the family of keeper Joseph Muise, who tended the light from 1936 to 1951. The island is open daily from May 15 through October 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Balmy Days Cruises ferries passengers to the island for two-hour visits.
Sea Kayaking the Harbor
Renting a kayak from Tidal Transit and paddling the harbor independently is one of the best low-key ways to experience Boothbay. The route past lobster boats toward Tumbler Island crosses the same water as the larger tour vessels and offers close-up views of the working harbor that cruise passengers don’t get. Tidal Transit has two docks positioned for different tide stages.
Day Trip to Monhegan Island
Monhegan Island lies approximately 10–12 nautical miles off the Maine coast and is reached from Boothbay Harbor via Balmy Days Cruises in about 1.5 hours each way. The crossing allows roughly 3 hours 45 minutes on the island. Monhegan is a year-round island community of about 65 residents with no paved roads and no cars permitted. The island has 17 miles of walking trails, an active artists’ colony, and a lighthouse first established in 1824 (the current granite tower dates to 1850 and is still an active aid to navigation, automated since 1959). The keeper’s house adjacent to the lighthouse now operates as the Monhegan Museum of Art and History, open seasonally. Dress in layers and wear sturdy footwear — some trails are steep and rocky. The Balmy Days ferry departs at 9:30 a.m. from Pier 8; advance booking is strongly recommended as trips sell out during summer.
The Boothbay Harbor region connects naturally to other mid-coast Maine destinations. Our guide to Maine fishing covers the state’s interior waterways for those combining coastal and inland trips. Visitors interested in New England coastal escapes may also find our Smith Island ferry guide and our Ocracoke Island day-trip guide useful for planning similar island excursions on the Atlantic coast. For those traveling further up the Maine coast, our overview of Baxter State Park camping covers inland Maine’s premier wilderness destination.
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