Whale watching in Bar Harbor Maine
 

My husband and I will be in Bar Harbor/Acadia National Park for a few days in Mid July. We have not been to Maine or the east coast. We would like to try a whale watching cruise out of Bar Harbor call the Bar Harbor Whale Watching Co. Has anyone done this and does July hold a good possibility of seeing a whale? I would most likely book the 4:30 pm sunset watching tour. I see they have morning tours as well but would prefer to spend the day in the park first. Thanks for any information on this subject.

Also....is there a better option on a way to see whales? A smaller boat and smaller group perhaps?

This is not meant to be snarky, but what you want to do and what the whales want to do might not be the same thing. This is generally applicable, I think, to whale watching anywhere in New England. Are there whales off MT Desert Island in July, or have they moved north into cooler waters?

About a week before I left I would call several of the tours and ask them what kind of whales they are seeing right now and where and when they are seeing them. There shouldn't be too much variance in the answers because there aren't any secrets in the whale watching business. Pick the boat where you like the interaction and do what they say.

If they say "morning", you go in the morning. If they say "two hours out", that's a four hour trip plus time on the whaling grounds. That's a long way to go to see pilot whales. Different kinds of whales are around at different times of the year and month.

When you see whales, it is unlikely to be a quiet spiritual experience. All the boats are going to be there making passes so everyone can get pictures. When they are not moving, whale watching vessels sit still, rocking back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. If you are subject to seasickness, pick a larger boat and take whatever you take for motion sickness. My DD loved whale watching. Her theory was to go ahead and get sick in the first half hour and enjoy the rest of the trip. YMMV.

None of this meant to be discouraging.

I don't take is as snarky. I have been on dolphin cruises in florida and realize it is random. We just haven't been to the east coast and thought it would be cool to see one and know its a gamble. I suppose we will make that judgement call when we get there. Thanks for your response.

Well, if you have gone looking for dolphins or manatees, you've been ther!

Happily, there is an orca right now off Cape Cod. They hate warm water and usually stay up by Labrador, so you truly never know what you are going to see!

Good luck!

We have been out with the company for a whale watch and it was great fun; we saw a variety of whales. On our last visit to BH we were booked in for a late afternoon whale watch but they cancelled due to heavy fog.
They post the sightings on a board in the ticket office. Perhaps you could stop by in the morning and ask what they saw the day before on the 4:30 trip. If they had good number of viewings you could buy your tickets then and head out to the park for the remainder of the day.
They go way out into the Gulf and it can be quite chilly. Bring a couple layers.

I agree with the above poster. You may be surprised how chilly it is in Maine, even in July. One year our daughter had to be dressed in winter pjs and a jacket to watch the fireworks! Layering is good. All whale watching advice above is spot on. The water at Sand Beach in Acadia is very cold, but it is a pretty place if the weather cooperates. Try to make reservations at Jordan Pond House if that appeals to you. Biking, walking and hiking on Mt. Desert is wonderful and plentiful. Enjoy your trip!

Thank you everyone for your response. We are looking forward to visiting Bar Harbor and Acadia and we are open for any suggestions. This is an area that is totally new to us and I am sure we will have a great time just enjoying the nature.

Definitely take something for seasickness. When we went they offered dramamine or similar to everyone and almost everyone who did not take it was hanging over the side being sick.

Remember this is the north atlantic and expect it to be both rough and cold out there, esp if you go in late afternoon.

(Oh and we saw 6 different whales, including one mom with a baby - who was playing with the boat - popping up on first one side and then the other and staring at us while we snapped away. But this was a morning cruise.)

Thanks for the seasickness warning. I definitely can get motion sick. Look forward to seeing this part of the country

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. My husband and I just returned home to Indiana from visiting Acadia. We checked out the sightings and yes they had been seeing whales. We went Thursday evening July 21st and it was great. They said it was the best one yet this year. We were spinning from 12 oclock to 6 oclock to 3 oclock etc. to see all of the whales. Twice they jumped completely out of the water. Too many to count. We also saw a seal and some Atlantic dolphin. It was amazing and I had a great time visiting the park , town and lighthouses. The weather was perfect (so much better than our almost 100 and humid in Indiana). We will return in a few years to see new sites.

Sounds great! Thanks for reporting back.

Wonderful! Glad you had such great luck, both in wildlife and in weather.

Come back to New England soon!