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    Hardy Boat Cruises

    4.6 (73 reviews)
    Open • 8:00 am - 6:00 pm

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    Merrie H.

    The puffin tour was super informative and fun! We saw so many and the staff pointed out what other birds we were seeing too. Very good overall. The storefront/gift shop at shore is a bit rundown looking but don't let that fool you. The boat is the main attraction area. They got close, but not too close to the birds. We even saw harbor porpoises on the way back in!

    Marissa S.

    Had an awesome experience on the Hardy boat cruises - puffin tour. It was a beautiful, sunny day for a boat ride and we were lucky enough to snag a spot on the top. I have to say, the naturalist on board made the experience for us! She was so energetic, passionate, and informative. Not only did we see puffins, we saw a variety of other birds, some dolls porpoise, a sunfish, and more! I definitely recommend bringing a pair of binoculars to get a better view of the wildlife!

    Todd R.

    I took my wife and daughter on a puffin cruise today and the experience was fantastic from beginning to end. After parking in their lot, it was a short and pleasant walk to the wharf. The staff, which included a number of young people, was super friendly and helpful. The boat was clean and spacious with great views. After a short ride out to the island, we were treated to hundreds of puffins, terns, guillemots and razorbills. Absolutely fantastic experience. I also must say the young lady, Kira (sp?) who was the Audubon guide who led the birdwatching was wonderful!! Highly recommend Hardy Boat Cruises.

    Looking back at the mainland
    Terrilynn D.

    If you're heading to Monhegan Island or just want to cruise the bay, Hardy Boat is the best way. Friendly and family-owned, they keep a clean and snappy ship and service. There are extra amenities when on the boat - like maps to Monhegan Island, coffee and home baked cinnamon rolls. Be sure to buy passes for both going and returning. It's a one hour trip from New Harbor which often includes comments about the history of the area and wildlife. I've used this line for years and it's my favorite

    Lu-Shien T.

    The Hardy III boat herself is immaculate--she might be an old gal but she is ship shape. I did not notice anything amiss as I moved about--no cracked or flaking paint. No rust or broken duct tape fixtures--even the toilets were pristine. The only way you can maintain a boat in this condition is with ongoing proactive maintenance schedule. CPT Al and his deckhands Kaden and Riley got us on and off the boat efficiently and cheerfully. Wait, make that effervescently! Maybe it's the sticky buns they serve from the Cupboard Cafe or the organic Nicaraguan coffee--and the copious amount of fresh air and beauty they encounter. The fact is this crew is gregarious and magnanimous! Bumble around and get in their way while taking photos enthusiastically and they gently ask you to move to another spot as they approach patiently. The crossing from New Harbor to Monhegan is brief at 1 hour, but the winds can make large rolling swells depending on time of year. We had a calm, sunny day today such that the captain was pointing out puffins and other birds floating near the boat--perfect!

    Angela R.

    The Captain was absolutely amazing in getting us close to the puffins and the other sea birds! We could see them easily without binoculars. The Audubon volunteer guide was also fantastic! We would definitely recommend this tour!!

    Puffins floating by

    The weather was challenging and foggy, but we saw many puffins and other sea birds. Our Audubon naturalist was able to identify the different species and alert us as they passed by the boat. I felt like we spent a good amount of time and I was able to get decent photos (they would have been better on a sunny day, but no one can control the weather. At least it was not raining!). If you like to see birds, especially sea birds, this is the trip for you.

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    Dominique C.

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    1 year ago

    Incredibly informative and fun puffin cruise! The team is very knowledgeable, and plenty of space on the boat.

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    4 years ago

    Great experience! The staff was extremely nice, ferry was clean and on time :) I can't wait to have the opportunity to ride with them again!

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    4 years ago

    Great time. Pleasant staff. The presentation and duration of the Puffin cruise as perfect. Parking is a bit to expensive - only complaint.

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Hardy Boat Cruises

    Review Highlights - Hardy Boat Cruises

    “There are extra amenities when on the boat - like maps to Monhegan Island, coffee and home baked cinnamon rolls.”

    Mentioned in 17 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Blue Claw Boat Tours - Sightseeing aboard Blue Claw

    Blue Claw Boat Tours

    5.0(49 reviews)
    9.1 mi

    i Yelp a lot. like, a LOT. it's not often you happen upon a business that has so many excellent…read morereviews. i'm here to confirm that the excellent reviews are accurate. my husband and i have been on many a whale watch, but never a seal watch. knowing the weather yesterday was going to be amazing, we decided to give it a go. what to expect: free parking in a grassy area that abuts the dock. there are no bathrooms on site, but there is a port-a-potty which is very clean and easily accessible. there is some bench seating where you can hang out while waiting for your tour time. the website states you should arrive half an hour prior to your time, and that anyone who isn't there twenty minutes prior, is probably going to be left behind. knowing that, we were there promptly at 10, for our 10:30 tour. our captain (Captain Rob) started calling out party names at ten after, and, since we were all assembled, we actually ended up leaving a little early. he sat us by party in the boat, but was deliberate about instructing us where to sit, ensuring that the boat would be balanced. a note regarding the boat: at most, i would guess that the boat can seat about 12 - 14 adults comfortably. we were a party of 6 adults and two kids, so this is a pretty intimate tour. i've been on a bunch of different boats, but this was the smallest. if you are not used to being close to the water, this is a great introduction. you can expect to go at a pretty low speed as you are exiting the harbor, but you'll be going at around 25 mph when you are out, and heading toward the seals. the seals! there were so many! we did see several just bobbing in the water, as well as swimming, but we also saw huge crowds of them just hanging out on some sand bars. we could hear their braying and howling (a sign of contentment, according to Captain Rob), especially as we got close and the motor was turned off. the tour was a nice balance of history about the area, and the beautiful houses lining the shores, as well as information about the seals. you do get up close and personal, as they're often curious about the boat, so we had seals who were just feet away from us. Captain Rob- i can't say enough good things. he was incredibly nice, and developed a great rapport with not only the adults, but the two little kids (who, credit to their parents, were incredibly well-behaved). he just had such a gentle manner about him, and i felt very safe in his care. if you've never been on a seal watch, or you've never been out with Blue Claw, i highly, highly recommend. my husband and i will definitely be back, we enjoyed ourselves so much. this is a great way to spend around two hours out on the water, and appreciating a little slice of the beautiful Cape.

    Made reservations for four about an hour before the 10:00AM seal trip. Met at the dock by Captain…read morePhil, we boarded with four more adults and a few kids. This was a nice trip. On a low tide the captain was still able to gets us pretty close to the seal herds. Learned a bit about them too. On the way in and out there is decent scenery, big oceanfront mansions and more to see. For $45 this trip is a bargain.

    Photos
    Blue Claw Boat Tours - Sunset on the Water

    Sunset on the Water

    Blue Claw Boat Tours - Capt Rob with passengers on a Seal Cruise

    Capt Rob with passengers on a Seal Cruise

    Blue Claw Boat Tours - Swimming Seals

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    Swimming Seals

    Maine Maritime Museum - Museum front

    Maine Maritime Museum

    4.7(80 reviews)
    16.3 mi

    This is an excellent museum which highlights Bath's proud history of shipbuilding in Maine…read more Although the admission fee is high ($20 or $22), it helps to support the volunteers and activities of the museum. We only had 2 hours available, so we focused largely on the exhibits. The museum includes various buildings which highlight different aspect of shipbuilding from caulking, blacksmithing, and building skiffs (modern day boats used to travel on Maine's coastal waterways). We loved the exhibit on lobstering in Maine - with superb displays that showed why Maine's lobsters are prized worldwide (they have the best claw meat), and a colorful display of buoys and traps. Talking with volunteers about the art of woodcarving and building skiffs was very interesting. It was cool to see the flagpoles (representing the Wyoming schooner) and Bath Iron Works in the distance (a current shipyard for the U.S. Navy). Since we only had 2 hours available from 10am-12pm, we could not join the afternoon lighthouse cruises (which looked like fun). Overall, we enjoyed our visit to the Maine Maritime Museum! You'll learn a lot about Bath's proud history of shipbuilding and the tradition of lobstering in Maine.

    The Maine Maritime Museum is not only an excellent museum for highlighting the area's substantial…read morecontribution to maritime history, but their events are always first class. I have done cruises, taken classes, and attended dinners here, and each experience was such a treat! I know that I will NEVER again watch fireworks from shore when it was so much better to watch them from the water. I highly recommend becoming a Museum member, not just for the event discounts, but just to have access to the beautiful grounds. I have whiled away more than one afternoon, watching the beautiful Kennebec River and all the wildlife from the grassy shore. This Museum is so much more than a museum; it's a celebration of Bath's relationship with the sea. If I could give this more than 5 stars, I would!

    Photos
    Maine Maritime Museum - Our daily 1-hour cruises (mid-May-October) pass Bath Iron Works--a unique way to see America's Navy being built right from the water!

    Our daily 1-hour cruises (mid-May-October) pass Bath Iron Works--a unique way to see America's Navy being built right from the water!

    Maine Maritime Museum - Looking for nature on one of our daily cruises--rain or shine!

    Looking for nature on one of our daily cruises--rain or shine!

    Maine Maritime Museum

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    Cabbage Island Clambakes - Blueberry cake

    Cabbage Island Clambakes

    4.9(178 reviews)
    7.1 mi
    •$$$$

    Considering the quality of the experience, the delicious food, the excellent service & the…read morespectacular setting, this was quite the bargain! For $100 (cash or check only), you receive a 55-minute narrated boat tour, a bonafide Downeast feast (fish chowder, 1 lb. of steamers, 2 lobsters, corn on the cob, a baked potato, an onion, a hard-boiled egg, a large piece of blueberry cake & either coffee, tea, iced tea or water). You can purchase sodas ($2) or alcoholic beverages. We indulged in the light & tasty Cabbage Island Aide ($10), with Pinnacle blueberry vodka, pink lemonade & a splash of club soda garnished with Maine blueberries. Only cash is accepted for drinks and gift shop purchases. After finding a picnic table, either indoors or out, your server will take your drink order & bring your fish chowder. Shortly afterwards, the dinner bell will ring & you head down to the pit where the food is cooked to pick up your meal. Our delightful young server, Griffin, graciously offered to pick up our trays & bring them to our table. He remained attentive & solicitous the entire time we were there. We couldn't have asked for better service. There is a gratuity jar on each table. Tip generously! These kids do a fabulous job! We were also pleased that the two Moore brothers who have owned this family business for 38 years stopped by every table individually to ensure that all were having a good time. And at the end of the day, they stood on the dock waving as our boat left Cabbage Island. Such a gracious gesture! I'm looking forward to making this an annual event. Please be aware, though, that parking is expensive in Boothbay Harbor. There is metered street parking, if you can find an open spot, but be prepared to walk a distance to the ticket booth. Close by lot parking cost $50.

    OMG, a great day. The Moore family has there clambake down perfectly. Each boat handles 180…read morepassengers. our trip today had 178 people. A perfect day of absolute precision. Food was awesome, views incredible. All help spot on Friendly, Young energetic kids High schoolers, college kids. A great way to spend the summers. Owners meet & greet everyone w/ one on one 1 chats. We met theMoore brothers & there sister Betty the baby of the family. a wonderful woman. 30,000 lobsters eaten per season 20,000 visitors. approximate40,000 medium eggs approximate 20,000 baked doo doos approximate 20,000 onions 20,000 blueberry cakes 20,000 ear of corn. tons of ice tea, soda& water An absolute feast. I can't believe I ate it all except for the egg & baked potato. My wife brought home 1 of her lobsters for me to have a sandwich tomorrow for lunch. Awesome wife Can't say enough of how great the excursion is. Don't forget to tip the kids. Personally I left $10.00 on my table . I think that was appropriate, at least I hope so. Cash only for the trip No credit cards Boothbay Harbor is an amazing place. On the ride into Boothbay there are approximately 150 flags or more attached to telephone polls saluting fallen soldiers. Very sobering y pictures show the rest. R

    Photos
    Cabbage Island Clambakes
    Cabbage Island Clambakes - Cooking

    Cooking

    Cabbage Island Clambakes - Arrival at Cabbage Island

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    Arrival at Cabbage Island

    Hardy Boat Cruises - boating - Updated September 2026

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