11 Maine boat rides and excursions for water-powered enjoyable this summer time

Things are completely different on the water.

The breezes are cooler, the horizon is wider and the sunsets are extra vivid.

Living in Maine in summer time, it’s simple to make a water escape anytime. You can board a sloop with sails aloft, take a live performance cruise on a Casco Bay ferry, go on a sightseeing tour of the Kennebec River, journey on a reproduction Mississippi River paddle wheeler on Long Lake or interact a pedal-powered celebration boat.

There are a number of tour boats up and down the coast, in addition to some on Maine’s lakes. Whether you need to haul lobsters, see oysters, hear music or simply relax, it’s simple to search out one close to you. The Maine Office of Tourism has an interactive boat cruise part on its web site, the place you’ll be able to search by area.

Here are a couple of options to get you began.

56 Commercial St., Portland. cascobaylines.com

Cruise round Casco Bay’s islands whereas listening to reside music and having fun with a beer or cocktail. That’s the thought behind the Casco Bay Lines summer time live performance collection, that includes native bands and a money bar on a night cruise that simply occurs to coincide with sundown. Upcoming native performers together with Country Girl Summer on July 30, Toby McAllister on Aug. 7 and Hello Newman on Sept. 10. Tickets are $30 and a number of other exhibits this summer time have already offered out.

40 Main St., Damariscotta. damariscottarivercruises.com

Explore the fertile oyster-growing grounds of the Damariscotta River with a two-hour boat tour. Besides studying about oysters and oyster farming, there are cocktails and oysters served on the bar. The cruise affords wildlife viewing too, together with harbor seals, ospreys and bald eagles. Tickets are $45.

12 Lily Bay Road, Greenville. katahdincruises.com

Imagine what a Maine trip was like 100 years in the past, by touring Moosehead Lake on the Katahdin, a steamboat inbuilt 1914. There are a spread of cruise durations and routes, together with the two-hour Moose Island cruise and the daylong cruise of the whole lake, which incorporates breakfast and a turkey dinner. Tickets vary from $40 to $125. The boat is owned and operated by the Moosehead Marine Museum.

170 Commercial St., Portland. luckycatch.com

On these cruises round Casco Bay, passengers are invited to haul lobster traps and be taught in regards to the day by day routines of a Maine lobsterman. People find out about exhausting shells, shedders, shorts, culls and keepers, amongst different issues. Any lobsters caught in your journey may be bought afterwards. The excursions are 80-90 minutes and embody views of lighthouses, historic forts and seals basking on rocks. Tickets are $60 for adults, $45 for youngsters.

70 Commercial St., Portland. mainebaycycle.com

Explore Casco Bay, have a drink and get your cardio exercise. These issues are all potential on Maine BayCycle, a pedal-powered celebration boat out of Portland. You sit beneath cowl, on stools, with pedals at your ft. The cruises are for teams of six to 14, and final 90 minutes. You can convey your personal beer and wine, and meals. Tickets begin at $45.

243 Washington St., Bath. mainemaritimemuseum.org

Tour the mighty Kennebec River, which flows from Moosehead Lake to the Atlantic Ocean, on the Merrymeeting. The 50-passenger tour boat is run by the Maine Maritime Museum and offers excursions of the river. There are all kinds of excursions, together with the four-hour Lighthouse Lovers tour, which passes by 10 lighthouses. There are additionally nature watching excursions, an oyster tasting cruise and one targeted on the historical past and operations of the large Bath Iron Works complicated. Tickets vary from $12 (for a 30-minute tour) to $95 for an Independence Day fireworks cruise.

Middle Pier at 3 Police Plaza, Rockland. amorninginmaine.com

While Maine has many windjammer cruises, which provide in a single day crusing ship excursions, there are methods to get a style of what crusing is like and nonetheless be residence for supper. The ketch Morning in Maine affords two-hour crusing journeys, the place passengers depart Rockland Harbor and discover the shoreline, anticipating seals, porpoises, bald eagles and historic windjammers. Tickets are $65. The similar firm runs the Sarah Mead, a crusing lobster boat with room for six individuals. Individual tickets for a two-hour tour are $85, with reductions for group purchases.

8 Western Ave., Kennebunk; 1 Marina Way, Portland. newenglandecoadventures.com

For individuals who need just a little extra motion on their boat tour, this firm provides excursions on quick inflexible inflatable boats (RIB), patterned after crafts utilized by Navy Seals and the Coast Guard. With small teams, each seat has a 360-degree view. There are whale watches and coastal excursions round Kennebunkport, together with one which goes previous Walker’s Point, summer time residence of the Bush household. There’s a whale watch and a Casco Bay tour out of Portland, plus an oyster cruise. Cruise costs vary from about $49 for one hour to $199 for the two-hour oyster tour with oysters and a lobster roll.

180 Commercial St., Portland. quackncruise.com

Take an amphibious tour of Portland on these duck boats. There’s one thing nearly magical about using alongside in what seems to be a bus, after which watch it drive straight into the harbor and float! Tickets are $44.99 for adults, $34.99 for youngsters 3-12.

42 Commercial St., Boothbay Harbor. boothbayboattrips.com

Cap’n Fish’s supply a Sunday night music cruise, together with all their different excursions. The Reggae Cruise options the Dani Tribesmen Reggae Band enjoying aboard the Harbor Princess, for 2 and a half hours. Tickets are $59. The firm additionally affords a whale and puffin cruise, for $109.

841 Roosevelt Trail, Naples. songoriverqueen2.com

This is a 93-foot-long reproduction of Mississippi River paddle wheeler, with a capability of greater than 300 on two decks, cruising on Long Lake, close to Sebago. Besides scenic cruises, there are numerous leisure cruises. Some of the performers scheduled embody a Neil Diamond tribute with Steve Kelly and Cherry Cherry Band on Aug. 7. Tickets begin at $35.