A must when visiting Bar Harbor!…read more Everything about Oli's is top notch. Ordering our tours was super easy online. Friendly reminders via email were so helpful. We arrived for our first tour super early as we wanted to secure a parking spot (not easy to do in Bar Harbor) and the woman at the Trolley was so kind and make a suggestion to us for how to spend the time before boarding. Our amazing tour guide and driver, Jim, was super personable and interesting, and even helped us find blueberries and took several pictures of my husband and I with the beautiful backdrops of Cadillac Mountain and Jordan's Pond. We had a great bunch on the tour, and can say that this tour was the highlight of our trip. Jim even recommended a great place to eat, and it was so good, we went back again for dinner! But the icing on the cake was again customer service. We booked a second tour for the next day, and woke up to crummy weather, so we decided to head home and skip our tour. As we had passed the cancellation policy time of 24 hours notice, I did not request my money back, but did call and leave a message to let them know we would not be attending, so they wouldn't wait for us. Imaging my surprise when I looked in my email to find they had refunded my money! We would (and will) be touring with them again, and highly recommend them to anyone.

Oli's is a prominent and reliable tour operator in Bar Harbor, and gives narrated tours of Acadia…read moreNational Park and downtown Bar Harbor. We chose the trolley for its old fashioned charm and a more open view, over taking another popular tour by bus given by a different company. I booked a 2.5-hour tour for my family during our cruise stop - the boarding location was super convenient (55 West St.), right by the tendor port at Town Pier, and the check-in process was organized and a breeze. This tour includes 15-minute stops at three of the most popular sites in the park: Thunder Hole, Jordan Pond, and top of Cadillac Mountain. The stops are too brief for anything other than a quick walk-through to take some photos, but that was enough for my sight-seeing family. The park is huge so most of the time is spent driving and taking in the occasional breathtaking views along the coastline. The first time I visited this park (a much more thorough and extensive, multi-day trip where we camped inside the park and hiked all the most difficult trails that rewarded us with the most stunning views), the majesty of the landscape continuously awed me. There were fewer such moments on the tour due to the route and time crunch, but we were entertained by the excellent narration and stories about the park and the town by our driver Jim, a very knowledgeable local who's quippy to boot. They also offer a 4-hour tour that includes an extra site (Sieur de Monts Spring), with 30-minute stops at each location instead of 15, and is for age 12+ only. If you want to see Acadia park but are limited on time, don't have a car, don't want to deal with the logistics of planning a park itinerary, are mobility-challenged or don't wish to walk/hike too much, or simply like to enjoy the ride and casually explore the park while listening to some informative stories, I heartily recommend Oli's Trolley for your excursion! They're very professional and well run. Be sure to also check out their excellent gift shop nearby (1 West St.) which has a cute and well-curated selection of merchandise that are reasonably priced. Tickets often sell out early - especially during high tourist season and on days when cruise passengers land - so definitely book well in advance!

We took their Nature Cruise with Kevin and Annalise. Kevin was funny and entertaining, telling us…read morestories of the rich folk who built cottages on the waterfront. Annalise was very knowledgeable and told us about lobstering, showed us seals and bald eagles, and even a shy harbor porpoise. It was a fun 2 hour cruise and much less crowded than the ones at the harbor.

We took the puffin tour: Nice service and crew- gave me ginger chewable when I was sea sick,…read morechecked in frequently to make sure everyone on the boat was doing okay. We saw puffins, seals, and a few porpoises. Pictures do not do it justice Wish the speaker down low were higher- hard to hear while out boating. It is chilly too so make sure to wear pants and a jacket! So fun

We had the most spectacular experience!!! My boyfriend and I had just visited Trenton, Maine in mid…read moreapril and were discouraged that most activities seemed to be still closed for the winter. We stumbled upon this company's advertisement sign just 4 minutes before pulling into our AirB&B at 2am, and it ended up being the absolute highlight of our trip. We booked a small plane with pilot Neal who was fantastic! He was very well trained, accommodating, highly thorough and informative with all things Maine and sea related, and we explored 12 lighthouses and beautiful remote islands from a breathtaking perspective above. We cannot wait to come back to learn and take in more of the beauty down east Maine has to offer!

We decided to treat ourselves to a private plane flight…read more It was a 30 minute flight all around acadia national park and to a bunch of areas and islands nearby that we hadn't seen yet. Our Pilot Erin was amazing and even let me fly the plane for a few minutes! It was breathtaking and definitely a once in a lifetime adventure.

This was such a fun experience. You actually get to help pull up lobster pots out in the bay. The…read morefather and daughter duo explain the whole process and teach you how to put the rubber bands on the claws. They point out different wild life and the views are gorgeous. The boat ride is not artificially extended for the sake of "getting your money's worth". It was the perfect length to get the experience of what it's like to lobster. The food cart and having your lobster cooked up fresh at the pier was incredible and such a lovely family run business. This is a great way to support the industry when hauls have been declining over the years to due to ocean warming. Definitely worth the drive to come experience this tour!!

You love lobster? You like wholesome? Don't sleep on this experience with Captain Dan, family and…read morefriends. I was in it for the hope of seeing puffins but not wanting to be on a huge tour boat. I chose this one also because it would give us the chance to "be a fisherman" and learn more about the process, industry of lobstering. Wait, I kid myself, it was totally about the FRESH lobster we'd get to enjoy at the wharf upon our return. This experience was the perfect 1.5 hr duration for us kicking off at 2:30pm. We had the most beautiful weather that still required layers for the chill in the air and splash of the boat ride. Speaking of boat ride, we took low drowsy Dramamine as a safeguard ahead of the trip, not sure if we really needed it or not because the boat was so smooth and steady even when stopped. Either way, a good precaution knowing how easily triggered we are getting by motion lately. Anyway, the last week of July we were SPOILED with perfect blue skies, a ton of seals, a ton of puffins and an amazingly sweet fresh lobster meal following the ride.

For my birthday, we joined a whale watching tour in the Gulf of Maine.  We honestly weren't sure…read morewhat to expect but were blown away by getting to see 3 different types of whales (Humpback, Minke, Finback), with multiples of each type and also two blue sharks. The people that led our tour were knowledgeable and friendly and I also appreciated they had food and drinks onboard for sale (and single serve dramamine). We had a hot dog, their ocean gin drink, and a blueberry harbor ale and couldn't have had a better time. Make sure to get there early as the most in demand seats on top of the boat were full after they let the people waiting in line early on the boat. I'd say we got there 30 minutes earlier than needed and got some of the best seats but there weren't many left. There is a shop with good coffee close so you can have one person hold your spot in line while others do that. Dress warmer than you think you need: we ended up wearing long sleeve shirts and pants with jackets and beanies and it wasn't a rough or especially cold day at sea and closer to 70 degrees on land. .

Spent the July 4th weekend in Bar Harbor and we booked this company for the whale watching as well…read moreas for the fireworks on the water. I will start by saying that the staff is absolutely wonderful! Super attentive and polite and was constantly checking on all of the riders. The ride was long but we went to two locations before we finally got a glimpse of one humpback whale- Anthur. The captain did his best to get us as close to the whale as possible without disrupting it and also tried to make sure both sides of the boat got ample time to view. The narrator on the boat had a ton of information to provide which was really cool. It wasn't just about whales, we learned about other sea life and productivity and sustainability as well as about the harbor and Acadia park. It was an experience for sure. I do tend to get a little motion sickness which thankfully I was spared on this trip- but unfortunately it seemed like it was happening all around us where people were just losing it. The staff was quick to react and accommodate those riders with bags, drinks and food. Prepare for the cold because even though it was 80 degrees on land, it was extremely windy and freezing out of the water. They do provide hot chocolate and coffee and snacks on board for purchase, you can also bring food on board as well. We went back out again in the evening for the fireworks- they do a trip out towards the lighthouse and the porcupine islands and again provide lots of information about the islands, sea life, and about the earlier settlers. That part was great- the fireworks (out of their control) was eh. Everyone said Bar Harbor has some of the best fireworks and unfortunately they were super underwhelming. Would I do it again..... probably not, but it was an experience that we enjoyed and have stories to tell.

When you live in Maine, who thinks about taking boat tours? That's for tourists!! (Lol!!)…read more Seriously, though, we had guests in town, so we thought it'd be fun to charter a boat for the four of us to go up the Penobscot River to Bangor. (At least that was the initial itin.) Me matey, Jay (after some due diligence on boat companies in the Bucksport area) , chose Penobscot Boat Tours as our charter. Jay said the communication(s) with Capt. Jeff Sennett (Owner/Operator) was excellent; his boat was faster/stronger to get us to Bangor and back in the least amount of time; and, the price for a 4-hr charter was less than other quotes. Splendid!! It was a dreary start to Tuesday when we arrived at 11 am with weather not looking promising for a jaunt up to Bangor; windy, rainy and choppy waters on the menu. This daunted us not, though! So, "Gilligan" and the gang (that'd be Mr. and Mrs. Howell, and the Professor), arrived at the Bucksport Marina in good spirits for our "3-hr tour"... er, 4-hr tour at Penobscot Boat Tours! ;) The boat was very cool (as all boats are!), and the Capt. Jeff (our imposing "Skipper" for this tour) made us all feel very welcomed, in good hands, and rarin' to-go!! After some discussion about the weather and tour route, we all agreed to a downriver jaunt for lunch in Belfast, and return to home base. Prior to Belfast, though, we made a special request of our intrepid Capt. (despite the hairy weather that we could see going on upriver) to take us a few miles upriver to where the Marsh River confluences into the Penobscot River. The rough-n-tumble ride was, of course, E-Ticket! (In all honesty, though, the confluence was a bit anticlimactic, but the ride was awesome!) Anyway, we turned around and headed for what was to be drier climes. The weather improved immensely and made for some pretty alluring scenery! Normally, we just drive to Belfast (20 mins) mainly not seeing the water much, behind trees/forests and such. So, seeing the coastline from the water -- seeing all those privileged homes tucked and nestled in splendid nooks and crannies! -- was a totally new POV, that's for sure! Capt. Jeff would slowdown now-and-then to point spots of interest out to us, to see seals basking on rocky shoals, and numerous heads bobbing up-and-down in the middle of the bay was pretty darn awesome!!! When we got to Belfast, Capt. Jeff gave us a suggestion for lunch (which we took and enjoyed), while he waited. The trip back to Bucksport was leisurely and beautiful as the summer sun shone upon our last leg back. The whole experience of seeing the land from the water was just wonderful! We never felt rushed; Capt. Jeff was very generous with his time. It was SO worth the cost and, more so, the experience! We will definitely be chartering another trip in the near future with Penobscot Boat Tours...!!! We all had such a great time...!!! :D

Booked our cruise the day before for a 4-hour trip and had a wonderful time cruising up to Bangor.read more

We wanted a way to explore the park and thought that a tour would be the best option. They offer a…read morestandard tour and a premium tour. We chose the premium tour which is between 3 1/2 to 4 hours and has 4 stops vs. the classic tour which is 2 1/2 hours long and has 3 stops. The narration is very good and the tour guide knew his stuff. I just felt that the tour was geared for people with limited mobility. During the stops, we didn't really have enough time to explore.....especially on the last stop (Jordan Pond House). They have a restaurant there with a beautiful outdoor area on the water. It is famous for its popovers. I thought for sure, we would be able to sit down a little and have some, but the tour guide talks about the popovers and then says, we won't have time to try them. My friend and I ordered them anyway and brought them to the bus to eat. So all in all, the tour was good, but if you want a more active visit to the park, you should check other options. If you take this company's tours, the shorter version would be sufficient, and then maybe you could do some exploring on your own.

Definitely the best way to explore the entire park in a day. It's guided with a local experienced…read morefor several years about the area, the history, and sprinkled with a bit of silly jokes. Sure, you can have your rental car and experience it yourself at your own pace, but why not go around with someone who already knows the way. This tour group goes around in a shuttle bus and gets special bus parking at each stop. Those four or five stops can get crowded! Especially the ones with the restrooms. Prior to each scenic stop, you're given the heads up of what to expect, thrown in with some interesting facts, and tips on what to enjoy. The island is so big, it is just way more convenient this way, to learn and explore one of Maine's biggest attraction. This tour is so well done and people know it; reservations book quickly so plan accordingly!

Everything was great, nice 4 days stay there Clean , neat…read more Wish if there could have one more bathroom

Took a sunset tour on a lobster boat that was a ton of fun including seeing seals, ospreys,…read morelobsters, crabs, eider ducks, guillemots, and generally enjoying the scenes and even the company. I honestly wasn't expecting that much, but the tour over-delivered in terms of having a guide with some expertise to answer questions, hearing about the local area, seeing lots of wildlife and generally having a great time. You can also bring your own beer and wine, which was a nice touch.

Charlie, our guide, met us at the clock on the square and we were off. It was immediately apparent…read morehe was very comfortable and knowledgeable about Bar Harbor and Maine history. " The 'help' would stay upstairs, because downstairs was cooler.", he said as we passed a two story historic home. Highlights of this food tour included the lobster sliders and the hot Italian sandwiches, including how and where these were eaten. We mostly ate inside. This was just starting out. Charlie gets 5 stars.

My husband and I went on the happy with appeys (love the name by the way) this past week and loved…read moreit! Highly recommend it to anyone looking to be able to try out a few different restaurants and drinks!! The four appetizers were yummy as well as the drinks! Our tour guild (well we had two, one was a trainee) were both fun, knew a lot about the area as well as answered any questions we had about the local area!

Omg great food , long wait but the pier was nice and once we got back in it was a great view nice…read morestaff

This was fun! Would definitely do this again! Got to hold lobsters! Would be great for kids about…read more10+. Great for families. Rachel our guide was very informative. She taught us so much about lobsters. Don our captain was very funny. He told us before we left water was choppy. We might not make it to seal island. We made it. Tour would have been great even without seals.