We were staying in the area and wanted to do some activities unique to Maine and booked a sea kayak tour. We've kayaked in Florida and MN a few times but this was the first time in open sea. Our guide was fantastic. She provided instruction and the necessary safety info accurately and got us on our way quickly. We kayaked around one of the porcupine islands. We had to watch for large boats through the main channels. One side of the island provided choppy paddling conditions which was 'fun' and unique. The other side of the island was much calmer and relaxed. Our guide provided interesting tidbits of info about the island as we progressed. I kind of wished we would have had a few designated photo ops areas. I didn't really feel like I could take my time to get my camera out as I needed to keep up or didn't want to miss what she was saying. As a result, no one in our group really took any pics. The kayaks were in good condition. We wore splash suits to minimize getting wet. If you are tall, the kayaks will likely be a bit uncomfortable for you (hard to adjust the foot rests). Nice morning on the water. read more

Coastal Kayaking Tours - Tours Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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Our guide, Stella, did a great job showing us the harbor, sharing history, and introducing us to the flora and fauna. She was very composed and we always felt safe. We saw a seal and lots of cool birds! There were some little ones in our group and when one of the kayakers got tired she help pull their kayak without embarrassing them. She kept an eye out for dark clouds, but the weather stayed perfect. This was a sunset tour that ended with the most lovely sky. read more

My wife booked a tour for us to spend some time together as a family. The weather was awesome and we We did the sunset tour with Brandon. What a great tour guide, super nice guy. Our family had such an awesome time together. They provide dry bags for your phones and stuff. I wished I had brought some cash with me to tip him after the tour. We would definitely do this again. read more

Coastal Kayaking Tours - Tours Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

SPECTACULAR. We absolutely loved the entire experience. The woman at the front desk was welcoming, courteous and professional. We attended the safety briefing and were greeted by Brook who was knowledgeable and friendly. After ensuring that everyone was properly fitted with life vests, etc., we continued on to the dock area and began our tour. It was amazing. Brook was extremely knowledgeable of the area and its wildlife and her enthusiasm was contagious. At one point we all stopped and stared in amazement at the sight of a couple of eagles that had just landed on an adjacent island. We took photos and our kids still talk about it. Prior to leaving Bar Harbor I asked the family what was their favorite moment. Without hesitation they all agreed that it was the kayak tour. Thank you for a wonderful time as well as the memories. WELL DONE. read more

This was super fun. The tour guide gave a great tour. It was his last day before heading back to college, so all the staff were celebrating him. My friend and I were able to book our tour the night before online (4 hour bay tour). It was an amazing day -- the weather was perfect, we saw a seal, we played frogger with the cruise line tenders. The scenery was amazing. The tour had a great overview of the area. I highly recommend this to people who want to do something active on the water. read more

We booked online for two people and it was super easy. They had us in a tandem kayak which was easy to steer since their sea kayaks had a pedal rudder. Our guide, Alison, was awesome and very informative. We got lucky with our weather with only a little bit of rain so I recommend reading their Website so you're prepared with what to bring. read more

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Went on the sunset kayaking tour and it was the BEST experience. The views on the tour are stunning, the guide was knowledgeable and fun, and the group was a blast! They give you a big "dry bag" for all your stuff you want to bring. And even though I went alone, there were options for me to not have to be in a solo 'yak if I didn't feel comfortable which I loved read more

Coastal Kayaking Tours - Tours Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

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This company books Bike Tours as well as Kayak tours. Three of us did a ranger-led bike tour on the carriage roads in Acadia and it was wonderful. The ranger was excellent -- warm, intelligent, and engaging. But my biggest compliment goes to John, who works for the Tour company and who was "last man" in the group to take care of any stragglers. I definitely needed some help going up inclines on my bike (it was not an e-bike) -- John was kind, patient, and entertaining as he walked my bike (as well as his) up the little hills. He did not rush or make me feel bad. As a senior citizen, I really appreciate his help and his lovely attitude. Cheers to you, John!! read more

Ryan was our outstanding guide for a pleasant kayak tour of Bar Harbor. Very friendly, skilled & knowledgeable. Went with my family and had a great experience! Highly recommend read more

We took the 2 and half hour harbor tour with Catie and it was pretty darn cool. Booking was easy online. The Kayaks were great- you ride in two person kayaks and they have a rudder, which was quite nice. Catie was good- stern when necessary and knowledgeable. We took the two o'clock tour and it was a bit choppy and challenging at times, but it was fun. I imagine if you go earlier, you would avoid some of that. It was a great way to see the harbor, get some exercise, and have some fun. read more

We did a 2 hour harbor tour and really enjoyed it. Our guide Karsyn was so nice and had a really fun personality, which made the trip even more fun. Online booking was really easy and seamless. read more

This was without a doubt the highlight of my Canada/New England cruise in the autumn of 2022. I booked this kayaking tour through the cruise line as a shore excursion, so it was just the company that the cruise line works with, but they picked the right one. Our guide, Mark, was an extremely good communicator with our group, which consisted of experienced and rookie kayakers. (I was the latter.) He was prepared for any situation, but our situation was that it was a lovely fall day to boat around the Porcupine Islands. He knew a lot about them, including the specifics of all the animals we saw (or could potentially see). It felt like we were doing everything very safely and properly; this meant that while I was able to bring my phone with me in a dry bag, it was pretty hard to get to. I was able to find one brief moment to dig my phone out of there for a couple of pictures, but I felt a little hurried and wish I could have been indulged a little more selfie time. Other than that, though, I wouldn't change a thing about this experience and I highly recommend it! read more

Coastal Kayaking Tours - Tours Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

We came to Acadia for a short trip, and decided to do kayaking. I found Coastal Kayaking Tours online and easily booked two spots on the islands tour for me and my husband. Our kayaking guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and our group was small. He pointed out interesting things about the isles that we went around, and we saw some porpoises swimming in the water, and other wildlife. The staff here were really nice. Prices were reasonable as well. We also rented a bike from them later that same day. Would highly recommend doing the kayaking tour, we had a great time with beautiful views. read more

Overall *** In my opinion kayaking in the bay is probably something you have to do ONCE, but not something you will want to do twice, unless you really love kayaking of course. We booked a 4 hour trip which felt like 3 hours too long so I would recommend going with the 2 hour tour. Our guide was ok but she even seemed tired of being on the water and wasn't very friendly. If you insist that this is something you have to do here are a few tips; -Shoes. Don't buy the talk of you will only need flip flops. You will at times be on some very unstable rocky beaches pulling the kayak and flip flops only make it worse and downright dangerous. Additionally if you are in the rear you have foot pedals to control the rudder and your feet may eventually develop blisters. Full water shoes are the only way to go. -Patience. Speaking of those foot controls, in theory it's brilliant but the design isn't great for a rental as they have to adjusted for each person. It took our group of 7 boats nearly 40 minutes just to launch as the one guide had to adjust the pedals for each person. -Kids. Anything under 16 and they will be of little help at paddling so pair yourselves off accordingly. -Waves. It was a windy day and while my kids loved the waves someone else that we didn't know was chumming the water multiple times. -Swimsuit. You will get wet, possibly very wet so wearing something that will dry quickly will be much more comfortable. -Sunscreen. Self explanatory. read more

Steer clear of this company. Company markets sea kayaking tours to ages 12 and up. We barely left the harbor when our guide Ryan became overwhelmed with the amount of people on our tour, busy harbor and windy conditions. My son who is 12 and experienced in river and bay kayaking and I were told we had to turn back and not go on the tour. While we had started to lag behind we were able to navigate around a boat and were catching up to the group. Originally Ryan had told us we might need to put my son with my husband but agreed to let us try and switch if necessary, but then seemed to just determine my son couldn't do it at all. On the other tour group there were kids younger than my son with kayaking with their mother. I hope their experience was better with a much more patient guide. We were extremely disappointed, but what made it worse is the manager refused to refund us our full amount. He offered only a partial refund and actually told me a full refund was a bit much to expect. When I insisted he refund us he just walked away. There are plenty of kayak companies on the island please try to find another one that won't leave you disappointed. read more

This was fun. We were a party of 10 with seniors, adults & kids. Everyone was very capable. Andrew was our guide & he made everyone comfortable with being out on the ocean in skinny ocean kayaks. It was nice to get a different perspective of Bar Harbor & learn some history of the area. We also saw porpoises in the harbor. Personally I would have liked to do more kayaking & go further up the coast but I was the only one in the party who felt that way. Your butt is going to get wet so dress accordingly. And you don't need shoes/sandals. Everyone just kicked them off & left them on the dock. read more

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Justin was spectacular! very knowledgeable, genuinely eager, and focused on safety. I was so glad they still had availability for a 2.5 hr harbor tour, that was the perfect amount of time to enjoy the water and see the sights! read more

Fantastic evening on the water for the sunset kayaking tour! Tim was so informative, fun and patient with our group. (His wife & dog who greeted us on our return were awesome too, and we got a fabulous recommendation from her for dinner...the Side Street Cafe that was spot on!! (Recommended by the wife, not the dog...LOL!)) Highlight of our trip & money we'll spent. If you have the opportunity, DO IT! read more

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Justin and Amie were great! I'd recommend this company but look for a shorter tour. 3 hours can be rough for folks just looking for a novice activity to do in Bar Harbour. I was dead by the end. read more

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Ryan is the best tour guide! Highly recommend this service and his expertise. on Our 4 hour tour, we saw all of the porcupine islands up close, explored a beach on one of the islands, and even saw a porpoise! read more

Not gonna lie, I was disappointed when on the day of our tour, the Atlantic was engulfed in a thick, unrelenting blanket of fog. I was wrong to be concerned. While we missed out on the hallmark wildlife sightings (all species we've seen before), we gained an eerily surreal connection with a quiet ocean and some of the most epic photos I've ever taken with an iPhone. It's fair to infer that most who make the trek to Bar Harbor/Acadia are naturists and we are no exception. Traversing the harbor islands while unable to discern a boundary between where the sky ends and the sea begins is an experience my family will never forget. Thank you, Coastal Kayak Tours and especially our guide, Jack, for a phenomenal morning. read more

Coastal Kayaking Tours - My boys sliding across a glassy Atlantic in the fog. - Tours Near Me - Bar Harbor, Maine

This was one of the highlights of our trip! What a fun tour, couldn't ask for a better way to explore the porcupine islands and learn more about the area. We did the four hour tour and thought it was just the right amount of time. Our guide, Bill, was helpful and knowledgeable. What a treat! read more

Laurens analysis of the situation is completely off. First of all it wasn't my girl friend. I am gay and my boyfriend and I arrived there on time at 6pm when the tour started. I am Asian which is probably why she thought that I showed back up with my girlfriend. ( My other Asian friend, who I look nothing alike by the way, was the one who was late with his girlfriend) If you look up online at tour times you can clearly see that there are no tours that start at 5:30. The tour is at 6 and that is exactly when we arrived. Once we got there it took about 3 mins to show us how to put our life vests on and we walked down to the dock after that. My friend and his girlfriend arrived only two minutes after that at 6:05 and were told it was too late to go on the tour. Meanwhile they walked down to the dock and arrived at 6:10 where only one of 5 groups had boarded. Then it took 20 more minutes to get the rest out on the water, which was plenty of time to relay the 5 mins of safety information we had received to go on the tour. Dealing with the business owner has been extremely frustrating as she was extremely rude and disrespectful from start to finish. The fact that she could not tell two completely different looking Asian men apart is just the cherry on top. read more

Bikes yaks and maps We rented bikes from them the last trip to Bar harbor and found everyone to be very helpful in their semi-catatonic maine type of way. We wanted to mess around the carriage roads by Cadillac Mountain, and they took the time to give us useful advice like "Don't go over there or you'll die", or "don't tresspass in that area cause there is a crazy guy with a gun who likes to shoot at bikers." Thank you very much. The bikes were quite nice and the maps useful. A beautiful trip. read more

So I had never been kayaking before my trip to Acadia, and this was definitely the BEST first kayaking trip. Tim our instructor was a great teacher - very kind and patient, and very knowledgable about the land and wildlife. Additionally, 2 of my friends could not swim but with Tim's instruction, they felt very comfortable and they also really enjoyed the kayaking. It was a great adventure and a great learning experience. The highlight of the kayaking was when we saw a group of sea porpoises swim by us, it was amazing. Highly recommend this place for anyone who wants to kayak in Bar Harbor! read more

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We took the 2 1/2 hour tour with Aimee today and it was amazing!! We were so lucky to have beautiful weather and it was perfect! The scenery was gorgeous, we saw porpoises and seals and deer and our guide was so knowledgeable about history and wildlife. It was a really amazing experience and Aimee was fantastic!! read more

This 4 hour tour was well done. Very well organized, great equipment and instruction, and fun. Our guide Joey was the star. Joey was very helpful, knowledgeable and worked very hard to ensure all of us had a good experience. Paddling out to the islands was relatively smooth, but paddling back to where we started was much more intense with the waves and wind. But certainly doable. Great kayaking experience with top equipment and information about the islands and sea life. Again Joey was the star, she is a great guide!!! read more

First time in ocean kayaking with a healthy fear of the deep waters in a small vessel . But Tim made me so comfortable with all the education and prep; he really has a talent as a guide. The experience was perfect blend of fun, humor and exploration all while being perfectly safe. I promised him I wasn't letting him off the hook for giving me the "broken skirt" . Inside joke... but seriously how did I manage to get that wet? I hope I get back to the area to go again! I wouldn't choose any other company! When you go and you MUST, tell Tim "Samantha, Charlie, MJ, and Parker" say hello! read more

We lucked out with a tremendous weather evening for a sunset kayak tour around the islands. Our guide, Kristen, was knowledgeable about the area and history, and attentive to safety on the water. We saw some harbor porpoises, many seabirds, and a juvenile bald eagle. We highly recommend this organization and tour, and look forward to our next kayak adventure when we visit Maine. read more

Had a great time doing the sunset kayak tour during mid June! Put in off Bar Harbor pier, kayaking around the calm areas around Bar Island and up the coast to the west. Recommend wearing moisture wicking long sleeve shirt and be prepared to get your feet chilly and wet when entering the boat. They luckily provide a dry bag to take with you. Everyone in our group rode 2 person kayaks with the person in the back using their legs to steer the rudder - recommend that person wear shoes to prevent your feet arches from getting sore. read more

We loved this tour! Awesome views, outstanding and engaging guide! Ansleigh was informative, knowledgeable, and fun, and she knew the coastline and history of Bar Harbor quite well. BUT ... no orcas jumping overhead as we expected, having seen Orca (1977). Lack of shirtless hunky young tour guides ultimately knocked this down one star. We still recommend tho. read more

Amazing experience, highly recommend! My fiancee and I did the 2.5 hour harbor tour with Bill as our guide. The reservation process was seamless and staff adhered to all the COVID-19 procedures. Bill was an incredible kayak guide! He was friendly, down-to-earth, and had an extensive knowledge of the harbor and its wildlife. We were lucky enough to see some seals from afar, a large school of fish, a sea star, and many beautiful birds. We highly recommend this kayak tour! read more

My boyfriend and I went for a sunset tour on a windy, cold, and foggy day, but still ended up with a wonderful experience and pleasant mood. Having kayaked at elsewhere (Hawaii and Puerto Rico) before, I figured that these guys have a very different (but better!) approach to operate sea kayaking tours. They have that kind of professional kayaks that have a mechanism to prevent your bottom part from being splashed any water - and also look very different! The tour itself is a very unique experience in light of the environment around Bar Harbor and Acadia. It is a great way to see the area and get some close contact with the water. Last, our tour guide - Brian - is wonderful! He's very professional and patient, giving us detailed instructions about how to kayak, and making everything so easy for us, so we can just enjoy the tour. read more

Our family took the morning kayaking trip and we had a great time. Wildlife and area facts were pointed out while we were kayaking. Jordan was great and kept us entertained. read more

Tim is the best guide! Very patient with all of us with different skill levels and had a breadth of knowledge about the area and was great at pointing out wildlife on our tour. We did the half-day tour. You do get a small break on one of the islands and they provide dry bags for you so packing a sandwich will help refuel you for the second half of your trip. My boyfriend will say he did most of the paddling but as Tim directs, if you paddle in tandem and have your oars facing the correct direction (aforementioned boyfriend who said he was doing more paddling had them upside down for a bit) it's tiring but doable. My arms were definitely a bit soar later that day. The water was calm the day we went and we were cutting through the water easily. When working together I was singing "Just around the river bend" and fulfilling all my kayaking dreams, my boyfriend played along at one point as we sang "row, row, row your boat". For novice kayakers it was a long day so the songs helped on the patches where Tim wasn't providing us interesting facts about the islands. Anything above the kayaking skirt will get wet, so as they suggest wear things that will dry quickly. read more

I'm not a crazy bicyclist but I appreciate a bike that has a cushy seat and some solid suspension. Riding on the Carriage roads were made better by these two things. I also had a good time going uphill because the gears were working well (I never really like going uphill as much as downhill.) Pick up was easy and drop off was even easier - keep in mind that you need to get there by 6pm! They have dinner and families to get to too! read more

Booked a sunset kayak hoping to see a beautiful Bar Harbor sunset and maybe some of the wildlife they talk about in their brochure. Instead the day was socked in with fog and rain and we thought maybe they'd cancel - but only a major catastrophe qualifies for cancellation so off we went. Accustomed to west coast sea kayaks we were not used to these models with skirts and rudders and enclosed spaces - but thankfully the skirt and all comes in handy in this climate. Guide Shandy has only been with them a couple months or so and probably doesn't know as much about the region as some other guides but she knows her way around the water. Fog lifted some as we embarked around Barr Island but settled back in as we made for Sheep Porcupine Island. Then the rain came by the bucket (this is where the skirts come in handy - at least part of you stays warm and dry). In mid-channel with wind, driving rain and fog so thick you couldn't see the front of the kayak and we hear a big boat motor racing somewhere toward us. Yowza! Shandy promised a rest on the lee side of the island where the wind wouldn't be so tough - instead we ran into major swells and more rain so the promised breather never happened as we rounded the island and headed for home. So we had a steady slog for 2 1/2 hours, limited visibility, driving rain, waves big enough to swamp us if we got crosswise and no wildlife (except for one cormorant). Wife and I agreed it was a great adventure. We were soaked, chilled and exhausted but it was a fun trip. We've kayaked all over in beautiful weather and, while it would have been nice to have a gorgeous clear day to enjoy the Maine coast and see some eagles and critters, this was an adventure we couldn't duplicate if we tried for years. So if you're looking for a fun adventure, saddle up with Coastal Kayak. If the weather's good you'll have a great time. If the weather sucks it might be even better. read more

We found this outfit by random search on Yelp on the morning we wanted to take a four hour ocean kayaking trip. We had the good fortune to have the services of Bill Langlois as guide. Every thing went well. We were lucky that weather was fine on the morning of our trip after several rainy days but the other reasons that we had such a good time were due to the excellent work by Bill and the other folks at Coastal Kayaking. The service was professional, and the equipment was well maintained and in good condition, always a concern when out on the Atlantic ocean. Bill took the time answer our questions, to describe the local geography, how lobster fishing is done and to show us the critters which lived by and in the water. He took the trouble to tailor the tour to the interests and abilities of the kayakers. He even took the trouble to take photos of the trip which he emailed to us the next day, a real plus for those of us who did not bring a camera. Highly recommended. Easy John read more

Great guides. Excellent time. Went June 10 for a 2 hour tour around the Porcupine Islands. Saw a bald eagle, some porpoises, jellyfish and some deer. Very fun!!! The ladies behind the counter were genuine and friendly. Coastal Kayaking Tours had helpful staff too. Unlike National Parks Kayak, the staff here did not lie to us about tour availability and kayaking options around the area. We appreciated their honesty and are so glad we chose them for our kayak tour! read more

We booked the sunset tour and it was excellent. The only thing we'll say is that when we showed up for the tour, they lost our reservation and couldn't accommodate us because they are limited to a certain amount of guests per guide. This put our plans out of whack for that day and evening. But Glen made it right by offering a free tour the next night. Mistakes happen - it's more about how they're handled. As far as I'm concerned, he handled it just right. But I would recommend you get some sort of confirmation. Rebecca was our guide, she was excellent, especially given the fact that our 10 year old daughter peppered her with a million questions throughout the tour. The trip was excellent. We started with so much fog that we couldn't see the island in the harbor. As we paddled the fog lifted, so we got to experience the trip in various conditions. We saw harbor seals and porpoises. We loved it so much that we wanted to do it again but our plans didn't allow for it. read more