Go on a Whale Watch, Bar Harbor

Many visitors to Maine come to see the same creatures: puffins, moose, and seals. But these people are missing the boat, literally, if they don’t add whales to their tick-list. You can catch a whale-watch trip from several different locations along the coast, but one of our favorites is the three-and-a-half-hour trip offered by the Bar Harbor Whale Watch Company. The 112-foot-long catamaran, Friendship V, is one of the few boats that the U.S. Coast Guard allows to venture more than twenty miles from a harbor of safe refuge, giving captains even more freedom to search out the humpbacks, finbacks, and minke whales that use the currents off Mount Desert Island as a huge fast-food joint. The display that these deepwater leviathans put on is tremendous, whether they’re breaching clear out of the water or just showing you the unique markings on their twenty-foot-wide tails. On the way back to shore keep your eyes out for other wildlife, as you might spot seals, porpoises, and even a puffin or two if the sea is calm enough (do yourself a favor and stay outside in the fresh air, especially if you’re prone to seasickness). A new offering this summer is the evening cruise, allowing visitors to enjoy the whales as the sun sets over the hills of Acadia. 207-288-2386. www.barharborwhales.com