Tour FAQs

Our tours are run in tandem kayaks (2 people) with a maximum of 12 people per tour. If you happen to be in an odd-numbered party, one person will be paired with another paddler or with the guide. In some cases, one person may be placed in a solo kayak, if comfortable.

Our shortest tours are 2.5 hours long. Our four-hour tours include a break on an island or beach in Frenchman Bay. We also run longer tours—not on a regularly scheduled basis, but rather according to demand.

Availability on our booking site indicates the number of people. If you see space for one, it means one person.

Our tours are popular and book up early. We recommend making your reservations as soon as possible. We make every effort to accommodate people who book only a day in advance, or on the same day, but we aren’t always able to do that. To ensure that you are getting the tour and time that you want, it is advised that you book early.

No, there are no benefits to kayaking in the morning vs. the afternoon or vice versa. Choose a tour time that fits to your schedule.

We kayak rain or shine as long as the conditions are safe out on the water.

No; we recommend that you bring rain gear for inclement weather. We do sell light-duty ponchos in our Customer Service area for $5.

The weather varies often in Frenchman Bay so we recommend wearing or bringing layers. This will prepare you for whatever weather you encounter on the ocean. We provide spray skirts so your lower half that sits inside the kayak will be covered. We also sell $5 flip flops in our shop if you are worried about footwear.

We do not have on-site parking. Parking can be difficult during our season, so make sure to give yourself plenty of time to park so that you’re not late for check-in. Check-in is 30 minutes prior to your tour start time. Please refer to our parking page for information on Bar Harbor’s parking regulations.

Sea kayaking with our licensed Maine guides is perfectly safe for people of all levels. We’ve been running trips since 1982, longer than any other outfitter on the Maine coast. Our tandem kayaks are super-stable, so won’t get a “tippy” feeling once you’re floating. Your guide will provide a paddling lesson before your trip begins, and while you won’t become an expert in one outing, you’ll be surprised how easy and comfortable it is to paddle a sea kayak.

No matter how spectacular the scenery, your trip is only as good as your guide, and that’s where Coastal excels. We are the only outfitter on Mount Desert Island that runs its own guide training program; that means we never have to take guides with inadequate expertise, paddling skills or knowledge. The bottom line? You’ll have fun with our guides, because they have fun.

We use tandem sea kayaks, which accommodate two people.

We regularly see harbor seals, harbor porpoises, and bald eagles, though we cannot guarantee sightings. We always see plenty of sea birds, including double-crested cormorants and black guillemots.

You can cancel or change any kayak tour with a full refund as long as parties of five or fewer call 48 hours in advance. Parties of six or more may receive a full refund with 72-hours advanced notice. Once inside that time period, you will be responsible for the full cost of the tour. Make sure you speak with a customer service representative as we don’t accept email/voicemail cancellation requests.

We cancel tours if it is thundering and lightning or severe winds are causing unsafe conditions on the water. If we have to cancel a tour, we will call you and either give you a full refund or help you set up a tour on a different date and time.