2027042 Puffins, Lobsters and Whales

Day 1

Arrive in the Forest City Portland, Maine early afternoon. Check into the hotel for the night. Dinner included at a local restaurant.

Day 2

Breakfast included. Begin the day with a two-hour driving tour of Portland including a stop at the Portland Head Light. This historic light sits at the mouth of Portland Harbor and was commissioned by George Washington. Completed in 1791, it is the oldest lighthouse in Maine. Continue north to Freeport for lunch and shopping on your own. Be sure to visit the L.L. Bean Flagship Campus and sample a craft beer with lunch. Next stop is a docent-led tour of the Maine Maritime Museum located in Bath. The museum offers an intriguing look into Maine’s maritime heritage, and the role Maine has played in global maritime activities. Late afternoon settle into the hotel for the next two nights. Dinner included at a local restaurant.

Day 3

Breakfast included. Board the coach for the Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens for a self-guided exploration. The gardens and landscape include nearly a mile of the tidewater shoreline and are home to the hidden Giant Wooden trolls. Lunch will be on your own today in Boothbay Harbor. The afternoon will be spent on the water enjoying a magnificent Puffin & Whale Combo cruise. Head offshore to Eastern Egg Rock, the southernmost nesting site for the Atlantic Puffins, and spot these colorful seabirds. Then off to the prime whale feeding grounds where you might spot humpback whales, fin whales, minke whales and more. Escorted by expert naturalists learn amazing facts about the wide variety of marine life. Dinner is on your own tonight at one of local restaurants.

Day 4

Breakfast included. Travel to Thomaston for a stop at the Maine State Prison Showroom. The old-fashioned shop features wooden inmate-carved furniture, crafts, and novelty items. Continue to the Owl’s Head Transportation Museum. Dedicated to education and preservation, the working exhibits of the museum include pre-1940 aircraft, vehicles, engines, and technology that have shaped the transportation world. Enjoy lunch on your own in downtown Rockland. This afternoon visit the Fort Knox Historic site and the Penobscot Narrows Bridge and Observatory. The observatory is the world’s tallest public bridge observatory with 360-degree views from the 420-foot tower. Continue to Bangor and check into your hotel for the next two nights. Dinner included at a local restaurant.

Day 5

Breakfast included. Depart for Bar Harbor and board the lobstering boat with experienced lobstermen who will haul traps from the ocean floor. Experienced naturalists on board will answer all your questions and provide an up-close experience with the lobsters. The cruise will also pass by a small island to view the seals basking on the rocks or swimming in the waters. Lunch on your own today in downtown Bar Harbor. After lunch, a local guide will join the group for a narrated driving tour of Acadia National Park including a trip to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. Tonight, enjoy a delicious lobster dinner.

Day 6

Breakfast included. Begin your journey home filled with memories of Puffins, Lobsters and Whales.

B=Breakfast, D=Dinner