The Boating Capital of New England, arrived at by sea.
A Harbor Shaped by the Sea
Long before tourists discovered its postcard-perfect charm, Boothbay Harbor was a hardworking place defined entirely by its relationship with the water. The Etchemin people, also called Canibas, were the first inhabitants of the region between the Kennebec and Penobscot rivers, living along the same rocky shores that small ship cruise passengers glide into today.
English fishermen began working these waters in the early 1600s, drawn by the extraordinary richness of the Gulf of Maine fishing grounds. By the 1660s, year-round families had settled on islands and peninsulas throughout the region, at Cape Newagen, East Boothbay, Oak Point, and Damariscove Island. These settlements were forced out during the Indian Wars of the late 1680s, but the land and the harbor proved too valuable to abandon for long.
In 1729, a group of roughly sixty Scotch-Irish families permanently resettled the area under the name Townsend. The McCobbs, Fullertons, McFarlands, and Montgomerys arrived first; the Barters, Alleys, Reeds, Linekins, and Wylies followed within the decade. They came as subsistence farmers, but the sea was never far from their ambitions. By the 1760s, sawmills and grist mills were operating, and vessels were being built. In 1764, Townsend became a legal town and was renamed Boothbay, a name whose origins remain, charmingly, unexplained.
Commerce, Shipbuilding, and a Crowded Harbor
By the early 19th century, Boothbay Harbor had emerged as a commercial hub for the region’s Banks fishermen, with the McCobb-Auld firm serving as a major gathering point. After the difficult war years and embargo era, the town flourished. In 1827, Nathaniel McFarland recorded that 2,125 vessels had dropped anchor in Boothbay Harbor in a single calendar year, and on some days there were 400 fishing vessels anchored at once. The harbor’s ability to shelter ships during storms made it one of the most valued refuges on the Maine coast; Friendship Sloops in particular sought its protection in foul weather.
Shipbuilding flourished from the mid-19th century through the early 20th, producing swift schooners for cargo transport and later naval vessels for World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The Frank L. Sample shipyard built minesweepers for the U.S. Navy during World War II and into the 1950s. The last quarter of the 19th century also brought pogie (menhaden) factories, the ice industry, harvesting blocks from local ponds for shipment to southern ports, and sardine and lobster canneries. On February 16, 1889, the community was officially set off from Boothbay and incorporated as the separate town of Boothbay Harbor.
From Working Port to Resort Destination
The region’s appeal to summer visitors was recognized even before 1850, and by the 1880s, the “rusticator” era was well underway. Grand hotels, cottage colonies, and waterfront inns sprang up along the shores to accommodate visitors enchanted by the harbor’s rugged beauty. Sprucewold Colony, a development of cabins and recreational facilities on Spruce Point, was among the most notable. Some location filming for the 1956 Rodgers and Hammerstein musical Carousel, notably the “June Is Bustin’ Out All Over” sequence, was shot here, offering a glimpse of the harbor’s golden-age appeal.
Today, boatbuilding and fishing remain active industries, with approximately 110 licensed commercial lobstermen operating in the Boothbay Region. But the harbor’s identity has evolved into something both rooted in the past and thoroughly alive in the present, a working waterfront that doubles as one of New England’s most beloved small ship cruise destinations.
Coming Ashore by Small Ship
There is a particular pleasure in arriving in Boothbay Harbor the way nearly everyone arrived for the first three centuries of its existence, by sea. On the Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise operated by American Cruise Lines and bookable through Sunstone Tours & Cruises, Boothbay Harbor is visited on Day 4 of the 9-day voyage, after a day of open-water cruising from Bath. The timing is deliberate: by the time you glide into this harbor, you have already absorbed the maritime heritage of Portland and the shipbuilding legacy of Bath, and Boothbay Harbor arrives as the intimate, flower-lined reward.
The intimacy of the small ship experience, aboard vessels carrying between 100 and 130 guests, matters enormously here. Where a large cruise ship could never enter, American Cruise Lines’ shallow-draft vessels slip directly into the heart of the harbor, placing passengers steps from the working waterfront, the art galleries, the schooner docks, and the path to the Botanical Gardens. There are no tender boats, no queuing, no malls masquerading as ports.
Cruise Tip
The Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise departs Portland (or Bangor in reverse direction) and calls at Bath, Boothbay Harbor, Rockland, Camden, Bar Harbor, Castine, and Bangor. Fares start at $5,240 per person (double occupancy) for Standard Waterview staterooms, with departures from May through September. All gourmet meals, cocktail hour, Wi-Fi, and enrichment programming are included.
Highlights for the Adventure Cruise Traveler
A day in Boothbay Harbor rewards the curious. The town is compact enough to explore on foot, yet layered enough that every turn of its flower-lined streets reveals something new, a gallery, a working boatyard, a dockside lobster shack, a lighthouse visible across the water. Here are the experiences that define a call here for the small ship traveler.
Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens
New England’s largest botanical garden sprawls across 295 tidal acres on the Boothbay Peninsula. Since opening in 2007, it has drawn visitors from more than 60 nations. Stroll through 17 gardens featuring Maine-native plants, discover the giant Scandinavian trolls hidden among the trees, and explore the enchanting Children’s Garden. The complimentary guided excursion included on the cruise covers the garden’s highlights. Open May through October; blooms are most diverse July–September.
Boothbay Harbor Cruise: Seals & Lighthouses
Step off your ship and onto another for a narrated harbor cruise past working lobster boats, secluded islands, and Maine’s iconic lighthouses, including Burnt Island Light (1821), Ram Island Light, and Cuckolds Island Light. Watch for harbor seals basking on rocky ledges. Cap’n Fish’s Cruises, founded more than 80 years ago, is the original whale watch and harbor tour operator in the region.
Sailing the Classic Schooners
Boothbay Harbor Sailing operates Schooner Eastwind (65 feet, built 1999) and Schooner Applejack, the harbor’s two finest windjammers. Crew will invite you to help hoist the sails or take the helm as you glide past lighthouses, lobstermen, and remote islands. Day sails, sunset sails, and private charters run late May through early October.
Waterfront Dining & Lobster Culture
The harbor’s working waterfront is lined with restaurants serving the freshest Maine seafood in New England. Lobster, of course, reigns, but local clams, oysters, and chowder are equally worthy. Dockside dining with views of the fleet is a Boothbay Harbor rite of passage. Your ship’s gourmet chefs will also feature local catches at dinner aboard.
Art Galleries & Specialty Shops
The downtown streets are dotted with art galleries showcasing regional and local painters, sculptors, and craftspeople. Antique stores, specialty shops, and boutiques offer unique finds that reflect the town’s creative and maritime character. The cruise’s optional e-bike excursion visits Villard Studios, where an artist demonstrates the rare American White Line Print technique, a work now in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection.
Kayaking the Working Waterfront
A guided kayaking excursion takes adventurous passengers through the harbor’s working waterfront, past historic shipwrecks, tall ships, and active lobster boats. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens also offers kayaking on the Sheepscot River from The Landing at the gardens, accessible by boat from the harbor itself.
Boothbay Railway Village
A short excursion from the harbor, the Railway Village offers a window into 19th-century American life through a collection of historic buildings and operating narrow-gauge steam trains. Open May through October, it is a favorite for those who love New England’s industrial heritage.
Burnt Island & Historic Lighthouses
Accessible by boat from the harbor, Burnt Island hosts the 1821 rubble stone light tower, still active, and the 1857 keeper’s house. Nature trails, picnic tables, and sweeping harbor views reward those who step ashore. The Maine Maritime Museum also offers lighthouse cruises departing from Bath that pass through the Boothbay area.
Best Time to Visit Boothbay Harbor by Small Ship
The Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise runs from May through September, and each month offers a distinct experience in Boothbay Harbor. Your choice of sailing date should reflect what you most want to encounter here.
May
Quiet & Awakening
The harbor comes alive without the summer crowds. Gardens are opening, lobster boats return to full activity, and fares are at their lowest. Evenings are cool and clear.
June
Windjammer Days
Boothbay Harbor’s beloved annual Windjammer Days Festival brings parades, tall ship sails, fireworks, and an estimated 10,000 visitors. The harbor is magnificent under full sail. Book early, departures sell out in premium categories.
July – August
Peak Summer
Warm, sunny, and buzzing with activity. Botanical Gardens blooms peak July through September. Whale watches, puffin excursions, and fireworks sails are all operating at full schedule. Fares are slightly higher and departures sell quickly.
September
Golden Light
Perhaps the finest month: fewer crowds, warm days, cool evenings, and the first whisper of fall color beginning on the surrounding hillsides. Premium pricing reflects this popularity. Early foliage can be spectacular by month’s end.
Cruise Tip
The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are open May 1 through late October, with the regular season’s most diverse blooms running July through September. A separate winter season, Gardens Aglow (mid-November through early January), transforms the grounds with over 750,000 LED lights, recognized by U.S. News & World Report as one of the best holiday light displays in the nation. This event falls outside the cruise season but is worth noting for independent travelers extending their trip.
The Voyage: Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise
Boothbay Harbor is Day 4 of a 9-day journey through New England’s most storied coastline, operated by American Cruise Lines and bookable through Sunstone Tours & Cruises.
- 9 Days, May – September, 100-130 guests, from $5,240pp
What the Adventure Cruise Traveler Should Know
Shore Excursions
Most shore excursions in Boothbay Harbor are not included in the base cruise fare, though a guided Botanical Gardens exploration is offered as a complimentary excursion on the American Cruise Lines itinerary. Premium excursions, the e-bike tour, the kayaking adventure, harbor seal cruises, and schooner sails, can be reserved in advance by calling American Cruise Lines directly. These fill quickly in summer months.
Getting Around Ashore
Boothbay Harbor’s downtown is genuinely walkable. The famous footbridge spanning the inner harbor connects the two sides of town and offers excellent views of the working fleet. The Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens are approximately four miles from the downtown waterfront, a short taxi or shuttle ride, though some excursion packages include transportation. The gardens can also be reached by small boat from the harbor, arriving at The Landing.
What to Pack for the Day
Maine weather in summer is famously variable. Even warm July days can turn cool and breezy on the water. Bring a windproof layer for any harbor or schooner excursion. The Botanical Gardens involve considerable walking over varied terrain, comfortable, broken-in shoes are essential. A light rain shell and sunscreen should be standard inclusions.
Lobster: An Obligation, Not an Option
Boothbay Harbor takes its lobster seriously. Approximately 110 licensed commercial lobstermen operate in the region, and the annual catch runs to roughly 2.4 million pounds. Whether aboard the ship’s dinner service or at a dockside shack, eating lobster in Boothbay Harbor is not optional, it is the point. The cruise’s Rockland stop the following day often features a traditional lobster bake, but Boothbay Harbor’s waterfront restaurants offer the most spontaneous, most local version of the experience.
Booking & Availability
The Maine Coast and Harbors Cruise is one of the most popular itineraries in American Cruise Lines’ fleet. Several mid-summer and September departures are already sold out in premium cabin categories. Travelers intending to sail in July, August, or September are encouraged to book well in advance. Sunstone Tours & Cruises can be reached toll-free at 1-888-815-5428 for current availability and personalized booking assistance.
