Bar Harbor Schooner Sail

Bar Harbor’s schooner sail is on the Margaret Todd, the four-masted flagship of Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines, from the Bar Harbor Inn Pier at 1 Newport Drive. She sails three times a day from mid-May through October: a morning sail at 10:00, an afternoon sail at 2:00 and a sunset sail with live folk music, each about 90 minutes to two hours on Frenchman Bay, along the shore of Acadia National Park and out toward Egg Rock Light. Beer, wine and soft drinks are sold on the afternoon and sunset trips, and dogs on a leash are welcome. The sail is from $70 on Viator, rated 4.1 from 789 reviews (checked October 2026).

Check 2027 dates for the Margaret Todd

The three trips

Times, lengths and prices from Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines’ own website, which prints no year on them, checked October 2026. Active military with ID sail the morning trip free.

The afternoon sail is usually the livelier one, with the stronger breezes. The sunset trips get shorter as the season goes on: Bar Harbor sits at the eastern edge of the Eastern Time Zone, so the sun sets early, and by October the sunset sail lasts about an hour. On the 2027 Viator calendar the trips run from 14 May to 11 October 2027 at 10:00 am, 2:00 pm and an evening sail at 6:15 pm until mid-August, stepping back to 4:00 pm in October (read October 2026).

Where you board

The Margaret Todd and the company’s other schooners, Joshua and Bailey Louise Todd, dock at the Bar Harbor Inn Pier, 1 Newport Drive, at the foot of the town. Arrive 45 minutes before your sail: boarding closes 15 minutes before departure, and late arrivals cannot board. Every guest is screened at boarding.

There is no parking for the boats. Bar Harbor’s street and lot parking costs $1.50 to $2.00 an hour, enforced from 9 am to 8 pm Monday to Saturday and from noon to 8 pm on Sundays, June 1 to October 30. Allow time to find a space.

On board

• Drinks: beer, wine and soft drinks are sold on the afternoon and sunset trips. No other alcohol may be brought aboard; your own food and soft drinks are fine.
• Dogs: welcome on a leash.
• Children: life jackets for adults and children are on board, but not for infants. Infants and toddlers need a ticket, and a stroller can come aboard.
• Wear: layers. It is usually 10 to 15 degrees cooler on the water than in town; bring a blanket if you like, and leave the umbrella behind.
• Weather: the schooner sails in mist, light fog and cloud. If the company cancels for weather, you get a full refund if you do not rebook.

Booking: Viator or direct

The Viator listing refunds in full if you cancel at least 24 hours before. Downeast Windjammer Cruise Lines’ own terms refund with 24 hours’ notice minus a 10% processing fee, and nothing inside 24 hours or for a missed sail (checked October 2026).

Who should pick something else

• A smaller boat: Surprise in Camden takes 18 guests; see Camden schooner cruises.
• Bring your own wine: Portland Schooner Co. allows it; see Portland.
• Sail at sunset in high summer: Bar Harbor’s sunset trip is the shortest of the coast; the sunset sails guide compares them.
• The season: the schooner season guide has every harbor month by month.