All aboard! Sail away with 5 of the Seacoast’s ocean adventures!
Do you know I haven’t been to the beach in almost two years? I live less than 5 minutes away.
We Seacoasters tend to take for granted the beauty and opportunity our shores and sea can provide in the way of family fun. With the start of school being only a month away, now is the perfect time to up your ocean adventure game and check out one of these seaworthy trips your family is sure to love.
#1 Family Pirate Cruise
Here’s something that’s just plain fun. Al Gauron Deep Sea Fishing & Whale Watches (algauron.com) out of Hampton Harbor offers a two-hour Pirate Cruise every Thursday night from 6:30pm-8:00pm. Play pirate games, don some fierce tattoos, shoot the kids’ cannons as you prepare for a seaworthy battle and, of course, hunt for treasure! Tickets are $20 adults and $15 for kids and the memories are free. Price includes pirate hat, eye patch, sword, face-painting, tattoos, root beer toast and an experience your kids will talk about for years.
#2 Lobster Boat Tours
Looking to live the life of a lobsterman? Now you can. Climb aboard a working lobster boat and spend a few hours hauling traps, learning about the lobsters’ lifecycle and getting some hands-on time with our bottom-dwelling friends. Ogunquit’s Finestkind (finestkindcruises.com) tour prices are $22 adults/$11 kids and offers six tours daily. Sunrise Adventure Charters out of Hampton Beach, NH offers 2-hour daily tours (each tour includes one lobster to take home!) for $40 per person. Check their website for schedules.
#3 Harbor & Star Island Tours
More into cruisin’ the coast? The Isles of Shoals Steamship Company (islesofshoals.com) and the Portsmouth Harbor Cruises (portsmouthharbor.com) offer a variety of family-friendly daytime and sunset cruises. Choose from narrated sightseeing tours along Portsmouth Harbor, Star Island and the Isles of Shoals. Check websites for schedules and pricing.
#4 Fishing Charters
Traditional fishing charters are fun, but are way too long of a day for little kids (and most adults). Starting at the end of June, Eastman’s Fishing Fleet (eastmansdocks.com) out of Seabrook has a family-friendly two-hour fishing tour from 6:30pm-8:30pm that runs *typically every night of the week through mid-September. They are a blast and you’re pretty much guaranteed to catch something. Prices are $16 for adults, $13 for kids, $4 rod rental.
#5 River Sails
If you’re looking to do a little relaxing while the kiddos are simultaneously occupied, The Gundalow Company has some great options including a weekly afternoon Discovery Sail that combines marine education and sailing fun. On select days, Kids Sail Free on a relaxing two-hour cruise along the Piscataqua. The crew keeps the kids busy with activities while you enjoy a a cruise down the bay. What a great way to start the day. See gundalow.org for additional trip schedules and pricing.
Summer is the perfect time to get out there and enjoy our Seacoast—see you on the water!
