Kennebunkport’s Rugosa Lobster Tour: Learning About and Kissing Lobsters

How can you visit Maine and not have some sort of lobster fun along the way? When you’re in Kennebunkport, the Rugosa Lobster Tour is a great addition to your plans and you’ll love both the educational side of it as well as being out on the water. Maine is unique in its lobster culture, so being out with a crew as they pull lobster pots and share all about the process and lifestyle of lobstering, it’s a great experience to add to your time in Kennebunkport.

Have you gotten to go out with the Rugosa Lobster Tour before? If so, how many lobsters did you get to hold or kiss? That’s right, you have the chance to handle lobsters and learn about them up close! We’ve got the full scoop on what to expect when you go out with the Rugosa Lobster Tour and more ideas for visiting Kennebunkport. If you have any questions about planning this sort of adventure, please leave a comment or send us a note. We’re always happy to share more and help you put together a fun plan for enjoying Maine!

Why do the Rugosa Lobster Tour?

I’m such a sucker for being out on the water; no shame. I’m also a sucker to listen to anyone talk about things they’re really passionate about, and with the Rugosa Lobster Tour you get the best of both worlds, being on the water and getting an absolute earful about the ins and outs of lobstering. This industry is so unique and in Maine it’s not just an open free-for-all to jump into lobstering.

On the Rugosa in Kennebunkport they’ve got an educational lobster license, so you know that your time really is going to be all about learning. With each article I write I see how much of a geek I am and I’m so okay with it. I absolutely geeked out learning about lobsters with the crew. So what should you expect when you go out on a lobster tour with the Rugosa? You should expect to hear stories of the sea, the scoop on how lobstering is managed to be sustainable, and you should expect to get to see lobsters up close and personal. Because lobstering is integral to the livelihoods of thousands of Mainers, making sure lobsters are abundant for years to come has to be at the heart of lobstering, so when you’re on the Rugosa be sure to ask lots of questions about how lobstermen ensure the numbers stay up.

One other element that I love about being on boats in Maine, including here in Kennebunkport, is the chance of wildlife. When we were out on the Rugosa Lobster Tour we actually got to see the fabled mola mola, an ocean sunfish! For all the tours and time I’ve had on the water this was a first for me and it was awesome!

Tips for a Great Lobster Boat Tour in Kennebunkport

The Rugosa Lobster Tour happens on a lobster boat, which means it’s not a big boat and is very much subject to the waves and sea swell. I’m great at handling seasickness, but I know many others aren’t. If you wanted to take precautions to ensure you don’t suffer from motion sickness before you board the Rugosa, that’s a good idea. Some people like meclizine or Dramamine, but I avoid them, personally. There are pills and patches, so you do you. The crew also provides pressure point bands if guests would like to try them. Some people absolutely swear by them and it’s a great alternative to taking medication.

Speaking of rough seas, if the weather isn’t cooperating the Rugosa Lobster Tour will be delayed or cancelled. Because that’s always a risk with boat trips, I would suggest booking your lobstering trip for early in your time in Kennebunkport so that if you do get a bad weather day you have the chance to go out on a different day. This happened to us and I’m so glad that we were able to still go out because we had a lovely time. The total time from check in until you’re back on land is less than two hours, so I’m sure you can carve that out of your schedule when you’re in Kennebunkport.

Being Prepared for the Rugosa Lobster Tour

Dress for being out on the open water… cuz you’re heading out on the open water. Yes, it can be warm and wonderful in the summertime in Maine, but you should always plan for the temperature out on the Rugosa Lobster Tour to be at least ten degrees cooler than on land, and if it’s breezy, even cooler. I’m always dressing for a cold day because I know I can peel off a layer, and when I’m on boats I overcompensate. I would advise this for anyone else too. And this includes gloves and even a stocking cap.

Bring your camera! I am in love with lobsters and I think they’re both beautiful and cute. Yes, I know they’re the bugs of the sea, but they’re gorgeous and such an icon of Maine. It sounds funny, but you can absolutely have a little Glamorshots shoot with the lobsters while you’re on your tour. The crew is really great about making sure everyone gets to interact with the lobsters (safely) from banding them to throwing them back, and with that of course you can really see them up close and are welcome to whisper sweet nothings and encouraging words before they go back to the sea. It’s all fun and it’s a wonderfully unique Maine experience to enjoy

Parking for Kennebunkport Lobster Tours

The Rugosa Lobster Tour goes out from the Nonantum Resort Hotel on Ocean Ave. If you’re staying in downtown Kennebunkport either on the river or just in the neighborhood a block or two from downtown, you can easily walk here. There are some public parking areas, but it’s easiest to walk here or ride bikes. Just be careful to not park your car illegally and then return to a parking ticket, or worse, being towed.

Note: this is not the same area any other lobster tour departs from. Other lobster tours depart from the Kennebunk side near the bridge.