Where to Find Puffins Near Bar Harbor

Seeing wildlife, undisturbed and unexpectedly, is one of life’s true pleasures. It’s long been a dream of mine to see puffins in the wild. Their darling grey, yellow, and orange-striped beaks make them one of the most recognizable birds in the entire world. Plus, they’re freaking adorable! After visiting northern Scotland, Norway’s Arctic Circle, and the coast of Maine multiple times during the Puffin breeding season, we still hadn’t seen any in areas where they once nested, due to human-driven environmental destruction. For instance, puffins were once common on the Isle of Skye, but trawling along the coast for eels and other small fish they like to eat meant there was no longer enough food for them, so they fled elsewhere. So, we took a more direct approach in finding our beloved puffins. Here’s where to find Puffins near Bar Harbor, Maine.

Before I tell you where we found puffins near Bar Harbor, Maine, you must promise me three things: First, that you won’t use this information to harm the puffins in any way. Where they live is a protected breeding area. They were once extirpated from Maine due to overfishing, which left them without sufficient food. It’s thanks to the hard work of local scientists and animal lovers that they were successfully reintroduced. It also cost an incredible amount of money to help them thrive here. So, as with any wildlife, do not interact with them. Don’t get too close (going ashore here is illegal), and certainly don’t attempt to bait them with food or any other method to draw them in for photos. Instead, bring a zoom lens or bring a pair of binoculars.

Second, if you love puffins and other wildlife, vote like it. Wildlife reintroduction, monitoring, and studying costs a lot of money. When it comes time to vote on our tax rates, specially funded projects, or other issues concerning wildlife protection (like the presence of data centers which are killing the planet and destroying our fresh water supplies), remember that your vote means life or death for not only puffins and other wildlife, but us humans as well.

Vote for those who have proven they will fight for nature, not allow overfishing or offshore drilling, and who understand that once nature is destroyed, it’s nearly impossible to fix. Never vote for those who want to sell off public (OUR) lands, lease them for destructive practices, or exploit our lands in any way. We must protect them for ourselves, for the animals, and for future generations.

If you don’t, there will be nothing left for any of us to enjoy.

Third, go with experts. We finally saw puffins thanks to the Puffin & Lighthouse Cruise from Bar Harbor Whale Watch Co. We chose them in part because they donate a portion of each ticket to wildlife protection and research, and because they respect the animals by not getting too close. Don’t go to any of the locations they visit alone, because they are protected and private lands. If everyone went independently (which is not permitted), the environment would be ruined, and the puffins would leave again. I promise that the ticket price will be the best money you’ve ever spent!

The catamaran cruise took us to beautiful Petit Manan Island in the Gulf of Maine, where we saw hundreds of Atlantic puffins, eagles, terns and arctic terns, and more. It was breathtaking. We spent around 30 minutes chatting via radio with the research assistants on the island, photographing puffins while learning about their lifecycles and how they were reintroduced on the island, and why puffins only live in very specific conditions.

As someone who double-majored in Environmental Science and Earth Science, I was elated by the depth of knowledge the tour operators demonstrated. We walked away having learned really excellent material in a way that’s accessible for anyone with an interest in puffins, wildlife conservation, and coastal habitats.

I hope you enjoy seeing puffins as much as we did!

Ps. This post isn’t sponsored. I was impressed enough to recommend this tour organically. However, if the tour company finds this and wants to work with me on a different tour in the future, my email is on my “About” page, hehe.