If you’re based in Dublin, you don’t have to travel all the way to the west coast to see seals — and while puffins are a bit more seasonal and offshore, there are still realistic day trips within reach if you know where (and when) to look.
A close up of wiled Grey Seal, Halichoerus Grypus, eating a freshly caught fresh fish, Howth harbour, Ireland
The most reliable wildlife around Dublin is definitely seals, and you can see them all year round, especially at low tide when they haul out to rest.
One of the best spots is Dalkey Island in south Dublin Bay. Grey seals regularly gather around the rocky shoreline here, and you can often see them from boat trips leaving Coliemore Harbour. They’re known to be quite curious and will sometimes swim alongside kayaks in the area.
Just along the coast, Bull Island is another key haul-out spot, especially at the northern end. Seals come in to rest on sandbanks and rocks, although they’re more skittish here due to dogs and foot traffic.
Further north, Howth Harbour is a classic. Seals often hang around fishing boats waiting for scraps, and you’ve a decent chance of seeing them just walking the pier.
View this post on Instagram
The best time for spotting seals is at low tide, when they come ashore to rest on rocks and sandbanks, and during the early morning or evening, when conditions are quieter and there’s less disturbance from boats and people.
Puffin (Fratercula arctica) with beek full of eels
Puffins are trickier. They don’t live in Dublin Bay permanently, but you can see them nearby during breeding season (April–July, peak in May/June).
The closest realistic option is Ireland's Eye.
A short boat trip from Howth, this small island has a seasonal seabird colony and, in good years, a small number of puffins.
You’ll also see guillemots, razorbills and seals offshore. The puffin numbers aren’t huge or guaranteed, but it’s the closest “Dublin puffin experience” you’ll get without leaving the county.
Important reality check: sightings here are not reliable every year. Some seasons you’ll see a few; other times none. That’s normal for this site.
If you want guaranteed puffins, you’ll still need to go further south (Wexford) or west (Clare/Kerry), but from Dublin, this is your best shot.
Howth Head Dublin North, Ireland
Seals are easy to spot from Dublin city, with reliable viewing points in Howth, Dalkey, and Bull Island. They can be seen all year round, especially at low tide when they haul out onto rocks and sandbanks to rest.
Puffins, on the other hand, are much more seasonal and harder to guarantee. The closest option to Dublin is Ireland’s Eye, just off Howth, but sightings there are hit-or-miss and depend on the breeding season.
For the best all-round wildlife experience, Howth is your strongest option — you can combine a boat trip, a cliff walk, and seal spotting in one easy day out.
