Exceptional Experiences
Near Sea Duck Cottage
When it comes to Downeast Maine activities, few locations put you closer to the action than Jonesport. From rare wildlife encounters on Machias Seal Island to hiking the untamed Bold Coast, the region rewards guests who want something more than a typical beach vacation.
Downeast Maine is one of the last truly unspoiled coastlines in the northeastern United States.
What makes it remarkable for discerning travelers isn’t just the scenery it’s the rare combination of dramatic natural beauty, uncrowded waters, and experiences you simply cannot find anywhere else.
Here’s what awaits guests staying at Sea Duck Cottage.
Golf with a View: Barren View Golf Course
Jonesboro, Maine
Just minutes from the vacation rental home, Barren View Golf Course in Jonesboro offers one of the most distinctive rounds of golf in New England. Built on former wild blueberry barrens along the coast, this links-style 9-hole course plays against a backdrop of open sky and Atlantic coastline that rivals courses charging five times the price. The terrain — open, windswept, carved from the same rocky barrens that have defined this landscape for centuries — gives every round a character that manicured resort courses simply can’t replicate. Book a morning tee time and you may have the course almost entirely to yourself.
The Bold Coast: Maine's Untamed Shoreline
Cutler, Maine
The Bold Coast stretches from Milbridge east to Lubec 125 miles of cliff-edged coastline, spruce forests, wide bays and crashing surf that rivals Acadia in beauty but sees a fraction of the visitors. The Bold Coast Trail in Cutler delivers some of the most dramatic cliff-top scenery in the Northeast, with 60- to 80-foot drops to the Atlantic and unobstructed views for miles in each direction. For guests who prefer their wilderness with elbow room, this is it. Pack a picnic from a local market, plan a morning hike, and arrive back at the house for the afternoon.
Puffin Expeditions to Machias Seal Island
Cutler, Maine
One of the most coveted wildlife experiences on the East Coast is a landing trip to Machias Seal Island, home to one of the largest Atlantic Puffin colonies in the world — over 8,600 nesting pairs. Bold Coast Charter Company, operating out of nearby Cutler, is one of the very few operators permitted to land passengers on the island. Guests are brought ashore to sheltered blinds just feet from nesting puffins, razorbills, and common murres. Spots are extremely limited and sell out well in advance — book early. This is a genuine bucket-list experience for nature lovers.
Eastport and Lubec: The Edge of the Country
Eastport & Lubec, Maine
A drive east from Sea Duck Cottage takes you to Eastport and Lubec — the easternmost city and town in the United States, respectively. Eastport has a small but serious arts scene, excellent local restaurants, and a working waterfront unlike anything you’ll find in a resort town. Lubec, connected by bridge to Campobello Island (Franklin D. Roosevelt’s summer retreat), offers the Roosevelt Campobello International Park and views across Cobscook Bay that photographers travel specifically to capture. The tides here — among the highest in the world — are spectacular on their own.
Acadia National Park Day Trip
Acadia National Park is approximately two and a half hours west of Sea Duck Cottage.
For guests who want the Acadia experience — the carriage roads, the summit of Cadillac Mountain, the Jordan Pond House it makes for an excellent full-day excursion without the need to stay in the Bar Harbor crowds.
Come back to the coast and the quiet of the cottage at the end of the day.
Sea Duck Cottage is ideally positioned for guests who want genuine Maine — not a curated version of it. The experiences listed here are ones that require this specific corner of the coast. We’re happy to assist with reservations, recommendations and planning. Contact us when you book.