The best things to do on Peaks Island fit into one easy loop. Rent a bike or golf cart near the landing, ride the backshore past Battery Steele and Cairn Beach, stop in at the Fifth Maine Museum, then finish with lobster and a view of the Portland skyline before the boat home. Give it five or six hours and you'll still have time to sit on a warm granite ledge and watch the boats go by.
Peaks is a Portland neighborhood about three miles out in Casco Bay, home to roughly a thousand people year round and a lot more in summer. In the late 1800s, its amusement park, theater and hotels earned it the nickname "the Coney Island of Maine." Today the draw is slower: rocky shoreline, wild roses along the road, salt air and some of the best views back to the city you'll find anywhere.
We run private boat trips around Casco Bay from Portland's working waterfront, so at Bird's Eye Maine we pass Peaks almost every day. This is the plan we'd hand a friend visiting for the first time.
Ride the Backshore by Bike or Golf Cart
The backshore is the ocean side of Peaks, and a road loop of about four miles takes you there and back from the village by the landing. It strings together the island's lookouts, its rockiest beaches and the best tide pooling.
Bike, Golf Cart or Walking?
A bike is the classic choice for a reasonably active group. The loop has a few gentle hills and you can stop wherever you like without worrying about where to park. Bike rentals are a short walk up from the landing.
A golf cart suits young kids, older relatives or anyone who won't enjoy several miles of pedaling. A few things to know:
Carts follow the rules of the road. Only licensed adults should drive, and drinking and driving is off the table here too.
Reserve ahead in summer. Carts can be fully booked on sunny weekends.
Go slow. Walkers and cyclists share narrow roads, and nobody on Peaks is in a hurry.
Walking the whole loop is lovely too, as long as everyone in your group can manage the full distance. There is no ride to call from the far side of the island.
Following Seashore Avenue
Head up from the village and follow Seashore Avenue along the backshore. The view opens straight onto the Atlantic, with spray coming off the ledges on a breezy day and gulls working the waterline. On a clear day you can pick out lighthouses on the mainland, including Portland Head Light off to the south.
Pack a picnic before you leave the village. Food stops and public restrooms thin out fast once you're past the landing, so plan for both before you set off.
Cairn Beach and Sandy Beach
Much of the shoreline on Peaks is private, as it is on most Maine islands, so stick to the spots open to visitors:
Cairn Beach on the backshore is covered in stacked stone towers that visitors have built over the years, and kids love adding their own. It's rocky and not a swimming spot.
Sandy Beach is the island's best bet for wading and a brisk Maine swim, and the easiest beach for families with little ones.
Tide Pools at Low Water
Low tide is the time to explore the backshore ledges. You'll find periwinkles, barnacles, rockweed, small crabs tucked into cracks and that unmistakable low-tide smell. Check a tide chart the night before and aim to be on the rocks within an hour or two of low water.
Wear shoes with real grip, because wet rockweed is slippery. Put rocks back the way you found them, leave animals in their pools and give nesting birds plenty of room. If seals pop up offshore, enjoy them from a distance. Our guide to Casco Bay wildlife around Portland covers what else lives along these shores.
Explore Battery Steele and Island History
For a small island, Peaks holds a surprising amount of history, from a huge World War II gun battery to a Civil War veterans' summer lodge on the shore.
Battery Steele
Battery Steele was finished in 1942 to guard the approaches to Portland Harbor and held two enormous 16-inch guns. Today it sits on about 14 acres of conserved land looked after by the Peaks Island Land Preserve, and it's listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
The path in from Seashore Avenue passes marsh and pond, which makes it a good spot for birds. Inside, the concrete passages are dark, damp and covered in years of graffiti, and puddles collect after rain. Bring a flashlight or headlamp, keep kids close and watch your footing.
The Fifth Maine Museum
The Fifth Maine Museum fills a shingled building on Seashore Avenue that veterans of the Fifth Maine Regiment built in 1888 as a summer hall. Inside are two stories: the regiment's Civil War service and the island's own history, from early settlement through the amusement park years and World War II. Even if you only have time for the porch and its view, it's worth the stop. Check the museum's hours before you go, since they change with the season.
The Umbrella Cover Museum
Yes, it's exactly what it sounds like: a collection of umbrella covers from around the world. A visit takes about 20 minutes, it's cheerfully silly, and kids tend to love it. Opening hours are limited, so confirm before you build your afternoon around it.
Galleries and Village Shops
Back near the landing, the Richard Boyd Art Gallery shows work by artists connected to Maine, and Island Avenue has gift shops and an ice cream stop. It's a good final stretch while you wait for your boat back.
Where to Eat on Peaks Island
Nearly all of the island's food is in the village near the landing, so plan breakfast and lunch around it. Once you reach the backshore there's almost nothing to buy.
Coffee and Breakfast
Peaks Cafe, a short walk from the landing, is the classic first stop off the boat for coffee and baked goods. Grab something to carry with you and you're fueled for the loop.
Lobster and Lunch With a View
The Cockeyed Gull is a short walk from the landing and looks across the water to the Portland skyline. Island Lobster Company, steps from the landing, is run by a local lobstering family and serves lobster straight off their own boat. Captain Matt worked on lobster boats before starting Bird's Eye Maine, and he'll tell you there's something special about eating lobster caught within sight of your table.
Dinner and Sunset
The Inn on Peaks Island, near the landing, has a restaurant and a deck that faces back toward Portland, which makes it a lovely spot to watch the sun go down over the city. Hours vary at every island restaurant through the year, so look up current times before you plan dinner.
A Simple Peaks Island Day Plan
Peaks works as a half day or a full day. Here are two easy ways to shape it.
Half day (3 to 4 hours): coffee in the village, a walk to Sandy Beach and the Fifth Maine Museum, then lunch by the landing.
Full day (6 to 7 hours):
Breakfast near the landing, then pick up your bike or cart.
Ride the backshore loop with stops at Battery Steele and Cairn Beach.
Time a tide pool stop for low water.
Head back for a late lunch and the Umbrella Cover Museum.
Finish with ice cream and a swim at Sandy Beach.
What to Pack
A light jacket. The bay runs cooler than town, even in July.
Sun protection. Sunscreen, sunglasses and a hat, plus water.
Grippy shoes and a flashlight. One for the ledges, one for Battery Steele.
A leash. Dogs are welcome on the island but should stay leashed.
A tide chart and your return time. Both decide how the day goes.
Getting to Peaks Island
Most visitors take the public ferry from Portland's Old Port, a short crossing that runs year round. On summer weekends, arrive early and check the schedule for the last boat home. If you're out late, carrying a lot of gear or want to head straight on to another island, our year-round private water taxi runs to Peaks from Fore Points Marina at a listed rate of $65.
And if you'd like to see Peaks as part of a bigger day on the water, our Island Hopper runs 3 to 8 hours and mixes time ashore with World War I and World War II sites and quiet beaches. Our post on island hopping and sea glass beach days shows the kinds of days guests put together.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Peaks Island worth visiting for a day?
Yes, if you enjoy ocean views, a bike ride, a bit of history and a slower pace. It's a residential island rather than a resort, so the pleasure is in the backshore, the old battery and a long lunch, not in shopping or nightlife.
How much time do you need on Peaks Island?
Three hours covers the village, Sandy Beach and lunch. Allow five to six hours if you want the full backshore loop, Battery Steele and a museum without rushing.
What are the best things to do on Peaks Island with kids?
Building stone towers at Cairn Beach and wading at Sandy Beach top most kids' lists, followed by a flashlight walk through Battery Steele and the Umbrella Cover Museum. A golf cart makes the loop easy on little legs.
Can you see Peaks Island without renting a golf cart?
Absolutely. Plenty of people bike or walk the loop. Walkers should just be sure the whole group can manage the distance, since getting back from the far side means walking.
What can you do on Peaks Island in the evening?
Evenings are low key: dinner with a view, a drink on a deck and sunset over the Portland skyline. Keep an eye on your return time, or arrange a private boat home so you can stay out later.
If seeing Peaks from the water sounds as good as exploring it on foot, come out with us. Our Island Hopper can circle the backshore and land you on the islands you choose, and every trip is private, so it's your own boat and your own captain for up to 6 guests. Browse our private boat tours, then call 207.632.9369 or email info@birdseyemaine.com and Captain Matt will help you plan the day.
