Cabin camping options near Peaks Island, Maine sit along Maine's rugged southern coastline, which features over 3,500 miles of tidal shoreline. Most campgrounds operate from mid-May through mid-October, with peak season rates doubling during July and August. Winter temperatures average 10-20°F with summer highs typically reaching 70-80°F.
What to do
Kayaking and canoeing on salt marshes: At Wild Duck Adult Campground & RV Park, guests can explore the Scarborough Marsh. "This adult only campground is peaceful and quiet, with the sounds of birds and the trees being the main thing you hear - it is quite relaxing," notes one visitor. The campground is "within a mile of the Audubon center office, where you can either put in your own kayak/canoe or rent one."
Hiking coastal trails: Hermit Island Campground offers extensive hiking options. "The hiking trails are fantastic, they range from short to long. All relatively easy. They all have great sights, especially the one along the rocky coast. You can even hike to a private beach!" A visitor adds, "You can freely roam the farm (or hike in the adjacent Wolfe's Neck State Park) or rent a kayak/canoe and explore Casco Bay."
Mountain biking near campgrounds: Sandy Pines Campground provides access to nearby trail systems. "For those so inclined, there is great mountain biking either through the Tyler Preserve down to Cape Porpoise or North through the Emmitt Smith Preserve," shares one camper. The Eastern Trail multi-use path is accessible from several campgrounds, with one visitor noting it's "a great place to walk, bike, or run."
What campers like
Adult-focused amenities: Wild Duck Adult Campground caters exclusively to adult campers seeking quieter surroundings. "This adult only campground is peaceful and quiet," shares one visitor. Another notes, "We stayed here in our popup for two nights in June 2018. The campground was veeerrryyy quiet, we almost felt bad making noise as we set up upon arrival."
Family-oriented activities: Paradise Park Resort offers extensive recreation options. "This campground is very cute, oriented to families and couples. There are multiple pools and playgrounds. One pool has a hot tub for kids. There's also paddleboats available to rent," reports a visitor. Another mentions, "There is a pool and small playground. The streets are flat for the kids to bike. They offer fun dances with kid games at night."
Farm-based camping experiences: Campers appreciate the unique experience at Wolfe's Neck Oceanfront Campground, where one visitor shared, "We stayed here this summer and was one of our favorites ever! This campground is located on an organic dairy farm. There is a farm cafe on site with local food." Another camper added, "My kids enjoyed visiting with the farm animals and walking along the rocky shore each day."
What you should know
Beach access options: Old Orchard Beach Campground provides transportation to nearby beaches. "And the best thing is there is a trolley that takes you from the campground to the beach so you don't have to deal with parking," notes one reviewer. Similarly, at Paradise Park Resort, "Walking distance to Old Orchard Beach, this campground has something for everyone... A shuttle will take you to the town beach or you can walk/ride bikes the .25 miles."
Reservation requirements: Most cabin campgrounds require significant advance planning. Hermit Island Campground uses an old-school system where "Reservations are very old school - mail a letter and wait." For peak summer periods, nearly all campgrounds fill months ahead, with one visitor noting, "We were there the first week of June and could walk up and get a site that day but they said that late June you need to schedule your stay in advanced."
Insect considerations: Many coastal Maine campgrounds have significant mosquito populations. At Hermit Island, one visitor cautions, "Be prepared to deal with mosquitos! Many people use screen tents." Another visitor to Wild Duck Adult Campground warns, "The only negative of this place was the mosquitoes. They were TERRIBLE. In the time it took after we parked the camper, to when I could dig the bug spray out of our truck I was covered in bites."
Tips for camping with families
Check campground age policies: Some cabin campgrounds cater exclusively to adults. Wild Duck Adult Campground is "a beautiful campground that caters to adults only," while others like Bayley's Camping Resort offer extensive children's activities with "pools, hot tubs live entertainment, mini golf, fishing, kayaking. almost anything you want to do while camping they've got it here."
Site selection considerations: At Winslow Park And Campground, families can choose different site locations. "You can choose to have a tent site right on the bay or off of the bay view. The bay view sites are our favorite, we get front row seats every morning to the sunrise on the water," notes one visitor. Proximity to bathrooms varies significantly, with one camper mentioning "the bath houses are a bit of a walk from the ocean side sites so just plan accordingly."
Seasonal activities and timing: School vacation periods transform the camping experience. "We're typically state park campers, but decided to stay 2 nights at a resort campground to recharge and be close to the beach... The kids didn't want to leave! We were surprised by the amount of French speaking campers from Quebec!" Paradise Park Resort visitors note the campground is busiest during school vacation weeks.
Tips from RVers
Site privacy considerations: Many RV sites at oceanfront campgrounds have limited separation. At Bayley's Camping Resort, a visitor notes, "Depending on your site location you may get more privacy than if you stay in the big rig sites. The wooded sites tend to be more private and less loud. Staying by any of the pools will be louder." Another camper adds, "The other downside is there is not very much privacy between sites."
Season-based rate differences: Substantial savings come with shoulder season camping. "Nightly rates in peak season are outrageous but you can find much cheaper rates if you stay in the shoulder season or go with 30 amp electric and no sewer. You definitely are paying for all the amenities and activities," shares an RVer at Bayley's Camping Resort.
Hookup variations: RV sites offer different utility configurations. At Old Orchard Beach Campground, a visitor reports, "Pull-thru and back in RV sites are very roomy and well laid out." At Sandy Pines, they note "We had a full hookup site, mixed in with a bunch of vintage campers... While I love having all the emmenities, I think we would have enjoyed one of the electric only sites closer to the Marsh."
