Best Tent Camping near Peaks Island, ME

Tent Camping Reviews near Peaks Island, ME

625 Reviews of 16 Peaks Island Campgrounds

• L

  LoneCamper C.

  Legend

  Aug. 20, 2021

  Desert of Maine Campground

  Aesthetically pleasing campground-- good for tent campers

  Desert of Maine campground is an excellent choice just 4-5 miles from the heart of Freeport at interstate exit # 22. This campground is well-imagined. Sites are close together, and some are small. There are 2 hike-in sites which are set apart. Wifi is provided throughout the campground and most sites have power. They must have studied "best practices" when designing this lovely campground. 

  I booked an extra night.

  This is an outdoor experience campground- not a wilderness adventure -- but perfect for young families…especially for those new to camping or those for whom a very sanitary classic bathroom is needed.Children find and entertain each other in the common area.

  Sites 19-27 face a shared square with excellent access to the modern and stylish bath house. Other sites have a somewhat further walk. Sites 17-27 are best for tents due to the configuration of the sites.. Tent sites # 2 & # 3 are short walk-in and very private, but lack easy access to the bath house. Almost all sites in this campground have shade and are under a beautiful canopy of old pine, maple and balsam.

  Site 24 is lovely & slightly set apart and cars are parked close by but not on the tent site. Site 27 is located down a steep slope and is very private but has difficult access. I would categorize site 27 as a hike-in site, but not # 24.  All sites are generally level and have been graded. Sites have scant privacy in front, but back up to forest. Sites 4, 6,17, 19, 23 & 26 have slightly more space but space is not the defining issue in this campground. RV's that are large should not try this campground. The maintenance is superb; and the thoughtful design of the overall campground is aesthetically pleasing. 

  This attractive campground is small-scale and personally managed. 

  Ice is available for purchase…as is wood. 

  Beware of speed trap on the 2 mile access road between the interstate & campground.

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• k

  katrina M.

  Traveler

  Aug. 15, 2019

  Dixons Coastal Maine Campground

  LOTS of people but lovely campground

  This is an extremely large campground.  It seems that most of them on the coast of Maine are.  We didn't get a very good sight, but the person who answered the phone basically told us that when we called and it was all they had, so I can't say too much about that either (#17).  The sight was small and between the two driveways.  All of the sights seem to have rocky ground, so I recommend a sleep pad and a footprint for your tent so you don't rip the bottom.  

  Now, on to the other stuff.  There is a small playground that is weathered but in decent shape.  The pool is lovely and meticulously kept.  The grounds, bathrooms and showers are spotless.  It's 50 cents for 5 minutes to take a shower (unheard of) with hot water.  There is even hot water to wash your dishes next to the bathrooms.

  They sell ice, wood ($7) and many "I forgots" in the store (bacon, milk, etc...).  They give you a security card to get into the grounds ($10 deposit).  The campground was SUPER quiet and quiet hours go to 8am (thank you)!  Only an RV about to leave made a ton of noise at 7.

  I would go there again.  It was a safe place close to so many things.  The beach and everything else is VERY close but not so close as to be annoying.... 5 minutes at most.

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• 

  Jess G.

  Guide

  Aug. 19, 2017

  Sebago Lake State Park Campground

  In the woods but very crowded

  This campground was in the woods and was well maintained. The campsites definitely felt like they were on top of each other and are pretty small. We picked a medium one and could barely fit 2 tents and 2 cars with a safe distance from the fire. 2 sites were within 15ft of our fire pit. The bathrooms were very clean. The lake was nice too, sandy beaches. For a large portion of our stay it torrentially downpoured. The trees allowed us to canopy a tarp but our fire pit completely flooded and we had to bail it out when the rain finally stopped. If the sites weren't so close together and small I would definitely give this place 5 stars.

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• 

  Jason D.

  Traveler

  Aug. 22, 2018

  Lake Pemaquid Campground

  Crowded, but great for kids

  lots of great amenities and events for kids. tent sites are on top of each other, but easy walk to camp store and bath houses. beach access for swimming in the lake. can be noisy outside of quiet hours, but becomes surprisingly quiet later at night.

• C

  Clare P.

  Guide

  Jul. 6, 2021

  Powder Horn Family Camping Resort

  Unbelievably clean and quiet!

  Powder Horn is the best place we’ve ever stayed. Yes, it’s large. Yes, there are people who live there for months at a time, but this park is crazy clean … roads & restrooms. It reminded me of Disney in the way we never saw trash on the ground. They have quiet hours, large pool, activities for the family, movie nights, etc. They also have a shuttle to the beach.

• 

  Jean C.

  Legend

  Dec. 1, 2021

  Hermit Island Campground

  Family-focused off-grid, beachside camping

  I’ve been to nearby Popham Beach SP a few times and wanted to check out camping in the area. I’d read good things about Hermit Island. If you camp here, you won't need to venture over to Popham Beach because the beaches are on site.

  This large coastal campground has campsites nestled among trees or dunes. Where natural separation of trees and grasses are insufficient, they’ve provided visual separation between sites, adding small fences where necessary. Some are expansive with plenty of space while others you’ll be cozy with your single vehicle and tent; others are walk-in sites. Sites have picnic tables and fire rings. There are lots of narrow curvy roads to the sites; you’ll want the map and read the street signs! Pop-ups are permitted on some sites, but absolutely no hard-sided trailers, no, not even teardrops(I mention this because I’ve seen some teardroppers expect to be treated like a tent, but that’s not an option here). With all the water around, have a plan for dealing with insects.

  It’s a bit of a haul to get here once you turn off the main road, so plan to do any last minute shopping in Bath or Brunswick(30 minutes to Bath without summer traffic). I could not get cell service at the campground, though I had spotty phone coverage on the road before the turnoff, but calls dropped randomly even when I was standing still.

  Reservations are by snail mail or phone months in advance and the prices are steep compared to a no-frills campground elsewhere; you’re paying for the privilege of being on the beach. There’s a large open to the public beach near the entrance and a few smaller beaches along the island. Bring your bikes and/or wagons…you’ll want them to get to the beach, explore the trails, or ride up to the camp store/snack shop. There are places to launch a kayak.

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• J

  Jessica W.

  Scout

  Jul. 8, 2020

  Papoose Pond Family Campground and Cabins

  Best. Campground. Ever.

  I spend one week at this campground every year, and I am so sad covid killed that for us this year! However, I’m going to write this to share just how awesome it is because I can’t wait to go back!

  We stay in an HHK which is a site that has its own electric stove, kitchen sink, covered picnic table, and small bathroom in the back! It’s definitely more lux than a standard site, but it makes camping with kids insanely easy. There are a million other options from plain tent sites to rentable cabins and everything in between, there’s something for everyone.

  There are two sides across a road of this campground-pond side and pool side. Pond side is a lot more crowded and desired so if you’re more into a quiet experience, stick to pool side.

  They have weekly events that we love! Tuesday trivia, Wednesday beach party, Thursday dance party, and Friday karaoke- the latter being the most fun! There are so many things for kids to do throughout as well, there’s very little time for down time or boredom!!

  My one con is the location of public restrooms. There aren’t many, hence why we stay on a site with our own, and some are extremely far away from campsites that don’t allow campers. There’s a site called the Tree House and because the treehouse is a ‘structure’ (it contains two bunk beds) you aren’t allowed to put a tent or a camper on the site. I personally think that’s absurd, because the nearest rest room is FOREVER away. I would never be able to get my kids to the bathroom in time all the way over there. It would be amazing if they changed this policy or added another bath structure. Just keep an eye on the map when you book!

  I couldn’t recommend this place more. I can’t imagine anything happening that would cause me not to return next summer or every single summer from now on. I fully intend on making this a lifetime trip.

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• 

  Rachel P.

  Ranger

  Jun. 8, 2022

  Augusta / Gardiner KOA

  Endearing, but in need of a little love…

  BF and I wanted a last minute fall weekend getaway in Maine, and ended up at the Augusta-Gardiner KOA. Generally tough to accomplish during leaf-peeping season, but we worked it out. We stayed at site T5, which was wooded but pretty open. Size was decent enough.

  Overall, I’d say sites T8, T9, T10 are best if you’re tent camping. While all tent sites are tightly spaced next to one another, these 3 provide the most shade and privacy of the bunch.

  Owners are super nice, but the campground could use a little love. Bathrooms and amenities are a little tired. There’s potential though, and some really cute details, like a little fairy house and homemade, bear-carved benches around a KOA-community fire pit, that make the campground endearing. Also, there’s a bunch to do during prime season, particularly for the kiddies- pool, mini-golf, bounce house, playground and space to runaround.

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• 

  Nancy W.

  Legend

  Apr. 30, 2021

  Winslow Park And Campground

  Great location with amazing views!

  This campground is a great option for relatively inexpensive campsite in an area that can have camping costs reach$65-100/night. The park is located on Casco Bay in the town of Freeport(home to L.L. Bean’s flagship store{which is open 24/7} and many other outlets). The views are great and you have a beach, boat launch and nice park at your disposal. The only downside– there are no hook-ups. I would book this campground all summer long if there were hookups. One nice thing about having no hook-ups is that you can either pull in or back into the site to maximize your view and not have to worry about how to run your hoses. Sites are on grass and some are right on the water with amazing views of the bay. Each site has a picnic table and fire pit. Many other sites don’t have a water view but offed shade and more privacy. The waterfront sites are always booked so you don’t get much privacy. Personally, I want the water view so you better book early. Reservations can be made online and by doing so you can view pictures of individual campsites. Dogs are allowed for a$1 fee but are not allowed on the beach which was a bummer since our lab was eyeing it the entire time. There are hiking trails in the park so our dog loved that. Kids love the huge playground and there is an amphitheater with weekly concerts. Since there are no water or sewer hookups, a dump station and bathrooms are available and water spigots scattered about the campground. We got plenty of over-the-air television channels out of Portland and our Verizon phone and hotspot worked great. There is a boat launch onsite which makes it super easy if you want to paddle in the bay but beware there is a 9-11’ tide so watch the charts and plan your trip so you don’t get stranded and have to port your watercraft across a sinking clam flat. 

  Other reviews mention some not-so-nice encounters with staff but we did not have any.  People didn't seem overly friendly but that was fine with us as we weren't trying to make friends.

  Some of the places we love to visit when in the area Bow Market, the Maine Beer Company (which has great pizza), and Harraseeket restaurant in South Freeport which has great fresh seafood and a water view. You are just a short drive from Portland so we spent a day down there visiting the Old Port, the art Museum and eating at Duck Fat(a favorite restaurant of ours). Another nearby camping option is Recompense at Wolfe’s Neck which also has great waterfront views and is on a really cool farm.

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