Explore Peaks Island on a golf cart or walking tour with Island Tours (peaksislandtours.com). Learn about the island as you see the sites on a guided tour through its neighborhoods. Tours are offered daily from Memorial Day to Columbus Day and by appointment during the remainder of May and October. Venture out to see Peaks Island on a kayak by renting one from Casco Bay Kayak Rentals (no website; 64 New Island Ave., Peaks Island; 207-766-2650) or Maine Island Kayak Company (maineislandkayak.com), which offers full- and half-day trips and kayaking lessons.
If you want to tour the island by bike, rent one from Brad and Wyatt's Island Bike Service (no website; 115 Island Ave., Peaks Island; 207-766-5631 ). Brad and Wyatt's allows you to rent a bike based on the honor system even if there's no one around the shop. Or tour Peaks Island aboard a wooden schooner built in the early 20th century with Portland Schooner Company (portlandschooner.com). You can go on a two-hour sail on Casco Bay or on an overnight trip with dinner in one of the anchorages and breakfast the next day.
Peaks Island has three museums that you can visit. Tour the Eighth Maine Regiment Memorial (eighthmaine.com), a living history museum and 12-bedroom lodge, and learn about the Eighth Maine Regiment, the Civil War and the history of Peaks Island. Tours are offered daily. See the exhibits in the Fifth Maine Regiment Museum (fifthmainemuseum.org) and learn about the Fifth Regiment, the Civil War and the history of Peaks Island. Open hours vary. The Umbrella Cover Museum (umbrellacovermuseum.org) is an unusual place where you can see a collection of over 300 different umbrella sleeves/covers. Tours are by appointment.
You'll find various recreational activities in Peaks Island throughout the year. If you like to play chess, join the Peaks Island Chess Club, which meets once a week at the Island Community Center (no website; 129 Island Ave., Peaks Island; 207-766-2970). Attend basket-making workshops from June through mid-October at Handwoven Baskets by Meg (no website; 100 Welch St., Peaks Island; 207-766-0060). Take hand-drumming classes or yoga with Tori Morrill (no website; 54 Hussey Rd., Peaks Island; 207-332-5892). Children ages 2 1/2 to 5 can join playgroups, summer camp, or parent and family workshops at Peaks Island Children's Workshop (picw.org).
Celebrate the community on the the third or fourth weekend in June during PeaksFest. This three-day annual event celebrates its 10th year in 2011 and features activities including a dog show, parade, children's games and a pie contest. Also in June, see different kinds of artwork in the studios of local artists and craftspeople during the four-day Peaks Island Art Walks (peaksisland-artwalks.org), in its ninth year in 2011. Maps to guide you to studio locations are available from the GEM Gallery (no website; 62 Island Ave., Peaks Island; 207-766-5600), the Inn on Peaks (innonpeaks.com) and the Cockeyed Gull (cockeyedgull.com).
In February, take your family to the Peaks Island Tax Assistance Winter Carnival (no website; PO Box 126; Peaks Island; 207-766-0067), an old-fashioned winter carnival held during school vacation with rides, games, food vendors and events scheduled throughout the week.
