In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.
Voykit pocket guide · United States
Lewes
Spend 1–2 days in Lewes: a half‑day for historic downtown and lighthouse tours, another half‑day for Cape Henlopen State Park or a ferry to Cape May.
Lewes is a small coastal town with a compact historic centre, a few museums and easy beach access. One full day covers the main sights; add a second day for outdoor activities or a day‑trip across the Delaware Bay.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Oct (warm, low rain)
- Avoid
- Jan–Feb (cold), peak summer traffic on Route 1
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- USD
- Money
- Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
- Daily spend
- Budget $80–120 excl. bed · Mid $120–180 excl. bed · High $180+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
- Emergency
- Police/Fire/Ambulance 911
- Plugs
- Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
- Tipping
- Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
- Water
- Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
- Toilets
- Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | $2–4 |
| Seafood sandwich | $8–12 |
| Parking meter downtown | $1 per hour |
| Parking at beach lot #1 | $2 per hour |
| Cape Henlopen State Park entry | Free (parking $2/h) |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- SBY · Salisbury‑Ocean City‑Wicomico Regional Airport
- ≈40 mi SW, rent a car (drive time check)
- PHL · Philadelphia International Airport
- check distance, larger flight options
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk or bike in town; rent a car for Route 1 trips, the ferry, or Cape Henlopen. DART bus connects to Wilmington, Dover and Rehoboth.
See and do
Known for
- Historic downtown
- Cape Henlopen State Park
- Cape May‑Lewes Ferry
- Lighthouses
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rehoboth Beach | Drive US‑9 Business east, 10 min | ≈30 min round trip |
| Cape May, NJ (via ferry) | Cape May‑Lewes Ferry, 70 min each way | ≈2 h total plus wait |
| Cape Henlopen State Park | Drive (route check), 5 min | ≈15 min total |
Sleep
- Dogfish Inn
- Retro motel near downtown
- Inn at Canal Square
- Waterfront, within a mile of Cape Henlopen
- Zwaanendael Inn
- Historic inn on Second Street, close to shops
Language
English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).
- Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
- Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
- Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
- Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
- Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
- Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned
Scams and watch-outs
- Parking meters $1/h downtown (May 1–Oct 14) and $2/h at beach lots (May 1–Sep 30).
- Summer traffic on Route 1 can add 15–30 min to drives.
- Ferry schedule varies by season: check the timetable before planning.
Watch cars on busy Route 1 in summer and keep valuables secure on the beach.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Lewes yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Historic downtown
- Cape Henlopen State Park
- Cape May‑Lewes Ferry
- Lighthouses
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Lewes Chamber of Commerce – population: www.leweschamber.com/
- Wikivoyage: Lewes (Delaware), revision 5216407 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5216407
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Lewes
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police/Fire/Ambulance911
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/lewes-delaware). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.