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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Long Island, Maine
Go for 1–2 nights if you want a small island with sandy beaches; skip if you need restaurants, nightlife or easy car access — the ferry takes 35 min from Portland.
Long Island is a 35-minute Casco Bay Lines ferry ride from downtown Portland, with about 200 year-round residents and over 700 in summer. Walking and cycling are the easiest ways to get around; cars can be carried on the ferry but space is limited and most visitors leave the car in Portland. There are sandy beaches, a conservation area and a volunteer library, but very few places to eat or sleep. Most visitors come for a day trip or a single night in a vacation rental.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (many businesses closed, cold and windy)
- 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 $60–100 excl. bed · Mid $100–180 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 · Casco Bay Lines +1 207 774-7871
- 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 or pastry at Byers and Sons Bakehouse | $4–10 (check) |
| Beer or wine at the Bakehouse | $6–12 (check) |
| Casco Bay Lines ferry, Portland ↔ Long Island | about $10 each way (check) |
| Taxi or rideshare, PWM airport → ferry terminal | $20–30 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | $10–25 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PWM · Portland International Jetport
- Taxi or rideshare to the Casco Bay Lines ferry terminal at 56 Commercial St in downtown Portland; allow 15–20 min.
Typical fares
- Ferry Portland → Long Island, Casco Bay Lines
- about $10 each way, 35 min (check)
- Taxi PWM airport → Casco Bay Lines terminal
- $20–30, 15–20 min (check)
- Bicycle on the ferry
- carriage fee varies — check with Casco Bay Lines at the dock
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walking and cycling are the easiest ways to get around. Cars can be carried on Casco Bay Lines but space is limited, so many visitors park at the ferry terminal in Portland and leave the car behind. The island is small enough to cover on foot in a day.
See and do
Known for
- Sandy Beach (South Beach)
- Casco Bay ferry ride from Portland
- Town of Long Island Conservation Area
- Quiet island roads for walking and cycling
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, Maine | Casco Bay Lines ferry from 56 Commercial St, about 35 min | About 1 h |
| Peaks Island | Casco Bay Lines ferry from Portland | About 45 min |
| Chebeague Island | Casco Bay Lines ferry from Portland | About 1.5 h |
| Bailey Island | Drive north from Portland, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Near the ferry landing
- Closest to the dock and the island's small commercial core; walkable to the beach.
- Beach Avenue / South Beach area
- Steps from the sand; the Chestnut Hill Inn sits on Beach Ave.
- Vacation rentals across the island
- Most lodging is private rentals; book weeks ahead for July and August.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Thank you | Thank you |
| Where is the ferry dock? | Where is the ferry dock? |
| How much is it? | How much is it? |
| Can I pay by card? | Can I pay by card? |
| Where is the beach? | Where is the beach? |
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
- Very few restaurants and shops: bring food and water, especially outside summer.
- Some beaches are privately owned — respect posted rules and stay off private land.
- Evening bay crossings get cold: bring a jacket for sunset or moonlight cruises.
- Cell service and Wi-Fi are limited; the library offers internet access.
- Ferry schedules are reduced in winter — check Casco Bay Lines before you plan.
A quiet, low-crime island; the real risks are cold water, uneven shore paths and thin services — tell someone your plan and carry water.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Long Island, Maine yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Sandy Beach (South Beach)
- Casco Bay ferry ride from Portland
- Town of Long Island Conservation Area
- Quiet island roads for walking and cycling
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Long Island (Maine), revision 5310283 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5310283
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Long Island, Maine
To this address, please
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
- Casco Bay Lines+1 207 774-7871
No embassies on the island; consulates and embassies are in Boston and Washington, DC. Check your country's nearest office.
Tipping: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% taxis.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/long-island-maine). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.