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
Peaks Island
Half-day or one-night trip from Portland: bike the island, see Battery Steele, eat lobster. Not a base.
Peaks Island is a 20-minute ferry ride from Portland, Maine, with a small year-round community of about 900. Most visitors come for a few hours to bike the 5 km loop, see the World War II gun battery and eat seafood. Overnight stays are limited to vacation rentals and one historic lodge.
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- Jun–Sep
- Avoid
- Nov–Apr (many businesses closed)
- Stay
- 0–1 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 $30–60 (day trip, no bed) · Mid $100–200 (includes one night) · High $250+ (includes one night) (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 |
|---|---|
| Ferry round trip (adult) | $8 (check) |
| Bike rental (half day) | $15 (check) |
| Lobster roll | $18–25 |
| Coffee | $3–5 |
| Beer (can) | $4–6 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PWM · Portland International Jetport
- About 15 min by taxi to the ferry terminal
Typical fares
- Ferry Portland ↔ Peaks Island
- about $8 round trip adult (check)
- Bike rental
- about $15 half day (check)
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
Bike rental is the standard way to get around; Brad's Recycled Bike Shop rents bikes near the dock. The island is about 5 km (3.1 mi) across, flat, with paved roads. No public transport.Bike rental is the standard way to get around; Brad's Recycled Bike Shop rents bikes near the dock. The island is about 3.1 mi (5 km) across, flat, with paved roads. No public transport.
See and do
Known for
- Battery Steele
- Bike-friendly roads
- Lobster shacks
- Casco Bay views
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, Maine | Casco Bay Lines ferry, 20 min | 20 min |
| Long Island, Maine | Casco Bay Lines ferry, about 30 min | 30 min |
| Chebeague Island | Casco Bay Lines ferry, about 45 min | 45 min |
| Bailey Island | Car via Route 24, about 1 h from Portland | 1 h |
Sleep
- Near the ferry dock
- Most inns and rentals are within a 10-min walk of the terminal.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | Hello |
| Thank you | Thank you |
| How much? | How much? |
| Where is the ferry? | Where is the ferry? |
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
- Ferry schedule changes by season: check Casco Bay Lines for the day you travel.
- Last ferry back to Portland is around 10 PM in summer, earlier off-season.
- Battery Steele is on private land in part; stay on the marked path.
Very safe. Watch for bicycles on the road and slippery rocks near the shore. No hospital on the island; the nearest is in Portland.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Peaks Island yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Battery Steele
- Bike-friendly roads
- Lobster shacks
- Casco Bay views
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: Peaks Island, revision 4735142 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4735142
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Peaks Island
Take me to the ferry terminal
Take me to the ferry terminal
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, fire, ambulance911
English is universal.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/peaks-island). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.