Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial: Fees, Hours, Camping and How to Get There

TypeMemorial

StateOhio

Entrance feeNo entrance fee

CampgroundsNone

Nearest national parkCuyahoga Valley (71 mi)

Closest airportDTW (48 mi)

Perry's Victory & International Peace Memorial is a memorial run by the National Park Service in Ohio.

In the park service’s words

Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial was established to honor those who fought in the Battle of Lake Erie, during the War of 1812, and to celebrate the long-lasting peace among Great Britain, Canada and the U.S. The Memorial, a Doric column, rising 352 feet over Lake Erie is situated 5 miles from the longest undefended border in the world.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Things to do

See the Battle of Lake Erie: See the Battle of Lake Erie in color. Free 15-minute video about the war, battle, peace and memorial.
Catch a Historic Weapons Demonstrations (5 to 20 Minutes): Come see how men dressed and fought in the War of 1812.

Fees and hours

Entrance fee: No entrance fee.

Hours: Closed. The Plazas, Rotunda, and the Observation Deck of the Memorial will be inaccessible for the 2026 and 2027 seasons due to the Upper Plaza Rehabilitation. Operating hours for the rotunda and observation deck are modified for special events and adjusted for staffing reductions as seen below. Prepare to purchase tickets or passes from the visitor center before that time.

Getting there

Perry's Victory and International Peace Memorial is located within the Village of Put-In-Bay, Ohio on South Bass Island. The most common way to reach the island is by the Jet Express or Miller Boat Line ferries. When traveling east, use Ohio Turnpike to US 250 north to SR 2 west. When traveling west, use Ohio Turnpike to SR 53 north to SR 2 east. From SR 2 take the SR 163 exit OR the ST 250 exit for the Jet Express passenger ferry, Or take the SR 53 exit for Miller Boat Line vehicle and passenger ferry.

Airport	City	Drive to the park	Straight-line miles	Type
Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport (DTW)	Detroit, MI	No road route	48	Large hub
Eugene F. Kranz Toledo Express Airport (TOL)	Toledo, OH	No road route	52	Regional
Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE)	Cleveland, OH	No road route	52	Large hub

Drive times run from the airport to Zion Canyon Visitor Center, estimated with OSRM routing on OpenStreetMap roads at normal speeds; allow extra for traffic, stops and construction.

Miles are straight-line distances.

Visitor centers

Visitor Center: Daily, 10:00AM - 6:00PM. The following hours are only for the Visitor Center. Exceptions are listed for special events and are adjusted for reduced staffing. Tickets and passes are only sold at the visitor center on the day of your visit. See Operating Hours & Seasons for current information about visiting the memorial rotunda and observation deck. The park walkways, lawns, memorial plaza, and all roads including State Route 35 (Bayview Ave), are open 24 hours daily.

Weather

Summer months can be extremely hot and humid, with occasional and sudden severe thunderstorms. Fall and spring are pleasant with cool temperatures but brisk winds can make a 60° day feel much colder. In winter the memorial and visitor center are closed.

From the National Park Service (public domain).

Know before you go

Drones are banned at almost every park site, and you may not take rocks, plants or artifacts. Pets must be on a leash no longer than 6 feet where they are allowed. Bring no firewood from home.