Fire Island

Fire Island is a 32-mile (51.5-km) barrier island off the coast of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York. Most of Fire Island National Seashore is on the island.

Communities
  • Kismet - The westernmost village, a haven for singles and partiers that is now becoming more family-oriented.
  • Saltaire - A family-oriented village featuring Clam Cove harbor. During the summer, the village has many youth sport programs. Larger houses than most of the island
  • Fair Harbor - Another family-oriented community that appeals to creative artists as well. Small house on small lots that are very close to each other.
  • Dunewood - A totally planned and residential community. Group houses are banned in order to preserve the family oriented atmosphere.
  • Lonelyville - No longer a lonely place, but with some solitude.
  • Atlantique - A very small community with no commercial services.
  • Robbins Rest - Another small and relatively isolated place.
  • Corneille Estates - A small place to the west of Ocean Beach that hosts the island's school.
  • Ocean Beach Village - The main tourist destination and cultural center. Formerly known as "the Land of No" because of many rules to discourage tourism, the local rules have become more visitor-friendly, designed to keep the village as a quality of life destination.
  • Seaview - A beautiful and residential area with the tallest trees and great walks. Also known as the suburb of Ocean Beach.
  • Ocean Bay Park - One of the livelier villages thanks to Flynn's.
  • Point O'Woods - A private and gated community. Residents must have children, and have 99-year leases rather than ownership. Visitors not permitted.
  • Cherry Grove - Once the gay "capital" of Fire Island, now a haven for lesbians, older gay men and those with an artistic flair.
  • Fire Island Pines - For urbane gay men. A retreat from the real world, with "rolling boardwalks" and natural beauty and late-night discos.
  • Water Island - Small, quiet community on the narrowest part of the island.
  • Davis Park - The most remote, most self-sufficient, birthplace of the "sixish". Tourism is allowed, there is a Town of Brookhaven beach in the middle of the community
  • Watch Hill - The largest National Seashore complex with 3 mi (4.8 km) of boardwalks and a campsite. Tourists welcome.

Other destinations
  • Sunken Forest at Sailor's Haven - A primordial holly forest crisscrossed with wooden walkways administered by the national park service
  • Fire Island National Seashore —

Understand

There are no paved roads going to most of the island and vehicle traffic is not permitted in summer. A plan to create a paved road across the island resulted in such resistance that it was abandoned. Over the years each of the island's seventeen communities has developed its own unique personality. Several of the villages restrict access by tourists or do all they can to be unwelcoming of tourists. If you are visiting Fire Island, make sure you find the appropriate community to visit. In some cases, visiting the state parks, instead of the towns, might be a better solution. In addition to the state parks at either end of the island, public bathrooms and snack bars are in the National Seashore facilities at Atlantique, Sailor's Haven, and Watch Hill. Restrooms can also be found in Ocean Beach and Fair Harbor but may be hard to find.

Fire Island is home to many vacation communities on the western part of the island (Ocean Beach being the most populous, with the most restaurants and bars that make for an excellent day trip). The eastern part of the island is home to the largely gay communities of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines.

Bring cash with you on your trip to Fire Island as most businesses will only accept cash payment. (This includes parking, transportation fees to and from the island, on many of the small on island shops.)

Get in

Most of these methods of getting in must be used in combination. For example, to reach Fair Harbor from Manhattan, you could take the LIRR, then a taxi from the train to the ferry, and then the ferry to the Island. The car methods mentioned are usually only good for day trips, and there is no way to get from the parking lots to the main parts of the island other than walking.

By air

The island is about 60 miles from Manhattan (the drive can range anywhere from 1-4 hr based on traffic. It averages about 1½ hr). You can fly into LaGuardia or Kennedy Airports in New York City or Islip MacArthur Airport on Long Island, then use a rental car, taxi, or train to your destination.

By car

There are only two bridges to Fire Island. The Robert Moses Causeway on the western end of Fire Island leads to parking lots at Robert Moses State Park. The William Floyd Parkway leads to Smith Point County Park on the eastern end of Fire Island, where there are also parking lots (fees charged). Fire Island has no public roads.

  • Tommy's Taxis, +1 631-665-4800, also goes direct from Manhattan. $18 (or $21 Sundays and holidays)

By bus

By train

By boat
  • Ferries to Fire Island depart from the following locations: Sayville and Bay Shore (villages of Islip) and Patchogue (a village of Brookhaven). Water taxis are available if you miss the ferry.
  • Fire Island Ferries, 99 Maple St, ☏ +1 631-665-3600. Bay Shore. Year round to Ocean Beach, Fair Harbor, Dunewood, Atlantique, Kismet, Saltaire, Ocean Bay Park and Seaview. 
  • Sayville Ferries, 41 River Road. Year round to Cherry Grove, Fire Island Pines, Sunken Forest and Water Island.
  • Patchogue Ferries, +1 631-475-1665. Mid-March to November from two ferry terminals in Patchogue. Leaves from County Road 83 to Davis Park; and from County Road 19 to Watch Hill in the Fire Island National Seashore park.
  • Many Fire Island sites can be reached by private boat from the Great South Bay, with marinas at Watch Hill, Sailors Haven and most island communities. The bay is shallow, and boaters occasionally moor offshore. When on Fire Island, water taxis can shuttle you from point to point.

Western Fire Island is reachable by ferry from Bay Shore on Long Island. Bay Shore is about an hour train ride on the Long Island Railroad from Manhattan, and the ferry ride from Bay Shore is another 30 minutes. Ferries to Ocean Beach from Bay Shore run about once every hour during the summer. Cherry Grove and the Fire Island Pines are reachable by ferry from Sayville. The easternmost community, Davis Park, is reachable by ferry from Patchogue.

Get around

There are three easy ways to get around on Fire Island. The first is to walk. The second is to use a bicycle. Some areas do not have pavement or boardwalks to ride upon. Boardwalks and sidewalks sometimes end abruptly into sand so beware. The last way to get around on Fire Island is to use a boat. There are various water taxi services (if running) and a lateral ferry that runs during the peak of the vacation season.

See

Do

Nude beaches

The National Park Service began enforcing New York State nudity laws on most Fire Island beaches in 2013. Topless sunbathing is legal through New York State.

  • Cherry Grove Cherry Grove has many shops, a few restaurants and 3 large bars with dancing. It's a very tolerant mix of gay women and men and a few straights and some families. The beach is a recognized nude beach. Probably less than half go nude but no one seems bothered either way. If you turn left at the beach and walk east between CG and the Pines, the beach is mostly nude (gay male). LIRR to Sayville and ferry to Cherry Grove.
  • The Pines This is about 90% gay male. There is an inlet on the bay side for boats and it has many shops and some bars. The beach is nearly all male, although more and more families and mixed couples are showing up, particularly during the week. No more than 10-15% of the people go nude here except at the very ends, where there are more (see Cherry Grove section above). LIRR to Sayville and ferry to The Pines.
  • Other nude beaches on Fire Island The 6-mile undeveloped stretch of sand between Smith Point and Watch Hill is virtually deserted and is perfect for nude sunbathing and beachcombing. You can literally walk for miles and not see a single person. Other isolated areas that have seen nude use include the area just west of Davis Park and the area between Cherry Grove and Sailor's Haven.

Eat
  • Maguire's Bayfront Restaurant, 1 Bay Walk, Ocean Beach, ☏ +1 631-583-8800. Lunch and dinner bayside. 
  • Matthew's Seafood House, 935 Bay Walk, Ocean Beach, ☏ +1 631-583-8016. Lunch and dinner on the Great South Bay. Dockmasters available for boaters. No charge during the week if you spend up to $30 in the restaurant, weekend rates apply. No water or electrical service. A market in front with fresh fish and groceries everyday. Famous for the Thursday night Margarita Madness where you get 48-oz fishbowls of margarita from $20-40 depending on your liquor choice. 
  • Island Mermaid, Ocean Beach, ☏ +1 631-583-8088. 
  • The Hideaway, 785 Evergreen Walk, Ocean Beach, ☏ +1 631-583-8900. Casual waterfront fine dining. Serving lunch & dinner. Dockage available. 
  • Kismet Inn and Marina, Oak Walk, Kismet, ☏ +1 631-583-5592. 
  • Angelo's Town Pizza (We Deliver), Ocean Beach, ☏ +1 631 583-7774. 11AM - 11PM. Excellent pizza, with reasonable choice of toppings. Absolutely no atmosphere (only two small tables) or eat on the bench outside if weather permits. Later hours on weekends. Open only during the beachy season. In the village commercial area, adjacent to the Ocean Beach Post Office. 

Drink

Sleep

Hotels

Hotels are seasonal (approx mid May-Oct) unless marked otherwise.

Guest houses

Campgrounds
  • The Appalachian Mountain Club Cabin, Atlantique, ☏ +1 212-606-2293. For AMC member and guest only, mid-May to mid-Oct. Two 12-bunk dorms with mattresses, blankets & pillows (bring linens or sleeping bag). Dorms have communal kitchen, screened porch, library, decks, shared bathrooms, hot outdoor showers & outdoor BBQ. 
  • Fire Island National Seashore has tent sites and backcountry camping.

Stay safe
  • Stay on marked trails so as avoid poison ivy and ticks. Deer ticks can be carriers of Lyme Disease. To protect yourself, wear insect repellent, dress in light-colored clothing, and check carefully for ticks after exposure.
  • Watch out for mosquitos at dusk. Either leave before dusk or make sure to use some powerful insect repellent. Mosquitos on Fire Island probably won't give you an illness, but it's never fun to get bitten up.

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