Fire Island guide: Where to go, how to get there and what to know

First time heading to Fire Island? Here’s what you need to know about the 17 residential beach communities as well as the two beach areas that are part of the Fire Island National Seashore.

"We welcome and encourage people who decide to come to The Pines for the day for its beautiful beaches and commercial district," says Henry Robin, president of the Fire Island Pines Property Owners’ Association. "My only warning is you might decide you don’t want to leave."

What are my options?

The 32-mile barrier island is bookended by Robert Moses State Park on the west and Smith Point County Park on the east. Each of the residential communities has its own vibe. Ocean Beach has informally been thought of as the "capital" of Fire Island, as it offers perhaps the closest thing to a town. It has 15 bars and restaurants, says Joseph DiFrancisco, village administrator. It also has souvenir shops.

The Fire Island Pines and neighboring Cherry Grove have long been homes for the LGBTQ communities. Some people equate the adjacent communities of Saltaire and Fair Harbor with the Upper East Side and the Upper West Side of Manhattan, respectively. Davis Park is the easternmost Fire Island community; Kismet is the westernmost. Point O’ Woods is so exclusive that it has gates so that people in neighboring communities can’t walk through it. It has a private ferry that people can only take if they are members of the Point O’ Woods Association or their guests, says Nolan Walters, an attendant at the Point O’ Woods ferry in Bay Shore.

How should I choose?

The biggest factor in making a day trip decision might be where you will have easy access to a public bathroom and where there are lifeguards and eateries. Ocean Beach has perhaps the most options and can be a good introduction to the barrier island; it has public bathrooms at the ferry terminal, in the village square and at the beach at Cottage Walk. It also has multiple lifeguard stands. Atlantique has bathrooms at the marina, as does Davis Park. Many of the other Fire Island communities have public bathrooms that are small, hidden or a significant walk away from the beach and may only be locked when lifeguards aren’t on duty. Some, like The Pines, for instance, have no public bathrooms or lifeguards; day visitors will have to use a bathroom at the commercial district’s restaurants and bars, Robin says. The best option in such cases is to visit a friend who is renting a beach house.

Bathrooms are available and lifeguards are on duty at the two areas that are part of the Fire Island National Seashore — Sailor’s Haven and Watch Hill, says Christopher Olijnyk, park ranger. However, there are few houses there, so you won’t get the feel of one of Fire Island’s residential communities. Bring mosquito repellent if you plan to hike through the adjacent Sunken Forest adjacent to Sailor’s Haven.

How do I get there?

Fire Island is reached primarily by boat, as there are no cars on the island in the summer. If you don’t own your own boat, you have to park your car at a ferry dock or nearby parking lot and then board. Leave plenty of time because it can get chaotic.

Ferries leave from three locations — Bay Shore, Sayville and Patchogue, and which service you use depends on what community you are going to. Most ferry rides take about 30 minutes.

Fire Island Ferries at 99 Maple Ave. in Bay Shore services the western end of Fire Island, including Kismet, Saltaire, Fair Harbor, Dunewood, Atlantique, Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park and Seaview. The blue-and-white boats leave from one of three nearby docks, the main terminal, the west terminal and the Saltaire terminal. Sometimes a ferry stops at more than one community in a trip, so be sure you’re getting off at the right stop. And some communities, such as Lonelyville on the west end of the island and Corneille Estates near Ocean Beach, require that you walk there from the closest ferry drop-off.

Sayville Ferry at 41 River Rd. goes to Cherry Grove, the Fire Island Pines, Sailor’s Haven (which also includes the Sunken Forest) and Water Island. The boats leave from three docks on the same street, the Grove terminal, the Pines terminal and the Sailor’s Haven/Water Island terminal. Sometimes a boat will stop at both the Grove and the Pines in one trip, says Bill Jacobs, a Sayville Ferry manager.

Davis Park Ferry goes to Davis Park leaving from 80 Brightwood St., in Patchogue, and to Watch Hill from 150 West Ave., in Patchogue.

Visitors wishing to go to Kismet could opt to park at Robert Moses State Park and pay to take a pedicab ride to the border of Kismet, or they could walk along the Burma Road, the spine of the island. It’s about a 15-minute walk to the lighthouse on a boardwalk path from the Robert Moses parking lot, and about 30 minutes one way to Kismet. If you opt to walk along the ocean, be aware that there used to be a clothing-optional beach in the area in front of the lighthouse. While that’s been officially eliminated, you may bump into some holdouts.

What does the ferry cost?

Bay Shore’s round-trip Fire Island Ferry tickets are $25 per adult with a $1 discount for senior citizens 60 and older, $13 for ages 2 to 11, and free for younger than 2. You will also have to pay to bring a cart or wagon onto the ferry, typically between $2 and $14; bring cash for that. No charge for beach chairs or umbrellas. No bikes are allowed on board. For the first time this summer, the Bay Shore ferry tickets can be purchased with a credit card as well as cash at the ticket windows. You can also download the ferry app to pay with a credit card or buy your ticket through the Uber app to avoid the line at the cash windows. Just make sure you don’t run out of battery before your trip back! Tickets are the same price for each of the communities, so you could take a ferry to one, walk to another and take the ferry back from there.

At Sayville, adult tickets are $20 round trip to the Pines or the Grove and $18 to Sailor’s Haven. Children 2 to 11 pay $11 round trip, and younger than 2 is free. Large bags and wagons cost between $10 and $15.

The ferry to Davis Park or Watch Hill costs $20 per adult round trip if paying cash; $20.75 with credit card. Children pay $13 cash and $13.50 with credit card. Luggage can cost between $1.50 and $8 depending on size; bring cash for that. 

There is no charge for wagons etc. on the return trip.

Do I have to also pay to park?

Yes, and lots can fill up early, especially on weekends. At the Bay Shore ferry, parking costs $15 per day Mondays through Thursdays and $25 per day on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, but those lots are often at capacity or reserved for people who have season parking passes. Nearby private lots can cost $25 Mondays through Thursdays and $40-$45 on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. A couple of town lots farther away offer some free spots but require a walk to the ferry dock. Parking is also available at the Bay Shore LIRR station, where David’s Taxi service brings people from that lot to the ferry for $6 per person each way. The taxi service meets every train but if you are parking at another time you can call for a ride.

At Sayville, parking per day is $13 Mondays through Thursdays and $23 Fridays through Sundays. Once those lots are filled people can park at the Sayville LIRR station and take a Colonial taxi to the ferry, Jacobs says. That ride is $6 when Colonial’s bus meets the train; at other times call for a ride.

The ferry to Davis Park offers metered town of Brookhaven parking in an adjacent lot; the ferry to Watch Hill has free parking, says Amelia Kummer, ferry manager.

Some parking lots require that you pay with a credit card.

Can I bring a pet?

You can bring a pet on the ferry but be aware that pets are not allowed on many of the beaches. On the Bay Shore ferries, pets are free but must be leashed, says Morgan Mooney, manager. Pets carried onto the boats at Sayville are free, otherwise a dog is $7, Jacobs says. On the Davis Park Ferry, dogs are $6.75 cash and $7 credit card for all sizes and they must be leashed, Kummer says.

Once on Fire Island, can I get from one community to another on foot?

Some communities are within walking distance of each other. Kismet, Saltaire and Fair Harbor are close together along the main spine of the island. Ocean Beach, Seaview and Ocean Bay Park are also walkable to each other. You could also take a water taxi from one community to another; Fire Island Water Taxi makes lateral trips at designated times for a variety of prices depending on your departure and arrival communities. It’s best to call to make sure they know you’ll be waiting for them at the dock; check to make sure they are going east or west before getting on to make sure they are stopping at the community you want.

Can I rent chairs or umbrellas?

At Ocean Beach lifeguard stands, visitors can rent chairs for $10 a day and an umbrella for $20 a day.

What if someone in my party is disabled?

The police station next to the Ocean Beach ferry terminal has a senior golf cart that can be borrowed briefly to drive a person with a disability to the lifeguard area at Bungalow, which has a beach wheelchair to take people onto the sand, village administrator DiFrancisco says. A member of the party tells the lifeguards you need the beach wheelchair and the lifeguards will help push the wheelchair to your spot, says Delaney Peppito, lifeguard.

Sailor’s Haven and Watch Hill also have beach wheelchairs, Olijnyk says.

Do beaches have any special rules?

Ocean Beach, for instance, has also been called "The Land of No," as it has plenty of rules restricting ballplaying and music. The most important rule to know: no eating or drinking on the beach. If you’re caught with anything but water, you’ll be fined $300, DiFrancisco says.

What if I want to stay overnight?

Only a few communities have a handful of hotels and most have a number of nights minimum. Kismet, Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park and Fire Island Pines all have hotels or guesthouses. Check out their websites as they range from "luxury" to rustic. You could also rent a house through a real estate agent for a longer period, typically costing from $3,500 to more than $10,000 per week.

Anything else I might want to know?

You are likely to encounter deer; they are like the Fire Island pet and wander the paths and even the beach. Stay off the grass and check yourself for deer ticks when you get home.

Don’t make a rookie mistake when looking at the ferry schedules. One side is the times that the ferries leave Bay Shore or Sayville or Patchogue; the other side is the times a boat leaves from the Fire Island side. Many a visitor has looked at the wrong side and been confused when no boat shows up when they expect it to. Also be sure you’re looking at the schedule for Monday through Thursday or Friday through Sunday; boat times are different.

And don’t miss the last ferry, or you’ll have to take a water taxi back to the mainland, which costs $250 per trip for up to 10 people, Mooney says.