Last Thursday, I wrote on Tripcrazed that a few friends and I would be taking a daycation to Fire Island. I received a couple of comments from people who had never even heard about the island, so I thought I’d share the adventures of my trip here.
Getting to Fire Island was simple enough from Long Island; all we had to do was drive to Bayshore (Long Island), park and catch the next ferry out to our destination. Though Fire Island is only half a mile wide and 30 miles long, there are about 13 different ferries to hop on at the Long Island ferry station. Each ferry takes you to a different part of Fire Island; once you are in one area of the island, you can’t really get to another (unless you like to do a lot of walking or biking), as there are no cars allowed anywhere aside from emergency vehicles.
Therefore, it’s important to know which part of Fire Island you want to visit before you get to the ferry station.
My friends and I chose to go to Ocean Beach, which, according to Fireisland.com, is the “unofficial capital” of Fire Island; or, I guess you could say, the hub. When we got onto the ferry (after paying $17 each for a roundtrip ticket) we sat at the top level thinking we would get the best view from above and have a calm and relaxing ride. Bad choice: I had to cover my face with a towel the whole ride because the speed of the boat made the top deck extremely cold and windy.
There was an upside to where we sat though; next to us were a man and a woman, both of whom I believe own homes on the island. Never be afraid to try and talk to people around you on the ferries; everyone is very casual, and (as it turned out in our case) you might end up meeting some interesting people and others who can help you find your way around.
The man we sat next to turned out to be a prominent businessman with his own company. He was even a student of one of the authors of Freakonomics (great book, in case you haven’t read it). The woman was able to show us a place to eat after we got off the ferry. A lot of the restaurants on Fire Island are pretty expensive, and we were looking for a quick, inexpensive lunch. After telling her our concern, the woman took us to a place behind Houser’s Bar and Grill, a sandy outdoor picnic area overlooking the bay. We were all able to eat for under $12 and I think I actually had the best fish and chips of my life there.
overlooking the bay After eating, we made our way over to the beach. To get there, we walked along narrow sidewalks with overgrown trees and small houses on either end. The walk was short, though, and soon we were lying out in the sun. The beach itself wasn’t much different from other beaches around Long Island, though it was definitely quieter and the sand was incredibly soft. And while the houses walking to get to the beach were small, the houses that rested on the beach were much larger, and really very beautiful. As we walked along the beach, we were able to see the Fire Island Lighthouse. We thought about walking to it since it looked so close; then I checked a map and realized we were actually four miles away from it.
narrow paths to the beach 
walking onto the beach After lying around and testing the (freezing!) water on the beach, we made out way back to the area of restaurants and shops. Everywhere we walked, I couldn’t help but notice that everything was just so quiet. There were people around, but the atmosphere was completely serene, almost as though once everyone steps off the Fire Island ferries they transform into total tranquil beings. I do hear that Ocean Beach becomes louder at night, though, when the bars open.
shops and boutiques There are only about a dozen or so small shops and restaurants in Ocean Beach, and we walked into just a couple of shops before deciding to get back to the ferry. Most of the stores were boutiques, souvenir stops or ice cream shops. One candy shop we passed by actually had posted on its door a tally of kids who had been caught stealing so far this summer. Effects like this showed us just how much Ocean Beach values its serene and small community.
lots of kids caught stealing I think we only spent a total of five hours on Fire Island, but by the time we reached the ferry station to get back to Bayshore, we were all somehow exhausted. At least on the way back we knew not to ride the top ferry deck.
To plan your own trip to Fire Island or to learn more, click here.Would you ever visit Fire Island? Have you ever been to any communities that compare?
Comments (7)
That sounded like a really nice daycation! it is a beautiful island . I would go there to visit . I have never been to any place like that before would be nice though =)
It sound like a lovely place to visit. I would definately be up for it....
wow that sounds awesome! I wonder how they keep the stores supplied though, if no vehicles are allowed
Good place to have adventure vacation.
@black_lie@xanga - I think they have cargo ferries or some other ferries designated to bring over shipments. When you go, you aren't allowed to bring your bicycle on the regular ferry, you are supposed to put it on another ferry with other big items and then you pick it up when you get there. So I'm guess that's the same ferry they put all the goods on.
@Sarah - but how do they transport goods around the island? or are all the shops near enough a pier for the work to be negligible?
@black_lie@xanga - Yeah, everything is really close. As soon as we got off the ferries the shops were right there. At least on the part of the island we went to. I'm not sure about the other parts, but I think that for locals to get real groceries and things like that they actually have to take the ferry and go back to Long Island to get what they need.