New Yorkers have been coming to Fire Island as a relaxing escape from the city for centuries. Whether you’re taking in the LGBTQ-friendly nightlife in Cherry Grove and the Fire Island Pines, camping at Watch Hill, admiring nature in the Sunken Forest, or playing in the surf and sand with your family at Kismet Beach, Davis Park, or Ocean Beach, Fire Island has something for everyone
Getting there
To reach Fire Island’s various points of interest, you’ll take the Long Island Rail Road to one of three stations on the Montauk Branch, then use a shuttle bus or taxi service to connect to one of the Fire Island ferries. Get more details below.
For Kismet, Ocean Beach, and Ocean Bay Park
- Take the LIRR to Bay Shore Station, which is an accessible station.
- Take a taxi to the Fire Island Ferries terminal (99 Maple Avenue).
- Catch a ferry to your destination. Ferry schedules are available on the Fire Island Ferries website.
For Cherry Grove, Fire Island Pines, and Sailors Haven
- Take LIRR to Sayville Station, which is an accessible station.
- Take a taxi to the Sayville Ferry terminal (41 River Road).
- Catch a ferry to your destination. Ferry schedules are available on the Sayville Ferry website.
For Davis Park and Watch Hill
There are separate ferry terminals for Davis Park and Watch Hill. The Watch Hill ferry does not run year-round; check the website for details.
- Take LIRR to Patchogue Station, which is an accessible station.
- Take a taxi to the Davis Park Ferry terminal for either Davis Park and Watch Hill (when ferry service is running).
- Davis Park: 80 Brightwood Street
- Watch Hill: 160 West Avenue
- Catch a ferry to your destination. Ferry schedules are available on the Davis Park Ferry website.
While you're there
- The Fire Island Pines Historical Society hosts walking tours, which are a great way to experience Fire Island history through its most striking homes.
- First built in 1826 and later rebuilt, the Fire Island Lighthouse in Kismet served as a beacon for trading ships and new immigrants making the transatlantic crossing. After it was decommissioned in 1974, locals banded together to raise funds to keep it standing, eventually creating the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society.
- The Sunken Forest in Sailor’s Haven is one of Fire Island’s most distinctive natural features: a rare collection of trees that took root from seeds drifting on the air. It features holly, sassafras, juneberry, oak, and black cherry trees, some of which are thought to be 300 years old. Explore on your own or sign up for a ranger-led public tour from Sailors Haven Visitor Center.
- The Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness near the eastern community of Watch Hill is accessible only by foot or boat. It’s the only federally designated wilderness area in New York State, with plenty of opportunities for birdwatching, nature walks, and angling for bluefish and striped bass.