Fire Island

Fire Island –  located on the Atlantic coast of the USA, near New York, located in Suffolk County, in the south of Long Island.The island is 50 km long and just 1 km wide. Fire Island is separated by a distance of eight kilometers from Long Island by the Great South Bay.
During the winter months it has about 300 inhabitants, and most of the island is protected, since it is part of the Fire Island National Seashore. It is a coastal national park that contains pristine beaches and a forest.

Communities : Kismet – The westernmost village , Watch Hill – The largest National Seashore complex , Davis Park – The most remote ,Water Island , Fire Island Pines ,Cherry Grove , Point O’Woods , Ocean Bay Park ,
Seaview – beautiful residential area , Ocean Beach Village ,Robbins Rest ,Corneille Estates, Atlantique , Lonelyville ,Dunewood ,Fair Harbor , Saltaire
,Point O’ Woods , Oakleyville , Talisman/Barrett Beach , Blue Point Beach , Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness ,Moriches Inlet,Bellport Beach,

Appearances and popular culture : The avant-garde poet Frank O’Hara was accidentally killed on July 25, 1966, when he slept on the beach and was hit by a dune buggy. In his novel Lennon’s Dead, the German writer Alexander Osang describes Fire Island and its inhabitants and makes the island a central place of romance.
In 1971 the famous gay porn movie Boys in the Sand with Casey Donovan was filmed there.Fire Island lighthouse image bank was used as part of two of the opening sequences of the CBS Guiding Light novel.

The song “Come to Me” was described as “Fire Island’s definitive dance classic” because the legendary beach concert by 16-year-old France Joli facing the sea with an audience of 5,000 people on July 7, 1979. When Donna Summer canceled at the last minute, Joli stepped in as a replacement and became the sensation of the night.
Fountains of Wayne’s 2003 album Welcome Interstate Managers featured the song “Fire Island” about the mischief of two brothers alone at home while their parents were on vacation on the island.When Ocean Meets Sky, a 2003 documentary detailing the 50-year history of the Fire Island Pines community, made its television debut on June 10, 2006, including many unpublished archival footage.
Fire Island is featured in Ann Brashares’ 2008 novel The Last Summer (of You and Me) about two sisters and a friend who grew up together on vacation on the island each summer.Fire Island is repeatedly cited on the NBC sitcom Will & Grace. Many references are made to the adventures lived by Will Truman and Jack McFarland during their vacation there.
In Family Guy, in the episode The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz is shown a clip from the fiction movie “Jaws 5: Fire Island”.In the 2002 movie Men in Black II, the Fire Island lighthouse was used to represent the Massachusetts post office where Tommy Lee Jones’s character, Kevin Brown, was working after leaving MIB in the first film.Village People included a song called “Fire Island” on their debut album 1977.
ABC’s One Ocean View reality show (2006) was filmed on Fire Island.
Fire Island is also the setting for Terrence McNally Lips Together’s Teeth Apart.The song “Gay Messiah” from Rufus Wainwright’s 2004 album Want Two refers to Fire Island’s popularity among gay and lesbian tourists, noting that when gay Messiah comes, “It will fall from the star-from Studio 54-and appear on the sand – coast of Fire Island “(in the original:” He will fall from the star – of Studio 54 – and appear on the sand – of Fire Island’s shore “).

Today Fire Island is another destination chosen by New Yorkers when they want to get away from the city. All the activities that can be done are very calm and relaxed: hiking, going to the beach, sailing or fishing.
The communities of Ocean Beach and Saltaire, within the Fire Island National Seashore, are car-free zones during the summer travel season (Memorial Day through Labor Day) and only allow pedestrian and bicycle traffic. In Ocean Beach, however, these regulations apply only by the hour. There are several permits for year-round residents and suppliers out of season.
On Fire Iceland, one of the first significant gay communities was formed. Two of these hamlets, known as Fire Island Pines and Cherry Grove, are reputed to be a popular destination for gay vacationers.The Village People dedicated a song to the island on their first LP, and in the 1970s, the island was famed for their “tea dance parties” on Sunday at 5pm, with DJs also playing
The island of Fire Island is also known for celebrities who stay there, especially in summer.

Access : Coordinates: 40.653, -73.126 / Fire Island connects with Long Island two bridges and several ferry connections / Fire Island is worth it, and to get there, you’ll have to catch a ferry from one of the three Long Island ports that serve the island: Bay Shore – Fire Island Ferry Terminal.
/ From Manhattan, the drive will take you about two hours./ The train connection is a little faster. You can take the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) towards Montauk from Penn Station. Be careful, from Bayshore and Sayville train stations, you will need to take a taxi to the ferry terminals.

Attractions :

• Fire Island Communities : The island has 17 small villages mainly in the southern half.Cherry Grove and The Pines are certainly the best known thanks to the gay community that took up residence there decades ago. Cherry Grove, more popular with the lesbians, is a charming little village with houses connected by wooden walkways. There are a few restaurants, bars and a glacier for summer entertainment. The Pines, just as charming, is more popular with men and summer parties are famous!
• Fire Island Lighthouse : The current Fire Island Lighthouse dates back to 1858 and remained in operation until 1974. Located in the south of the island, the lighthouse is within walking distance of Robert Moses State Park. Visits are possible in summer from 10 am to 4 pm.
• Sunken Forest : Located on the slope of the huge dunes of Sailor’s Haven, it is one of the only six maritime forests that are preserved in the world. Since 1950 it is a protected area, as it is an extremely rare natural formation. It is habitat of a great variety of flora and fauna
• Smith Point County Park : It is another of the attractive coastal parks of the island and the largest of all. There is camping and you can do all the typical beach activities. In addition, there are several restaurants where you can taste specialties prepared with fish and seafood.
• Village of Ocean Beach : Ocean Beach Village – The main tourist destination and cultural center.The most important population of Fire Island is Ocean Beach, and it is one of the most visited places on the island. There you can find a dozen restaurants and bars, as well as shops.
• Sailors’ Haven : the Sunken Forest. It is located near the center of the island, across the Great South Bay from Sayville. walk through the globally-rare Sunken Forest, fish in the Great South Bay, swim at a lifeguarded beach in summer, or comb the beach for sea shells.
• Robert Moses State Park : It is a public park created in 1908 where there are hundreds of beautiful small beaches and many activities to do: fishing, golf, surfing, swimming, rowing boat rides, volleyball courts, etc
• Beaches : One of the biggest attractions of the island is its beaches. In the west of the island is Robert Moses State Park, where you can enjoy kilometer beaches and see a beautiful lighthouse ,Nude beaches : Cherry Grove , The Pines.
• Watch Hill – The largest National Seashore complex with 3 mi (4.8 km) of boardwalks and a campsite.
• East side – LGBT communities : To the east of Ocean Beach are the locations of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines are considered among the most famous and welcoming LGBT communities. In summer, both have a lively nightlife. Another popular population among tourists is Ocean Bay Park, with a familiar and young atmosphere.
• Cherry Grove, itself a national historical park, offers a quieter environment for visitors who prefer to rest with the sound of the rhythm of the waves. The Town, the main avenue of Cherry Grove, has restaurants, shops and bars for a leisurely afternoon.
• Clubing : Fire Island is a fun place to hang out. For party lovers, Sip-n-Twirl also offers dances in the afternoon and evening with local DJs playing the most played music in clubs. Fire island also home to special events, from cabaret shows to Low Tea. Club Dining serves seasonal cuisine for a local dining experience.

Tip : On the island cars and motorcycles are not allowed, except to access them via bridges and only to the parking lots located at the ends of the island.

Activities : Guided tours / Swim / Surfing / Fishing and clamming / picnic / sightseeing / photo opportunities / outdoor activities / Clubing / Sail to Sailors Haven
/ Fire Island Parasail / a ranger-guided tour at Sailors Haven /

Go next : Coney island / Long Island / via Ferry to New England / New York City / Connecticut / New Jersey / upstate New York