Whether it’s your first time visiting Fire Island or your one-hundredth, understanding the island’s different towns and beaches is key to getting the most out of your visit. The unique, pedestrian-only island offers a range of experiences for every traveler, from an LGBTQ+ utopia and a vibrant nightlife to easy-going coastal escapes and family-friendly excursions.
Understanding Fire Island Towns & Regions
Fire Island stretches nearly 32 miles long and about a mile wide, with car‑free communities connected by boardwalks, beaches, and ferries. Historically a haven for the LGBTQ+ community, the island boasts a welcoming culture, a thriving nightlife and entertainment scene, stunning beaches, and a lush and heavily protected environment. Despite its size, it hosts about 15 different towns and regions, all with their own unique personalities and amenities, so visitors can return again and again and still experience something new.
Best Fire Island Towns by Travel Style
Discover the towns best suited to your travel plans: staying with friends or family, visiting for a day or a week, or heading out on a solo escape.
Travel Planning for Families
For a laid-back vacation built for the whole crew to unwind, consider traveling to Saltaire or Fair Harbor. Saltaire will remind you of a simpler time with its gorgeous and winding boardwalk that takes you from the bay to the ocean, scenic Clam Pond, and a center beaming with small-town charm. Fair Harbor offers a central hub teeming with things to do, including a playground for the kids and shopping for the adults, and a lifeguarded beach for everyone to enjoy.
Beach Access & Waterfront Experiences
While it is not hard to find a beach on the island, each spot has its own remarkable vibe for you to cruise on. Ocean Bay Park offers an eclectic coastal paradise for everyone, from the artist-types to blue-collar retirees. Known for its breezy, relaxed atmosphere during the day and its thriving party and bar scene at night. If you’re staying a while, you can take advantage of its waterfront rentals and hotels.
The naturalist will feel most at home on Fire Island at Sunken Forest/Sailor’s Haven. Here, you can enjoy a tranquil, serene stroll either on the life-guarded and pristine shores of Sailor’s Haven or through the meandering, waterfront boardwalks in the Sunken Forest. Step back into history and capture gorgeous views on the island by taking the 182 steps up the Fire Island Lighthouse! Those looking to immerse themselves on the coast on a camping trip will want to check out Watch Hill’s campgrounds by the water.
Nightlife & Entertainment
Known as the first gay and lesbian town, Cherry Grove offers a safe space where people can come and celebrate being themselves, day and night. Here, visitors can experience an electrifying nightlife at the longest continually running LGBTQIA+ nightclub in the world, Ice Palace 23, among the area’s unique bars and restaurants. For a more relaxed evening, you can also catch a show at the Community Center and Theater, the lifeblood of the town and listed on the National List of Historic Places.
Just a short stroll through the scenic Judy Garlan Memorial Pathway from Cherry Grove will take you to the Pines, an upscale LGBTQ+ haven with a lively calendar of events, historic nightclubs, and a pristine beach. Highlights include its storied “tea” dance parties, reminiscent of when same-sex couples couldn’t dance together legally, and the “Invasion of the Pines,” where drag queens flood the town to celebrate its history and legacy.
Easy Options for Day Visitors
Day-trippers get to experience fun in the sun with residents and long-haul travelers when ferrying into the lively hubs of Kismet and Ocean Beach. Kismet is the ideal spot for a relaxed day at the beach. One of the few places on Fire Island accessible by car, it pairs a laid‑back atmosphere with a lively town center just steps from the waterfront. Welcoming to groups, solo travelers, and families alike, it offers a stress‑free beach escape without the extra hassle.
For those looking to get a taste of the island for the first (or even twentieth) time on their day trip, Ocean Beach is the place to be. As Fire Island’s largest village, it’s accessible by ferry and offers a little of everything. Soak up the culture along its pristine shoreline, then explore lively restaurants, quaint shops, and a thriving nightlife and entertainment scene.
How to Get to Fire Island
Fire Island’s unique car-free environment makes it primarily accessible only by ferry or private boat. However, Kismet is accessible by foot, should travelers park in Robert Moses State Park in Field 5. Ferry terminals are located roughly 50–60 miles by car from Manhattan, and train routes with connecting car services make the journey to the docks straightforward.
Take the Bay Shore ferry to get to Kismet, Saltaire, Fair Harbor, Ocean Beach, Ocean Bay Park, and surrounding towns. Use the Sayville ferry to get to Cherry Grove, the Pines, or the Sunken Forest. The Patchogue ferry will take you to the far end of the island, which includes the quiet but beautiful beaches of Davis Park and Watch Hill.
