Fire Island Attractions

Fire Island - Attractions

Fire Island National Seashore stretches about 32 miles from Moriches Inlet on the east to Democrat Point on the west, along Long Island's south shore offering a number of attractions not available in any other American barrier island, including the singular fact that no cars are allowed on Fire Island.

Fire Island is best known for the many types of fun and relaxation opportunities throughout its different communities, but there are also cultural, historic and educational attractions, as well as leisure activities such as its rustic movie theater at Ocean Beach, featuring hard plastic seats and just one movie each weekend and the Golden Wagon Film Festival every summer since 2003.

However, one of the main attractions of the island is the Sunken Forest, a 40-acre area maintained by the Fire Island National Seashore as one of the last remaining maritime forests on the eastern Atlantic seaboard, with some trees estimated to be over 200 years old, including sassafras, American holly, and shadblow.

The Sunken Forest is not below sea level but it appears lower than the surrounding water due to the high surrounding sand dunes, and the up and down roller coaster boardwalks that creates such illusion. The environment of this naturally preserved wilderness encompasses swamps, marshland, hardwood groves, and dunes.

Accessible by Sayville Ferry, private boat, and foot only, the Sunken Forest is located near the center of the island, in Sailors Haven, and includes the Sunken Forest Nature Trail , a 1.5-mile boardwalk leading visitors through several other ecosystems, including saltmarsh, the swale zone between the dunes, and the Great South Bay.

Across Fire Island, numerous youth groups and camps are an attraction by themselves, particularly the Ocean Beach Youth Group, where your children can meet other Fire Island kids, receiving instruction in arts, rafts, and nature, in addition to swimming, sailing and windsurfing activities for everyone. During summer, water temperature on Fire Island ranges from 50º to 68º Fahrenheit.

The William Floyd Estate and the Fire Island Lighthouse are the cultural and historic attractions of the island. Dating from 1825-1827, the tower of the lighthouse was not built until 1858 and its light was extinguished in 1974. Rebuilt in 1987 by The National Park Service in coordination with the Fire Island Lighthouse Preservation Society.

Today, Fire Island Lighthouse is a museum and Atlantic Ocean observatory open to the public for guided tower tours and panoramic views of Fire Island, the Great South Bay, Long Island, the Manhattan Skyline, and even the Empire State Building on a clear day. The lighthouse can be reached by a short walk across the Robert Moses Crossway or by the Bay Shore ferry line.

Although there are many different stories related to Fire Island's name, including the possibility of a name derived from the poison ivy that comprises 70% of the island's vegetation, turning bright red in the fall, many people associate the name with the nightlife's fire-entertainment occurring in some of Fire Island's communities.

Ocean Beach is the community with the greatest concentration of bars, restaurants, nightclubs and discos, popular attractions after a sunbathing day at the beach. On the opposite side, Point o' Woods has many kid’s camps, fields and tennis courts but no nightlife, restaurants or bars, because it is a strongly family-oriented community.

Another one of the main attractions in Fire Island is the Robert Moses State Park, with about 5 miles of ocean beach and attached to the mainland by the Robert Moses Causeway. This is the only point of the island where you can drive to or on the beach, however you need a permit, or leave your vehicle on the mainland to enjoy the public parks and surf fishing.

Tequila Jacks is an extremely popular bay front restaurant and hotel at Robins Rest offering live music and free docking at its beautiful marina, but there is no ferry service to get there so visitors need to take a short walk after riding the Fire Island ferry out of Bay Shore to Ocean Beach.

For serious drinking and all-night dancing, Flynn's Fire Island Bar is the most popular attraction at Ocean Bay Park for people who love the crowd, while Lonelyville offers secluded privacy for those who prefers the quiet solace of this, one of the first communities established on Fire Island.

Saltaire’s main attraction is the Yacht Club featuring regattas and sailing instruction. Seaview is home to the only Synagogue on Fire Island. Smith Point is the other community attached to the mainland by the Smith Point Bridge and William Floyd Parkway, offering surfing competition.

The nature of Fire Island and the diversity of its communities provide numerous local attractions throughout its different self-contained communities. The National Park Service can provide you with more information on attractions awaiting you when visiting Fire Island.