Fire Island Things to Do

Fire Island - Things to Do

Recreation opportunities and exciting activities are around the corner when visiting Fire Island, including numerous places to eat, drink and enjoy nightlife. However, there are also family activities and diverse facilities for camping, hiking, biking, swimming, surfing, boating, or just sightseeing and observing the island's wildlife.

Fire Island wildlife includes red fox, white-tailed deer, and many species of birds that can be observed on miles of scenic hiking trails. For camping, Fire Island National Seashore provides limited camping facilities in order to keep the unspoiled environment of the island, and there is no camping allowed on the beach.

Wilderness backcountry camping and backpacking is available from Watch Hill, a campground with running water, picnic tables, grills, showers, and bathrooms, where pets are allowed, or the Wilderness Visitor Center located near Smith Point, where campers need to hike their gear more than a mile into the wilderness.

Do not leave your pets unattended, but in case of an animal accident you can get in touch with the Atlantic Veterinary Emergency Center, Sunrise Highway, West Islip, open Monday thru Thursday from 6 pm to 8 am, and Friday, Saturday, Sunday

Sat, Sun, and Holidays, 24 hours a day, Tel. (631) 587-0800.

For your own medical attention you call a doctor close by or hospital:

* Bay Shore Hospital, Tel. (631) 968-3330

* Good Samaritan West Islip Hospital, Tel. (631) 376-4444

* Fair Harbor and Dunewood Medical, Tel. (631) 583-5145

* Pines Care Center, Tel. (631) 597-6160

* Saltaire Village Doctor, Tel. (631) 583-5466

* Seaview Community Doctor, Tel. (631) 583-5286. (631) 583-8548

* Village Of Ocean Beach Emergency Medical, Tel. (631) 924-5252

There is also one seasonal campgrounds, but all camping facilities in Fire Island are tent-only sites, accessible only by foot, ferry, or private boat. Information on Ocean Beach Youth Group box can be obtained calling at (631) 583-5300.

Fire Island has numerous boating resources for camping, moving around the island, boating, sailing, swimming and other water-based activities included in your to-do list. Some of these resources include the following services:

* Bay Walk E. & Harbor Park, Tel. (631) 597-9581 (The Pines)

* Bay Walk Marina, Tel. (631) 583-9380 (Seaview)

* Captain Bill's Marina, Tel. (631) 666-4407 (Ocean Avenue Bay Shore)

* Flynn's Restaurant & Marina, Tel. (631) 583-5000 (Ocean Bay Park)

* Matthew's Restaurant & Marina, Tel. (631) 583-8016 (Ocean Beach)

* Ocean Beach Marina, Tel. (631) 583-5153

* Sailor Haven Marina, Tel. (631) 597-6171 (Sailors Haven)

* The Transient Marina Dockmaster's, Tel. (631) 583-5153 (Ocean Beach)

* US Coast Guard, Tel. (631) 661-9100

* Watch Hill Marina, Tel. (631) 597-6644

* Water Sports, Tel. (631) 583-9561

When camping is not possible, there are many places for bird watching and wildlife contemplation, as well as reserves where camping is allowed with a permit, such as the Otis Pike Fire Island Wilderness, 7-mile federally protected wilderness area of eastern Fire Island. Otis Pike spans through 1300-acre region from Watch Hill to Smith Point.

One of the most rewarding activities on Fire Island is bird watching, in fact, the island is considered one of the best places in New York to spend a day discovering some of over 300 bird species native to Fire Island. Fire Island is also a "rest stop" for a great variety of birds on migration. It is estimated that about one third of all the birds found in North America have their habitat in Fire Island.

Fishing is also exciting off the docks and around the shores of Fire Island, although bay fishing is best, either from the productive docks of many of the island's communities, or the excellent offshore fishing around the Fire Island area. The services listed above can provide you with a chartered boat if you do not have your own.

Surfing is even better than fishing due to the nature of Fire Island being a barrier island, surfing is a great experience, particularly during the hurricane season when waves may exceed 10 feet, with jetties and sandbars propitiating variations on the island's surf conditions, with the best surfing opportunities at Smith Point, Point o' Woods, and Atlantique.

Surfcasting is an alternate option for joining fishing and surfing into one activity, moving directly into fish banks with an abundance of bass, fluke, crabs, blues, flounder, stripers, and many other fish species. Either by boat or surfcasting, the best times for fishing at Fire Island are early mornings, late afternoon, and nighttime.

Clam digging is a common activity at Fire Island, where clams are fresh, abundant and fun to harvest from below the surface of the tidal coastal wetlands where they live. Clamming is as popular for locals and visitors that there are a few strategies used when gathering clams, and it is also considered an enlightening and therapeutic experience.

Wherever you go, stay on marked trails or you will expose yourself to poison ivy and ticks, remember to wear insect repellent to protect yourself.