Thinking about Fire Island (NY) this weekend... pointers?

May 24, 2024 1:56 PM

I'm thinking about a solo trip to Fire Island this weekend, and wanted some pointers/tips.

I can easily take the Amtrak from/to DC so no problem there. Here's the tentative plan I was thinking of:

-Staying two nights (Saturday/Sunday)
-Amtrak and then take the LIRR to Sayville, get a hotel in the area
-Uber to/from Sayville's ferry
-Ferry over to Fire Island Pines and check it out, then go back, relax at the hotel
-On Sunday, ferry over again, take a water taxi to the Sunken Islands, walk/explore, swimming/beach day basically
-On Monday, chill and explore a bit again, maybe try somewhere different using the water taxi or whatnot
-Take the LIRR back to NYC/Penn Station and then Amtrak back to DC (evening/later in the night)

The hotel would be inland as it's cheaper. I don't mind taking Uber/Lyft to/from the ferry station and the hotel. I understand the ferry will cost some money going back and forth, but that's fine.

A few questions:

-Does cellular service (Verizon, particularly) work on the island? Important to me, especially so I can secure the water taxi via app and communicate with people, if necessary.
-Are there Ubers/Lyfts readily available in the Sayville/greater area? I don't know that specific area of NY and it looks to be more suburban by nature.
-Anything else I need to know? Any recommendations at Fire Island that's worth checking out?

Also important to know: I get exhausted easily, so walking a lot might not be ideal—I don't mind going through the Sunken Forest and going to the beach, but I do need to take it easy. I obviously will be car-less. I'm open to the idea of e-bike rentals on the island, but would prefer to take it easy and be mostly sedate this trip.

If this does not sound like a good idea (especially on a holiday weekend) please let me know with reasons. Otherwise, I don't see anything wrong with the idea, but of course am open to suggestions or whatnot. If you feel my trip can be shortened no problem to only Sunday and Monday, let me know as well.

Thanks for any tips/pointers you can offer!

posted by dubious_dude to Travel & Transportation around Town of Brookhaven, NY (8 answers total)

I have only ever stayed in Cherry Grove. The conventional distinction is that the Pines is more fancy and frequented mostly by gay men, Cherry Grove is more lesbian and queer. There will be day-drinking and parties on the holiday weekend.

If you're interested in the Sunken Forest it's a lot more do-able on foot from Cherry Grove than from the Pines. The walk in the dunes to and from Cherry Grove and the sunken forest is quiet and beautiful even at high season. Sunscreen, hat, hydration, and ideally uv protective clothing are a must. The sun is hot out there.

The beach is beautiful. There are sea swimmers. There are also rip tides, so most people wade and dunk.

Cell service works fine. There are cabs in Sayville. I've never done a day trip but it's a short ride and there are a lot of ferries.
posted by Morpeth at 2:34 PM on May 24 [1 favorite]

This weekend like memorial day weekend? You've checked that there are hotels and train tickets actually available I presume but if not that might be a factor. It's worth knowing that fire Island doesn't have much in the way of public amenities, although I haven't been to the pines so maybe that area is ok. But it's likely you'll have to pay for a restaurant etc to get a bathroom to use.
I love fire Island but you're talking about a lot of travel for a very short visit, so I'm just not sure it's worth it, even if you can get hotels and trains last minute. Amtrak plus lirr plus catching the ferry is at least 6 hours of travel, maybe more.
posted by ch1x0r at 2:34 PM on May 24 [3 favorites]

ch1x0r is right that it's a lot of travel to get there, but I have done it as a daytrip from the city in my youth and had fun. We definitely drank 100 rocket fuels (some kind of frozen pina colada mixed with daqueri mix) that my memories of the trip back on the train are spotty, but we had fun. It is easy to make friends at bars and restaurants if you like, and you will need a place to get a bathroom.

In my adulthood, I go to a house share in Ocean Beach, fire island for a week most summers for the past 6 or 7 years. It rules!!! No cars, all boardwalk and beach. Our rental is like an hour's walk from the sunken forest and i have never gone once, but usually at least one or two of my friends does, spends much of the day getting there and back, and always calls it "Fine!" or "Nice!" but no one has ever come back wowed enough to convince me i should join when i could have been making sand castles on the beach. I have heard the mosquitos can be bad at the sunken forrest, but it might be better this early in the year. We always say we are going to go to cherry grove one night on the water taxi and never have because Fire Island is so lovely wherever you are and it's easy to get lazy. My advice would be skip the forrest and enjoy the beach and the vibes. Keep an eye out for monarch butterflies on their migration and DO NOT pet the deer or feed the deer. They are covered in ticks. Stay out of the grass haha.

cell phones will work great. water taxis between towns are just time consuming and expensive, i would pick a hamlet (Pines, or Cherry grove from sayville. Ocean beach ferries leave from Bayshore) and go for the whole day. The ocean in FI can be a bit rippy. swim parallel to the shore if you get caught in one. A flat bed sheet is better than a beach towel for laying around in. Bring a big bottle of water and stay hydrated.

Rome2rio.com is good for navigating subway/train/ferry schedule.
get the FI Ferry Mtickets app for for your ferry tickets. (search fire island ferry in the app store)
posted by wowenthusiast at 8:58 PM on May 24

Have you checked the weather? It's only going to be in the 60s (the water is in the low to mid 50s), and it's supposed to be kind of rainy on Monday.
posted by dancinglamb at 9:55 PM on May 24

Fire Island, the movie, looks super fun. i will be watching this, soon. Halston also features FI, relatively briefly. those should keep you busy, if you're looking for media to watch while you travel.
The ocean in FI can be a bit rippy.
A bit? Margaret Fuller, first woman allowed to use the library at Harvard, died off the coast. Just wanted to share that history. there's a memorial park. haven't been, but that'd be my first destination. be safe at the beach!
posted by HearHere at 1:12 AM on May 25 [2 favorites]

For the record, Margaret Fuller died in the wreck of a sailing ship at night in a storm. But yes, it's an open ocean beach with all sorts of dangers. Don't be alone in the water.
posted by SemiSalt at 5:04 AM on May 25 [3 favorites]

indeed, a bit rippy is an understatement. Fire Island is definitely not like a tranquill bobbing in the ocean kinda beach most days- the surf can be feirce. I got tossed so hard last year in knee height water, I lost my brand new glasses. My area of beach doesn't have lifeguards (ocean beach, maybe 10 mins walk down) Not sure about the Pines.

I am willing to confess here that I personally wear a life jacket any time i am on that beach if i am going in the water over my ankles because i can't swim good. I am invariably the only person on the like this on the beach over the age of 7 in a life jacket, but if you haven't tried life jacketing as a leisure aid in the pool or ocean or lake, it's grand.

this is a neat link- About our Towns Page from the Fire Islanders Association for anyone hitting up this thread in the future.
posted by wowenthusiast at 8:01 AM on May 25

I think logistically this trip would work but I'll just throw in a datapoint that Fire Island is not, like, a great place for a solo trip, in my humble opinion. I had a similar idea once and thought it was a convenient place to get away for the weekend, take some long walks, read a book, etc, and the car-less nature really appealed to me.

Now, I'm someone who is extremely comfortable doing things alone under normal circumstances but FIP is completely full to the gills with groups of people doing social activities, especially on a holiday weekend. As a solo person I felt very conspicuous and uncomfortable, and even aside from that, the vibes were not relaxing. I ended up going home early.
posted by telegraph at 11:22 AM on May 25 [1 favorite]