Ocean Beach (photo by Randy Levine)
Fire Island National Seashore was created in 1964 to stop the development of Fire Island. At that time there were seventeen beach communities on the island, and all of them were allowed to remain. Today, some towns welcome visitors and their tourist dollars to their shops and restaurants while others have no public establishments and discourage outsiders. The following is a list of towns with bars, restaurants, and shops that welcome tourists:
- Kismet
- Fair Harbor
- Ocean Beach
- Ocean Bay Park
- Cherry Grove
- Fire Island Pines
- Ocean Bay Park
- Davis Park
While towns located within Fire Island National Seashore can keep non-residents from their streets, the beaches are part of the National Seashore and open to everyone. If you want to walk from one end of Fire Island to the other along the beach, there is nothing stopping you. However, for most people, long walks just to get to a particular beach are not appealing since there are plenty of easily accessible beaches on Fire Island such as those at Robert Moses State Park and Smith Point County Park. The beaches flanking the private communities are most appealing to residents and their guests. None are accessible by vehicle.
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on October 4, 2024
