Fire Island is the long, narrow barrier island off the south shore of Long Island, close enough to New York City for a day trip but strange enough to feel like a real departure. Cars are mostly absent, ferries set the rhythm, and the Atlantic side is one continuous run of dunes, surf, and pale sand.
The western end has the historic Fire Island Lighthouse, reached by a boardwalk from Robert Moses State Park. Further east, Sailors Haven protects the Sunken Forest, a rare maritime holly forest tucked behind the dunes. At the far eastern end, the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness is one of the wildest coastal walks this close to New York.
Fire Island is also a social place. Ocean Beach has the broadest summer-town feel, while Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines are famous queer resort communities with a long history of refuge, performance, and beach life. Come for a day if you want sand and salt air; stay longer if you want to understand why New Yorkers get possessive about the island.