Fire Island is a popular location for tourists and people who love to admire nature. It is visited all year long by people who are always amazed by the calmness, beauty, and landmass of the Island.
It is not uncommon to hear people ask whether they can drive to Fire Island and many more. So, can you drive to Fire Island?
Yes, you can drive to Fire Island but must park your car at the Fire Island Lighthouse or to the Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness on either end of Fire Island National Seashore. You cannot the length of the Island because some of the roads are not drivable.Â
Can You Drive to Fire Island?
You can drive to Fire Island but cannot drive the length of the Island. You can drive to the parks around the island, park your car because you cannot drive the length of the Island.
Can You Drive on Fire Island?
No, you cannot drive on Fire Island because cars are not allowed in the Island. Since not all road in Fire Island are drivable, you cannot drive the length of the Island.
Are Cars Allowed in Fire Island?
Cars are not permitted on Fire Island during summer but are allowed to come in during the winter season. However, a form of permit is needed for you to take your car to Fire Island.
If you visit this fascinating island, you will find out that people walk a lot there or make use of bicycles, or a ferry to transport themselves. There is a contributing factor to the serenity of the place.
If you need to move a lot of loads of items from the ferry terminal to your room, you will have to use a wagon to do that.
How to Get to Fire Island by Car
If you want to drive to Fire Island from New York City, drive to the Brooklyn Bridge first. When you get there, take the I-278 E, then the -495 E, to Cross Island Parkway, to Southern State Parkway.
When you get there, you have to cross one of those two bridges and then find a place to park in the Robert Moses State Park.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that you cannot leave the parks in your car, you have to leave them there. Use the Robert Moses Causeway to get to the Robert Moses State Park and use the William Floyd Parkway to get to the Smith Point County Park.
Can You Drive to Fire Island from Long Island
Yes, you can drive to Fire Island from Long Island. It will take you 53 minutes at 26.7 miles to drive to Fire Island via NY-27 W and Robert Moses Causeway. The same goes if your driving from  via Robert Moses Causeway.
However, if you are driving via Sagtikos Pkwy and Robert Moses Causeway, it will take you between 53 minutes and 29 miles to drive to Fire Island.
Note that the timing depends on the nature of the road coupled with the speed which you drive. If you encounter heavy traffic on the road, or drives too slowly, chances are, you may get to Fire Island higher than the times stipulated above.
Is There a Car Ferry to Fire Island?
Yes, just like in the Governor’s Island, car ferries are provided at Bay Shore, Sayville, and Patchogue to go onto Fire Island. You can make use of them to get to Fire Island. It is only a 30-minute ride. It is for passengers only and not luggage.
How to Get to Fire Island
To get to Fire Island, you can:
Make Use of a Private Boat
To get to Fire Island, you can make use of a private boat. These boats are docked at some restaurants on the waterfronts or in localities close to the ocean area.
You can find private boats at Water Island, Davis Park, Cherry Grove, Fair Harbour, Dunewood, Ocean Bay Park, Saltaire, Watch Hill, Ocean Beach, Sailor’s Haven, Seaview, and Fire Island Pines.
Hop on a Ferry
You can also hop on a ferry. You can travel to Fire Island using the ferry, it is actually the most common way to get to the Island. And it is quite easy also. Several ferries run different routes depending on the destination on Fire Island. I will list a few of them below.
There is the Sayville Ferry Service and the Davis Park Ferry. The route the Sayville Ferries move is as follows: from Sailors Haven to Water Island to Cherry Grove then to the Fire Island Pines. This ferry service started operations officially in 1984.
However, the travel schedule of the Sayville Fire Service varies depending on the season of the year. As expected, the Ferry Service is very busy during the summer, from June to September.
8.25 dollars is the price for a one-way ticket for an adult, during the summer but during the winter season, the price is up to 12.50 dollars.
For the Davis Park Ferry, the route is as follows: from Watch Hill to Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness. The price for a one-way ticket is 9 dollars per adult. Additional items like bags and boxes are charged at 1 dollar per item. They only accept cash payments.
A popular ferry service you can use to get to Fire Island is the Fire Island Ferry Service. Since the summer is the busiest period of the ferry service, a ferry is available every hour between the hours of 7 am and 11 pm during summer. Other seasons (spring, fall, and winter) do not have this schedule.
The ferries are not run constantly during the day. Fire Island Ferries provides its services to the western part of the Island though, to as many as seven localities around.
The price of one-way tickets for an adult is 10 dollars. You can carry two pieces of hand luggage without being charged extra but if you have other heavier luggage and boxes, you will need to send them on a shipping freight to the Island.
Drive to Fire Island By Car
Another way to arrive at Fire Island is to drive there by car. If you do not want to use a private boat or a ferry service, you can drive to one of the two bridges available from Long Island in New York City.
Frankly speaking, it is not advisable to drive to Fire Island except your destination on the Island is either the Smith Point County Park or Robert Moses State Park. Why? You can park in both places without needing to pay.
However, it is not possible to drive to a lot of the communities on Fire Island because of the topology of the place. Many of the roads in Fire Island are not paved or tarred, a visit in the winter might welcome you to snowy roads.
If your plan is to stay the night there or you want to visit many of the communities on Fire Island, you should avoid driving there and make use of a ferry or private boat.
How Long Does It Take to Get to Fire Island?
The nearest main city to Fire Island is New York City. A car journey to Fire Island from New York City will take an hour and 30 minutes to 2 hours. This is based on the assumption that there will be no heavy traffic on the roads and that the journey is through the Brooklyn Bridge.
Obviously, on public holidays, you can expect the journey from New York City to Fire Island to take more time because there will be more tourists also on the way to Fire Island.
If you are using the ferry service, a journey from Sayville, Bay Shore and Patchogue will take 30 minutes maximum to Fire Island.
Things You Need to Know About Fire Island
Fire Island is a well-known relaxation spot for summer tourists and nature enthusiasts. It has a length of 31 miles and is wide by about 2 – 3 blocks.
When you consider the layout of Fire Island, Great South Bay borders it at the north, and the Atlantic Ocean borders it at the south.
Containing several communities, 18 in number; these communities do not have a common nature and characteristic. They all vary from one to another.
Due to its proximity to the ocean, Fire Island consists of some beaches that are very popular. The average American knows at least one beach on Fire Island.
Fire Island is well-known because of its untouched beaches, serene environment, and overall aesthetics. When I say untouched beaches, I mean the beaches have remained as they were found, with no development or redesign. A lot of tourists find this so attractive.
Fire Island is not up to 50 miles away from the City of New York. And so, it is not a long distance for people to go to when you need to relax your body in peace and tranquility. No noise, no horns, no hooting, just breeze, and chills. Guess you’d like that, huh?
Pets on a leash are allowed normally on Fire Island but there are a few restrictions on pets during the summer months. You should find out the restrictions in place at the time you want to visit Fire Island.
Already stated, the length of Fire Island is 31 miles and the width is 2 -3 blocks. On the island are 18 distinct communities.
Even if you drive to Fire Island, you cannot drive the whole length of the Island. Some of the communities on the Island are not accessible via car, you have to make use of the ferries available.
The ferries available provide services more in the summer months than in the winter months. This is because more people visit the Island in summer.
To move from place to place on the Island, you can use a bicycle, golf cart, or just trek! To know more information about Fire Island, you can visit their official website here.
Conclusion
Whether Martha’s Vineyard or Fire Island, driving is not a popular means of visiting these places. More especially Fire Island, driving is not the popular means to travel to Fire Island especially if you plan to spend the night there. You can make use of the ferries provided. All you have to do is get to the places listed above where the ferries will be. Board the ferries and enjoy your ride to the Island.