Getting to Long Island and Fire Island Portals

You can get to Fire Island National Seashore from a number of entry points and by various modes of transportation. Remember to allow enough time for Long Island traffic conditions.  Always be aware of current seasonal ferry schedules if you plan to come or go by water.  

See Park Maps and Traffic and Travel Tips if you're planning to come by car.

By Car
All Fire Island National Seashore access points are south of the Long Island Expressway (I-495), Sunrise Highway (Route 27), and Montauk Highway.

You can drive to either end of Fire Island, but there are no paved roads between these two points.

  • Take Robert Moses Causeway to Robert Moses State Park Field # 5 for access to the Fire Island Lighthouse.
  • Take William Floyd Parkway (Route 46)to Smith Point County Park for access to the Wilderness Visitor Center. The William Floyd Estate is also located off William Floyd Parkway.

Parking is available at ferry terminals in Bay Shore, Sayville, and Patchogue (daily fees charged), for access to most Fire Island destinations.

See Getting To Fire Island

 

By Plane

The closest commercial airport on Long Island is the Islip MacArthur Airport (ISP). You can also fly into LaGuardia (LGA) or Kennedy (JFK) airports closer to New York City. Rental cars, taxis, van shuttles or trains can get you to the ferry terminal providing access to your destination in the park. From JFK, the Airtrain links directly to the Long Island Railroad (LIRR) at Jamaica Station.



By Train

Long Island Railroad (LIRR) stations are near the three mainland ferry terminals for Fire Island. From Penn Station in New York City, you may take the Montauk Branch of the LIRR to get to Bay Shore, Sayville, and Patchogue. You may easily walk from the Patchogue station to the Watch Hill ferry terminal, but a taxi or van may be welcomed for the longer distance between the other trains and ferries. Contact the LIRR for train schedules.



Ferries to Fire Island depart from the following locations: Patchogue, Sayville, and Bay Shore. Special one-day beach get-away packages are available during the summer for Kismet/Fire Island Lighthouse, Watch Hill and Sailors Haven.



By Bus

Bus routes operated by Suffolk County Transit provide access to the park's gateway communities of Mastic Beach and Smith Point County Park, Patchogue, Sayville and Bay Shore, New York. You may have to walk or take a taxi to get from the bus stop to the ferry terminal providing access to your destination in the park.





By Bicycle

Long Island bicycle routes are being developed and improved, but all portals to Fire Island National Seashore are not currently accessible by bike.





By Private Boat

Fire Island can be reached by some private vessels. The Great South Bay is fairly shallow. Marinas are located on the bay side of Fire Island, between Moriches Inlet and Fire Island Inlet. 





 

Did You Know?

Deer standing in thicket of shrubs.

In the mid-1970s, Fire Island's deer herd consisted of only about 50 white-tailed deer. By 2005, the number was estimated to be 500-700 deer. More...