Fire Island is a 32-mile-long, ¼-mile widestrip of sand, the longest of four barrier islands that protect the South Shore of Long Island from the Atlantic Ocean. It has a history rich with tales of colonial-era pirates, myriad shipwrecks and Prohibition-era rumrunning. It has about 4,000 homes and its year-round population of about 400 residents grows to about 20,000 during summer months. 

HOW TO GET AROUND: 
Since there are no cars allowed on the Island during the summer walking is often your best option for getting around. Bikes are often included if you rent a house, but many towns lack paved roads between one another. If you don’t want to talk there is a water taxi service ($10-$30 round trip) that stops in each town about once an hour.

FIRE ISLAND LIGHTHOUSE

We decided to take the 182 step tour of the tower.  Once we made it to the top, we were able to see the magnificent panoramic view of the ocean, Fire Island, the bays and Long Island to the north and on a clear day the skyline of New York City. There were also two floors of interactive exhibits in the Keeper’s Quarters. 

Here is a video I took of the view from the top of the lighthouse!