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You’ve heard about the idyllic beaches, the fabulous night life and the amazing sunsets and now you’d like to see Cherry Grove for yourself. Here’s how to get to fabulous Fire Island!
Background: Fire Island is a barrier island, 27 miles or so long, that shelters parts of Long Island. From where you arrive, you can walk from the bay to the beach in less than two minutes. There are few vehicles on the island and in Cherry Grove, there are no bicycles. Not a problem, since you can walk from the East side of the community to the West side in less than 20 minutes. Punctuated by the downtown area that is roughly central, this is where you’ll find the grocery store, restaurants, shops and real estate offices and our tiny historic post office.
Cherry Grove is pet-friendly, but make certain to keep your dog on a leash. There’s an ordinance that is enforced by the Suffolk County Police who regularly patrol the beach and the boardwalk.
There’s only one way to get to Fire Island itself, and that’s via Sayville Ferry Service. It’s just about a 20 minute ride across the Great South Bay and watching the sunset from the upper deck of the boat is one of the summer’s great pleasures. Better still, waiting to greet your friends as they come across to share a sunset is phenomenal.
By Car – all roads lead to Sayville, once you’re on Long Island. Program your GPS for 41 River Road, Sayville, NY and you will find your way through the town itself to the Ferry embarking point. There is daily parking right across the street, and if you have a lot of luggage you may want to drop it with a friend before finding a parking spot. Otherwise you could be carrying a lot of stuff over a large parking lot.
By Bus – Islanders Travel (http://www.islanderstravel.com/bus.html) runs bus service to Fire Island. Visit their website for more details.
By Train – New Jersey Transit and PATH Trains connect with Long Island Railroad at Penn Station in New York. Peak fares between New York Penn and Sayville are collected between 6am to 10am and 4pm to 8pm and run $16.25 when purchased at Penn or a ticket machine. There will be a premium if you pay on board – the cost will be $22.00. Off peak fares are $11.75 and are charged on weekends and holidays so if you leave right after work Friday and come home Sunday your fare would be $28 for the LIRR.
If you are arriving by train you can walk to the Ferry port, but most people take the jitney. The fee is a few bucks each way and it pays to pack light. Besides, you’ll wear your bathing suit and little else all weekend!
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