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Day Trip To Fire Island: A MUST See For NY Locals {PICTURE HEAVY}

This is going to be a very picture-heavy post. So be prepared!

Yesterday, Bill and I decided to take the kids to Fire Island. He’s been trying to get me to go there since 1999… and no, I’m not kidding. You have to take a small boat to get there and I get sea sick. I’ve resisted for as long as I could. Turns out I had anxiety about being sea sick – BUT I was able to handle the ride (clenching my teeth the entire time lol).

We dock and immediately you are brought to a whole new world. It’s amazing this exists a few miles from my house. What a lovely island! Next year, I want to try to rent for a week and really submerge myself in the culture.

As soon as you dock, there are several shops, small hotels, restaurants and art galleries. You are immediately on vacation. I’m talking instantaneously! 🙂

We had lunch and then let the kids run around at the park for a bit. If they had full say, I don’t think we would have left this area. They were absolutely content running around in the sand.

Biking is the main means of transportation – though we didn’t rent any. Instead, we brought our double stroller in case the kids needed a break from walking around. NOTE: you aren’t allowed to ride on the weekend and during holidays. Isn’t that interesting!?

At this point, I was absolutely SWEATING. I went into a store and bought a beach dress (overpriced but so worth it). I don’t know what I was thinking wearing 3/4 jeans and a thick tank. It’s August for goodness sake! 🙂

So, how do you get from one side of the island to the other? A water taxi of course! This naturally meant another anxiety attack but I kept it together for the kids. They absolutely enjoyed the ride. And once we got fast enough, I enjoyed it too. My father used to own a boat when I was younger and he would take me out every weekend. I loved it as long as we were MOVING. Once we stopped, that’s when you know what hit the fan.

The Sunken Forest was something to see. It was a GREAT walk if you are a tree lover… and I am absolutely a tree lover. You should see my bedroom. It’s just filled with picture after picture of trees. I especially love winter trees – barren… but these were just as beautiful.

I wore the wrong shoes – you should consider wearing sneakers if you plan on doing these long walks. My heels were killing me because all I had on was a flimsy pair of flip flops!

At one point during the Sunken Forest trail, you hit a secret beach. You can only get there if you walk the trail. There was no one on it! It was amazing! I took this pic with my iPhone. Absolute heaven. I didn’t have my suit, but Bill packed for the kids. I think we stayed for about 2 hours or so. You should bring some bottled water if you go because there is nothing around and we left only after I started to worry about dehydration. If we came prepared, I’m pretty sure we would have stayed MUCH longer.

Then it was back to the main port of Fire Island (if you are coming from BayShore that is). Check out these wagons. This is how locals get their goods back home. They are everywhere. Instead of car parking, there is WAGON PARKING. I loved it seriously!

And each house had a little unique entry. Ok, not every house… but Bill and I could have spent hours just checking out how the locals live. It was so quaint and precious and different.

After dinner, we had some ice cream and walked around the town one more time. The kids bought bracelets from a group of girls trying to earn some extra money. They were so cute. The bracelets were $.50 each and I gave them $2 for 2. The girl asked me if I wanted change. 🙂

After 7.5 hours, we headed home. The kids collapsed on the ferry. It really was a great day. I can’t believe I’ve never been to Fire Island and I’ve lived here my entire life. Also want to say that there were a TON OF EUROPEANS!! I’m talking about A TON. I would say almost 1/3 of the people there were foreigners who rented for the summer. It was so great!!

OceanBeacher

Friday 7th of December 2012

And beautiful children btw. Sorry I failed to mention that. They must have had a great time there. Thanks again for sharing the photos. Brings back wonderful memories.

OceanBeacher

Thursday 6th of December 2012

Great photos. I lived on Ocean Beach one year, literally. I took a job in a restaurant. When you get to Main Street from the ferry look left and the restaurant is at the end of the street before it turns. It was called "Leo's Place" when I worked there in the 70s. I said literally because I usually slept under the red house on stilts on the beach in the next town west, Robin's Rest. I wonder if the house is still there after Hurricane Sandy. I'd wake up on Saturday mornings to the sound of the vacuum cleaner above me haha. The occupants had to have known there was someone sleeping under their house every night. It was nice of them to accept my presence. Fire Island is enchanting. Wagons, bicycles, quaint and creatively adorned bungalows, quaint shops. I'm glad you finally went there and captured it so wonderfully in photos. There's probably no place quite like it.

ali

Tuesday 31st of July 2012

wow amazing pictures and amazing family. V r going to fire island in few weeks. Can't wait. Thanks for sharing the butiful pictures and your kids r sooo cute :)

ClassyMommy

Monday 15th of August 2011

Gorgeous! I want to go now. Can't believe this is so close to your home and you've never been. Looks crazy amazing and quaint. I want to move there lol :) Thanks for sharing. Your kids are beautiful and the day looks like it was totally perfect. xo col

Teri & Billy G

Sunday 14th of August 2011

Shhhhhh! Fire Island is horrible! No need to visit, you won't like it! Too expensive, beaches are way too sandy, the ocean is too blue! That's right, you won't like it so go to New England, The Hamptons, Jersey Shore etc. :-) Actually, its one of the best kept secrets so shhhhhh :-) We LOVE Fire Island & OB, OBP, POW, The Grove, The Pines-all beautiful and have loved it for decades. ......shhhhhhhhhhhhhh :-) PS: beautiful pics!

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