Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday January 18, 2006
VISIT AN ISLAND WITH NO ROADS FOR A TRUE BEACH GETAWAY
Contact: Kristen Matejka
Director of Marketing and Communications
LICVB&SC
631 951-3900 xt.317
JUST OUTSIDE NYC: VISIT AN ISLAND WITH NO ROADS OR TRAFFIC FOR A TRUE GETAWAY AT THE BEACH
Fire Island Features White Sand Ocean Beaches, Miles of Wilderness, And Relaxation
Hauppauge, NY –(January 18, 2006)- It’s difficult to imagine that just outside the non-stop hustle and bustle of New York City is a beachfront vacation spot so quiet and serene, even automobiles are not allowed in most areas as there are no paved roads.
Fire Island, the 32-mile long barrier beach just off Long Island’s South Shore, is primarily accessed via ferry. Ferries disembark passengers directly at town centers so that very little walking is actually required. The island is only a half-mile wide at its widest point.
The primary mode of transportation on Fire Island is hike, bike, water taxi or pull cart. Leave your car at any of the terminals (parking fee applies) and walk aboard a ferry to be transported to a different state of mind, one that is tranquil and unhurried. City dwellers will welcome the silence of no honking horns because there are no cars, taxis or buses once you get to Fire Island.
At the center are the Fire Island National Seashore and the Otis Pike Wilderness areas, two of the most pristine and beautiful stretches of white sand beaches on the east coast. Both are known for their boardwalks and trails, bird watching, swimming, camping, kayaking and canoeing.
Fire Island consists of 17 communities, each with its own unique personality and attractions, from the nightlife hotspots of Ocean Beach and Ocean Bay to the tranquil pace of Kismet or Saltaire. Fire Island is also home to the predominantly same sex lifestyle community of Cherry Grove. All are directly accessible from ferries departing from Long Island’s South Shore terminals of Bayshore, Sayville or Patchogue.
Many of the communities feature lodging and dining, with the greatest number of options in Ocean Beach and Cherry Grove. There are also quaint shops and ice cream parlors, but don’t expect to see any high rise hotels, big box retailers or massive shopping complexes here. Development is very limited.
A Sunken Forest
The Sunken Forest in the Sailor’s Haven portion of the Fire island National Seashore Park is a spectacular environmental wonder to experience. The Sunken Forest, just behind the dunes of Fire Island’s spectacular beaches, offers visitors the opportunity to feel like a giant in a forest that won’t grow any higher than the sand dunes that protect it from the ocean’s salty wind. Tours along the boardwalk through the forest are offered weekends.
Throughout the island, boardwalk trails wind between homes, communities and nature trails. There is also an abundance of wild life on Fire Island, from rare species of birds to an abundance of friendly, but timid deer.
While on Fire Island, enjoy water sports, dine at quaint seaside restaurants offering the “catch of the day,” stroll along the beach at sunset. Or climb to the top of a lighthouse at Robert Moses State Park, or take a short ferry ride back to the ferry terminals on Long Island and visit the charming seaside towns of Sayville, Bayshore or Patchogue, where you’ll find dining, shopping, theatres, nearby golf and other attractions.
For day visitors to Fire Island, there is bridge access at either end of Fire Island at Robert Moses State Park and at Smith Point State Park. Both have paved parking fields, but these are the only paved areas on the entire island. There are no paved roads connecting the communities or the parks.
The Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission (LICVB&SC) was established in 1979 as the official tourism promotion agency for the destination’s travel and tourism industry. Based on Long Island in Hauppauge, NY, the LICVB&SC contributes to the economic development and quality of life on Long Island by promoting the region as a world-class destination for tourism, meetings and conventions, trade shows, sporting events, and related activities. For more information about Long Island, please contact the Long Island Convention & Visitors Bureau and Sports Commission by calling 1-877-FUN-ON-LI or visit www.funonli.com.
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