Fire Island, New York
America's most legendary gay resort community. Fire Island's Cherry Grove and The Pines have been LGBTQ+ sanctuaries since the 1950s — car-free, clothing-optional, and entirely dedicated to the art of vacation. A short ferry ride from Long Island, this is where New York's queer community has come to shed the city for generations.
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Entertainment & Events
Ice Palace
The Pines's legendary beachfront club — the center of Fire Island's summer party scene since the 1970s. Weekend tea danc...
Cherry's
Cherry Grove's iconic community bar — one of the oldest gay bars in America, still going strong. Cherry's is where the G...
Sip-N-Twirl
The Pines's beloved bar at the ferry landing — the first stop and last stop of every Fire Island day. Sip-N-Twirl's boar...
Travel & Accommodations
Cherry Grove & The Pines 🌎
Fire Island is unlike any other LGBTQ+ destination in the world. No cars. No roads. Just boardwalks, beach houses, white sand, and the Atlantic Ocean — and a summer community that has been gay since the 1950s. Cherry Grove (established as a gay community in the 1940s) and The Pines (the more glamorous, fashion-forward neighbor) are connected by a 1.5-mile boardwalk through the National Seashore. The famous Meat Rack trail between the two communities is legendary.
Why Fire Island is Unique
- 🚗 No cars — the island is car-free; everything happens on foot or by wagon on the boardwalk
- 🌎 National Seashore — Fire Island National Seashore protects miles of pristine Atlantic beach
- 🍺 Ice Palace — Cherry Grove's legendary club hosts the famous Tea Dance; open Memorial Day to Labor Day
- 🏠 Beach house culture — gay men rent shares in the famous Pines beach houses; a social institution
- 🏳️ History — America's oldest continuously operating gay community; a National Seashore with a queer soul
The Neighborhoods
- 🏠 Cherry Grove — community center, Cherry Grove Arts, Ice Palace; America's first gay village; more diverse, more affordable
- 🌨 Fire Island Pines — The Pines harbor, Tea Dance, the Pavilion; fashion-forward, celebrity-spotting, upscale beach houses
- 🌄 The Meat Rack — 1.5-mile boardwalk trail through the National Seashore connecting the two communities; legendary
- ⛴️ Day trippers — thousands arrive by ferry from Bay Shore each summer weekend; even a day trip is worth making
Fire Island Events
Fire Island is a summer destination — Memorial Day to Labor Day is the season. The social calendar revolves around the Ice Palace, the Tea Dance, and the legendary community events that have defined island culture for 70+ years.
Ice Palace & Tea Dance
The Ice Palace in Cherry Grove is the island's social center — hosting circuit parties, drag shows, and the famous weekend Tea Dance that has been a Fire Island institution for decades. The Pavilion in The Pines hosts parallel events on the harbor. Together they define the Fire Island summer social scene.
July 4th on Fire Island
Independence Day on Fire Island is legendary — the island fills to capacity with weekend visitors for beach parties, Ice Palace circuit events, and a spectacular fireworks display over the Great South Bay. One of the peak weekends of the summer season.
Cherry Grove Arts Performances
The Cherry Grove Arts Project hosts performances, drag shows, and community events throughout the summer season at the Community House. Living cultural history in America's oldest gay community.
Pines Party & Invasion
The legendary Pines Party is a summer circuit event at The Pavilion drawing the most glamorous crowd of the season. The "Invasion of the Pines" — a Cherry Grove drag queen tradition since 1976 — sees a fleet of boats arrive in The Pines harbor on July 4th. A truly unmissable island spectacle.
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Book Flights
Find the best fares to Fire Island — fly into Long Island MacArthur Airport (Islip) ISP
⛴️ Fire Island is accessible by ferry only — no cars on the island. From NYC: Penn Station → LIRR Bay Shore branch → Bay Shore ferry to Cherry Grove/The Pines (~2 hrs total). The Fire Island Ferry runs from Memorial Day through Labor Day.
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🛌 Where to Stay
🎲 Things to Do
Popular in Fire Island:
- Fire Island Ferry (Cherry Grove)
- Fire Island National Seashore Walk
- Cherry Grove Beach Day
- The Pines Harbor Boat Tour
- Saltaire Village Bicycle Ride
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Travel Gear
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Getting To Fire Island
Fire Island has no cars — it's a car-free paradise accessible only by ferry. Once on the island, everything is on foot (or wagon for luggage). Pack light and enjoy the boardwalk lifestyle.
Bay Shore → Cherry Grove & The Pines; ~30 min crossing; runs Memorial Day–Labor Day
Penn Station → Bay Shore in ~1 hr; ferry terminal is steps from the Bay Shore station
The island is a National Seashore — rangers, boardwalk trails, and pristine Atlantic beach
Trip Insurance
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