Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
summer-only villages accessible by ferry from Long Island. The Fire Island Pines and
Cherry Grove (both car-free) comprise a historic, gay bacchanalia that attracts men and
women in droves from NYC, while villages on the west end cater to straight singles and
families. There are limited places to stay, and booking in advance is strongly advised
631-597-6061;
www.themadisonfi.com
; The Pines; r $200-775; )
, the first and only
boutique hotel here, rivals anything Manhattan has to offer in terms of amenities, but also
has killer views from a rooftop deck and a gorgeous pool. At the eastern end of the is-
land, the 1300-acre preserve of
Otis Pike Fire Island High Dune Wilderness
is a protec-
ted oasis of sand dunes that includes beach camping at
Watch Hill
( 631-567-6664;
www.watchhillfi.com
;
campsites $25; early May-late Oct)
, though mosquitoes can be fierce
and reservations are a must (Hurricane Sandy breached a nearby inlet so check on access
routes). At the western end of Fire Island,
Robert Moses State Park
is the only spot ac-
cessible by car.
Fire Island Ferries
( 631-665-3600; Bay Shore)
runs services to Fire Is-
land beaches and the national seashore; the terminals are close to LIRR stations at Bay-
shore, Sayville and Patchogue (round-trip adult/child $17/7.50, May to November).
The Hamptons
Attitudes about the Hamptons are as varied as the number of Maseratis and Land Rovers
cruising the perfectly landscaped streets; however, no amount of attitudinizing can de-
tract from the sheer beauty of the beaches and what's left of the picturesque farms and
woodland. If you can bury the envy, a pleasurable day of sightseeing can be had simply
driving past the homes of the extravagantly wealthy, ranging from cutting-edge modern-
ist to faux-castle monstrosities. However, many summertime residents are partying the
weekends away in much more modest group rentals and at the revolving doors of clubs.
While each Hampton is not geographically far from every other, traffic can be a night-
mare.
SOUTHAMPTON
Though the village of Southampton appears blemish-free, as if it has been Botoxed, it
gets a face-lift at night when raucous clubgoers let their hair down. Its beaches are
sweeping and gorgeous (only Coopers Beach (per day $40) and Road D (free) offer park-
ing to non-residents May 31 to September 15). The
Parrish Art Museum
(
631-283-2118;
www.parrishart.org
; 279 Montauk Hwy, Water Mill; adult/child $10/free;
11am-6pm Wed-Mon, to 8pm Fri)
is an impressive regional institution. The town's colonial-
era roots as a whaling and seafaring community are evident at Halsey House, the oldest
residence in the Hamptons, and the nearby
Southampton Historical Museum
(
