NSR - Fire Island

[MarieM]

Have never been, wondering if any NY’ers or LI’ers have any recommendations? Currently looking at The Palms Hotel in Ocean beach or The Boatel in Kismet. We would like bike paths. Have heard Ocean Beach is busy, but in September? Thanks for any insight at all.

[tyrolean_skier]

When we go to Fire Island, we go by boat and we dock at Watch Hill. Sorry but I am unfamiliar with Ocean Beach and Kismet. I will ask some of my friends who might know more about those places.

[Nikoli]

Kismet would be my choice. September will be quite during the week. I have never stayed in a hotel. I have always done the week long house rental. Good luck

[tyrolean_skier]

MarieM, I asked my friend who goes to those town often in the summer and her answer was this: "Ocean Beach has more restaurants than Kismet and there is more to do there."

[MarieM]

Kismet would be my choice. September will be quite during the week. I have never stayed in a hotel. I have always done the week long house rental. Good luck

Thank you!

[MarieM]

MarieM, I asked my friend who goes to those town often in the summer and her answer was this: "Ocean Beach has more restaurants than Kismet and there is more to do there."

Really the only thing we want to do is ride our bikes, maybe some walking trails also. Not really interested in shopping or nightlife. Thank you for asking your friend, Ty!

[SkiDork]

You can stay at Kismet and take a water taxi or even bike over to Ocean Beach for a day or afternoon.

[Southside_Bobby]

It sounds like Kismet is what you are looking for.

Ocean Beach, Seaview, and Ocean Bay Park are three larger towns right next to each other, with ferries going into each. There is definitely more to do there, and after Labor Day it isn't as busy.
But if you are not interested in restaurants, bars, etc than why choose the more congested area. Just looking at the aerial maps you can see that there are a lot more houses, a lot closer together, there.

Kismet is one of the smaller towns, on the western most end of Fire Island, closest to Robert Moses Field #5 and a short distance from the lighthouse. Most Long Islanders park at Robert Moses, and ride their bikes east from there. If you are in Kismet, you can ride west to the lighthouse (worth checking out), or east easily all the way to Ocean Beach or beyond.

But keep in mind that Fire Island doesn't have a lot of traditional "bike paths". The communities are mostly pedestrian traffic, and some don't allow you to ride bikes around town. It is a very thin strip of sandbar. Mostly, you can travel east to west on the beach side, bay side, or on one road in between. You can ride on some of the boardwalks, but on a lot of them you can't.

And make sure you find out if you can take your bikes on the ferry from Bayshore, or if you have to send them over as freight.

As for walking, the whole place is great for pedestrians.

Have fun. September is a great time to go.

[LINYbob]

I am no expert at all on Fire Island - but I think it was in April or May, we went there for something to do one Sunday. The boardwalk from the parking lot at Robert Moses to the lighthouse was closed for some sort of construction and we had to walk on the beach. I would not see how anyone could ride a bike on the beach. The lighthouse was totally closed off then. Maybe it is open now in the summer.

[daytripper]

Lots of fat tire bikes on the beach.