Gay Cruising Spot: Fire Island – The Gay Island of New York

Courtesy of Cardcow

Fire Island is an island off the coast of Long Island, New York. An island that sits between the Great South Bay to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The island is approximately 5 miles long; however, only a mile of it is predominantly gay. No lifeguards, No clothes, No worries. Just fun.

The gay areas of Fire Island are Cherry Grove and The Pines; which are separated by the infamous area known as The Meat Rack. If you have ever watched a Treasure Island Media movie then you are well aware of what goes on in The Meat Rack. A large wooded, sandy and hilly forest region that divides the two gay spots.

Courtesy of Fire Island Q News

So if you’re a local New Yorker or a visiting tourist and you don’t have a car. You’re probably thinking how in the hell do I get to Fire Island. Well, if you don’t have a friend that doesn’t own a car then you’re need to take the trains on the LIRR (Long Island Railroad) to Sayville. If you do have a car, the driving directions are here.

If you live in Manhattan, Bronx, north side Queens or Staten Island then you should head to Penn Station (34th Street) and catch the LIRR from there. If you live in Brooklyn or south side Queens, then you should head to the Jamaica Station. The fare rates ranges from $13.25(USD) to $18.25(USD) off peak and peak time rates, respectively BEFORE boarding. Then the prices hike up from $19.00(USD) off peak to $24.00(USD) peak if you don’t pay before you board the train. If you’re coming from Penn Station, there will be a transfer either at Babylon or Jamaica. From Jamaica, there may or may not be a transfer.

Once you get to Sayville, there will be a taxicab or shuttle bus, a $5 to $10USD fare, that will transport you to the Sayville Ferry. The ride is approximately 7-10 minutes at best. I do not recommend walking from the train to the ferry, it’s not walker-friendly neighborhood and not even close to each other.

At Sayville Ferry, you will buy tickets for the Cherry Grove/The Pines. One way tickets are $8.25USD for adults and $16.00USD for roundtrip tickets. DO NOT LOSE YOUR TICKET. The boat ride is approximately 20 minutes once it leaves the dock. Roundtrip tickets can be redeem any time to return to the Sayville.

WELCOME TO FIRE ISLAND

Courtesy of Wall Street Journal

Once you get to Fire Island, you may get disoriented. To the left or east of the island is The Pines and to the right or west is Cherry Grove. Most of the restaurants, shops and bars are by the docks of each shore.

View from The Grove Hotel and Ice Palace in Cherry Grove

CHERRY GROVE

This part of the island is considered the gay and lesbian, the Village crowd. The Grove Hotel, which was recently burned down and the cause of the fire still unknown, and it’s legendary Ice Palace nightclub, which still remains, has been the home of Daniel Nardicio’s Underwear Parties every Friday during the summer months. Other notable bar is Cherry On The Bay. These bars host drag show performers and other themed events.

Belvedere Hotel

THE PINES

On the other side of the Meat Rack is The Pines, also known as the Chelsea/Hells Kitchen of Fire Island. The only bar in The Pines is Sip N Twirl. It’s more circuit dance then the bars you find in Cherry Grove.

Sip N Twirl – The Pines

The main docks are in The Pines and Cherry Grove on the north side of the island while the white sand beach faced the south and sits on the Atlantic Ocean. There are NO LIFEGUARDS, clothing is optional but you MUST BE DISCREET when cruising for sex. If you find someone and really have to jump their bones then head into the Meat Rack.

There are many ways of vacationing on Fire Island, you can stay at one of the hotels such as Belvedere Hotel, a male-only, clothing optional hotel that sits on the edge of the Cherry Grove right next to the Meat Rack. You can rent out a room through Airbnb or rent an entire home. For you budget-conscious guys, you can sleep on the beach; don’t get caught or play all night in the Meat Rack. 😉

One of the paths to The Meat Rack

Good Tip: The prices are much higher than even New Yorkers are accustom to paying due to the seasonal business that flows on the island. If you want to cut cost, I suggest you bring your own food and stock up your rental or bring a cooler of your favorite food and drinks.

For more info about Fire Island, visit: Fire Island Q News 

Now that I have informed you on Fire Island, how to get there and where to stay. Now you can travel to Fire Island and have some dirty gay fun. I decided to review the Meat Rack separate due to the length of this post. Stay tuned Gay Cruising Guide: Meat Rack will be coming out this summer.

Much Love and Cum
DC