Fire Island Pines Guide
As with our Guide to Cherry Grove this is essentially a one place spot to find relevant links that will allow any person to find information about different venues on FI Pines in a user friendly way and more useful additional information along the way also provided.
It's a basic guide for those new to the Pines.
Keep in mind our companion Facebook page of the same name as this website. We publish daily and viewing it is a good source of current information: https://www.facebook.com/FireIslandStar/
FI Pines, physically bigger than Cherry Grove, more people living there and visiting as a result. It makes a difference. There are just a lot more people around almost all the time and that does rub off on events too. It's the energy that is created when a critical mass of people are formed. In the Pines it's just there.
THE TWO MOST ESSENTIAL TOOLS TO FIND OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING, WHERE TO GO AND STAY
Most FI businesses are now owned by a single corporation. Let's call them Pines Inc. The owners have invested a lot of money in their various operations and for our purposes we are not going to re-invent the wheel. Pines Inc. has provided two unbeatable sources of information about FI Pines.
Their website offers just about all you need to do about every business in the Pines and what is happening at clubs, hours and days of operation about restaurants and eateries and related information about them such as menu information.
There is also a map of the central business district that gives a viewer a bird's eye view of where everything is located (something actually that Cherry Grove could use but does not have).
Link: https://pinesfi.com/
Clubs
FI Pines is home to several clubs: Sip and Twirl, the Pavilion and the Blue Whale. These businesses are now owned by one single corporation and promotional information for them can now be found on this link: https://pinesfi.com/
Cover charges: most clubs do not have a cover charge but there are events held at clubs that do from time to time. If you are asked to pay for club entrance then you have run into one of the exceptional moments when a charge is being asked. If that is a factor there are other venues generally open at the same time without a cover charge: make that your alternative destination.
So, first essential guide is the website offered by Pines Inc. The second one is the website of Boys of Fire Island which has now been updated. You can find share information there and with some poking around probably the most comprehensive list of other housing options in Fire Island Pines that exists today. And to their site we defer: https://www.boysoffireisland.com/
And these two additional housing sources below not to be underestimated. It's the modern age and these services do connect visitors with an array of private housing options.
Airbnb: https://www.airbnb.com/
Craigslist: https://newyork.craigslist.org/
And for those seeking an alternative lodging resource but who still wish to visit FI Pines when rooms not available in the Pines or for lesser amount to pay for there are various lodging resources in Cherry Grove that may have openings. Not that far away. Check our Cherry Grove Essential page for housing options to be found.
Food
Bistro, Pines Pizza, Canteen and the Blue Whale restaurant ...most current information on the net is to be found by searching the links already posted above. And one more resource...it's not a glamorous as the eateries in the Pines but the Pines Pantry which acts as the grocery store of the Pines does sell food for example sandwiches. Late season when other eateries close down for the season the Pines Pantry stays open pretty close to the end of October. It's a resource of last resort for food.
Getting There, Back and Around
A basic essential tip: know before you go. Ferry, taxi, train are not all seamlessly connected and late night it's very possible to get stranded when rail service cuts off on the Babylon line late night both east and west. In that case a taxi to the Ronkonkoma train station would be an alternative as it is open around the clock.
There is one good one stop place to mesh your travel plans. The folks at the Fairy Schedule have come up with some software to help. Go to their website to use this tool:
https://www.fairyschedule.com/
Rainbow Rides: gay owned business.... direct inquiries to 631-737-7300. Ground transportation between Sayville and New York City and New York City airports. Reservations are recommended. Pet friendly.
FI Water Taxi: http://www.fireislandwatertaxi.com/schedules/cherry-grove/
Sayville Ferry: http://www.sayvilleferry.com/
LIRR: http://lirr42.mta.info/
And keep in mind that the LIRR does offer package deals, round trip rail, taxi, and ferry pay one price tickets good for the day of the trip only though. Link here: http://web.mta.info/lirr/getaways/beach/index.htm
Land taxi: http://www.colonialtransportation.com/
And by foot the Carrington Tract a/k/a the "Meatrack" is actually the chief pedestrian path between Cherry Grove and FI Pines. Depending on how fast a person walks from ferry dock to ferry dock as short as 30 minutes to as long as an hour to walk. In adverse weather i.e. rain watch out for mud and deep puddles particularly at night. If traveling by night a flashlight would be good to have to stay on path and or to avoid ruts, puddles, branches. Bug spray a good idea too: the Carrington Tract is a wilderness. It has ticks, mosquitoes, and gnats in abundance. Ticks should be immediately removed if found. They carry disease. Avoid touching any shiny looking leaves, or brushing them that's most likely poison ivy and that plant too in abundance.
Money
One ATM near the ferry dock.
Medical: emergencies do arise on a trip of even a single day. With the season ending medical services will be ending too but not yet. Over in the Pines the Pines Care Center remains a resource for now. Their link with some good advice for how to use their services now, and later in the season what to do in an emergency when they are gone: https://www.pinescarecenter.org/
As an alternative there is also the Northwell Health Doctors House in Cherry Grove. It may be open when the Pines Care Center is closed. See our Grove guide for more information.
Last resort: it's call 911 for help in a crisis. There are police services at night in the Pines which actually has a police office near the dock not always with police in it but that's where it can be found.
