Are you longing for the beach? Well, here’s some good news for you. There are two locations on Fire Island that are available year-round. Both have indoor destinations, but if you pick a nice day to visit, you can find some genuine seashells and sea glass treasures due to the low foot traffic along the shoreline.
The Fire Island Lighthouse is open for tower tours daily from 10 am to 4 pm. To reach the lighthouse, follow the walking path from Robert Moses Parking Field 5. The trip is a little under a mile each way. The lighthouse offers tours up the 182 steps of the tower where you’ll feast your eyes on a panoramic view of Fire Island, the Atlantic Ocean, the Great South Bay, and the south shore of Long Island.
The Lighthouse offers two floors of interactive exhibits, and there’s a gift shop on the main floor, where, among many other things, the Famous Phoebe of Long Island books are for sale.
Find out more about planning your trip. Teachers, you’ll see that school groups are welcome.
Remember when The Famous Phoebe followed the bird with the fish in his mouth east along the water? If she went far enough (it’s a good thing she didn’t!) she would have reached the Wilderness Visitor Center at Smith Point Beach. It’s open daily from 8 am to 4 pm. You'll find a ranger station with a second-floor birds-eye view of the beach, and there are many fascinating exhibits that appeal to all ages.
For more information, visit Places To Go on the National Park Service’s website.
Here's something enjoyable and rewarding to do with your children at home. Check out the Fire Island National Seashore Junior Ranger Program. You can download workbooks that children can complete at their own pace, and once the summer season kicks off, you’ll find ranger-guided programs to help. The books are available on the National Park Service Kids in Parks page. With such a variety of workbook topics, there’s sure to be one or more of interest to any child. And they will earn a Junior Ranger Badge for each booklet that is completed. Choose from:
Park Explorer
Wildlife Firefighter
Junior Ranger Railroad Explorer
Junior Ranger Sounds Explorer
Junior Ranger Spaceflight Explorer
Junior Ranger Fishing Activity Book
Junior Cave Scientist
Junior Ranger Night Explorer
Junior Archeologist
Junior Ranger Underwater Explorer
Junior Paleontologist
We’re in the home stretch. Spring will be here before we know it. Prepare your junior ranger to embark on the summer with eager curiosity, ready to put their newfound knowledge into practice.
Enjoy...But before you go, check with the Fire Island National Seashore for schedule changes and for special events.