Gay Travel
City trip
USA
Fire Island — The Pines & Cherry Grove

Fire Island — The Pines & Cherry Grove

Fire Island · USA

Best season

Mai – Sep

Price level

€€€

LGBT safety

Very high

What to expect

Trendy district

The car-free island is divided into historic Cherry Grove, the queer nucleus since the 1920s, and The Pines with its party-oriented scene at the harbor.
Best time to visit

The season runs from Memorial Day in late May to Labor Day in early September; the island is at its liveliest on summer weekends.
Don't Miss

The afternoon tea dance, a beach day between the dunes and the walk along the walkway between The Pines and Cherry Grove.

Fire Island can't be reached by car, and that's part of the magic. The ferry from Sayville takes you to a car-free island where one of the most famous queer summer communities in the USA has been meeting for decades. The Pines and neighboring Cherry Grove are connected by a boardwalk over the dunes - even the walk in between is an experience.

The day often starts on the beach, between dune grass and Atlantic waves, and ends with a tea dance in the harbour of The Pines, the sociable fixture of the late afternoon. If you want to delve deeper into history, you will find it in Cherry Grove, one of the oldest queer holiday areas in the world. At night, bars in The Pines alternate with the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove.

It gets quieter in the Sunken Forest, a protected piece of forest directly on the dunes - a contrast to the hustle and bustle on the water.

Your programme — day by day

Day 1

Arrival & The Pines

14:00 Take the ferry from Sayville to the car-free island and stay in your quarters.
17:00 To the tea dance at the harbour of The Pines, the social meeting place in the late afternoon.
21:00 Dinner with a view of the harbour and a first stroll through the bar at The Pines.

Day 2

Beach & Cherry Grove

11:00 Beach day between the dunes and swimming in the Atlantic Ocean.
16:00 Walk the walkway over to Cherry Grove and through the historic district.
23:00 Club night at The Pines or the Ice Palace in Cherry Grove.

Day 3

Nature & Conclusion

10:00 Breakfast and a walk through the Sunken Forest or along the beach.
14:00 Cozy end at the harbor before the ferry goes back to Sayville.

Queer Hotels in Fire Island

Belvedere Guest House for Men

★★★ · Fire Island

More info Book now ↗

Grove Hotel

★★★ · Fire Island

More info Book now ↗

The Madison Fire Island Pines

★★★★ · Fire Island

More info Book now ↗

Hotels around Fire Island

Tap the map for prices and availability.

Safety & legal situation

Gay Travel Index

4 points · rank 47 (2026)

Use caution

Legal situation

✓ Homosexuality legal
✓ Marriage equality
✓ Civil partnership
✓ Anti-discrimination protection
✓ Legal gender recognition (trans*)
✗ Conversion therapy ban

Last reviewed: 25. June 2026

Gay Fire Island

Gay Fire Island is one of the oldest gay destinations in the USA and is located as a narrow sand island off the south coast of Long Island, about two hours by train from Manhattan. You can travel by train to Sayville and from there by ferry, because there are no cars on the island. You move on foot over wooden footbridges, and you pull your luggage in the handcart. The queer heart of the island is formed by two places: Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines.

Cherry Grove is the older of the two, known for drag, cabaret and a mixed audience of all generations. The fancier, party-oriented neighborhood is considered The Pines, with modern architecture and the famous Tea Dance in the late afternoon. Between the two places is the so-called Meat Rack, a piece of forest that you can cross in half an hour. Both Hamlets are suitable for accommodation, depending on whether you like it more hustle and bustle or more down-to-earth. The season runs from Memorial Day weekend at the end of May to Labor Day at the beginning of September, and it gets crowded from mid-July to mid-August. The highlight is the Invasion of the Pines on July 4th, when drag performers come over by ferry from Cherry Grove. If you are there for the first time, it is best to go in the high season and plan a few days.

Trip key facts

Destination: Fire Island, USA
Travel time: Long weekend (Thu–Sun)
Best season: Mai – Sep
Price level: €€€
LGBT safety: Very high

City guide Fire Island ↗ Bars, clubs & locations on gay-location.de