What, When, Where: Fire Island, New York

By Kaitlin Madden

Though Fire Island is one state shy of being part of New England, the New York hamlet is just close enough for a long-weekend getaway. I traveled to the quarter-mile-wide by thirty-one-mile-long barrier island–on the south side of Long Island–for a few days over the Fourth of July holiday, and was lucky enough to enjoy beautiful weather all four days of my trip. But, when the beach got too hot, I hopped on a water taxi to check out the shopping and restaurants in Ocean Beach, one of the larger communities on the island, and a few villages east of where I stayed in Saltaire. If you ever find yourself out on Fire Island, here are a few shops to check out.

The outdoor Laughing Gull Artisans Gallery, on Bayview Walk, is a showcase of the work of local painters, photographers, woodworkers and crafters.

Photos by Kaitlin Madden

Down the street a bit is the General Store, but don’t be fooled by the name. The store offers all sorts of unique home decor and furniture with a coastal vibe, like these colorful painted buoys.

Nautical-themed dishes are perfect for casual summer entertaining.

Picture frames from Two’s Company came in a rainbow of hues and dozens of patterns.

A capiz shell mobile reminded me of a blog post Kyle Hoepner wrote a few months back.

This chain-link chest was by far my favorite.

While the shopping was great, I have to be honest, it’s the beaches that will keep me coming back to Fire Island.