Summer, a time for enjoying outdoor street festivals, rooftop bars, and movies in the park…a time for eating gelato, sipping iced coffee, beach bumming, walking around in shorts and flip flops, and mini getaways. Speaking of mini getaways, the hubby and I took a lovely trip to Fire Island with some friends over the long weekend. Fire Island offers a very accessible beach escape at just about an hour’s drive from the city. Compared to the more uppity Hamptons, Fire Island has a decidedly more relaxed and casual vibe. What’s more, this 31-mile barrier island has wide sandy beaches (not rocky), and most of them are accessible to the public. There are several different communities within the island and you can get around with bikes, water taxis, or by foot. We spent our time at Ocean Beach, Sailor’s Haven, and Cherry Grove, and each one offered a different experience!

