Fire Island is a quick-change place. Its dune beaches are the main lure for the city's eclectic diaspora of nude, gay, and straight sunbathers. Bodysurfers and surf-casters relish the tidal delight of crashing waves that pound the coast. In the winter, harbor seals are one of the few creatures thick-skinned enough to ride the Fire Island surf.

You owe it to yourself to step inland and explore the island's other environments. Beyond the dunes, the forest offers shady respite from the glare of the beach and a change in wildlife: Shorebirds give way to songbirds, and you might surprise a deer. Continuing on, in a few minutes you emerge from the forest into the vibrant marsh, chattering with birds and rustling grass. Beyond the marsh is the (usually) placid Great South Bay, populated with all manner of small watercraft, from sea kayaks to Tony Soprano-class powerboats.

Fire Island is an easy train ride from Manhattan's Penn Station: The Long Island Railroad provides regular service to ferry terminals at Patchogue, Sayville, and Bay Shore. Station wagons and jalopies can access Fire Island via two bridges: The Robert Moses Causeway will deliver you to Robert Moses State Park at the western end, and the William Floyd Parkway spills out onto the eastern end of the island at Smith Point Park.