Fire Island Lighthouse

Description

The Fire Island Lighthouse is located about 3/4 mile from the eastern end of Robert Moses Field 5.
There is a boardwalk from the parking lot to the double-door, main entrance. A ramp on the side of the building is available for those who cannot do the two steps at the front.

Inside, you will find a gift shop and small museum. A second floor of the museum requires 16 steps to reach it. There are 182 metal, spiral steps to climb to the top.

The multi-stall restrooms each have a small, accessible stall and sink, as well as a baby-changing station.

Checklist

Attraction Type:  museum
Number of accessible spaces:  there are a good number of accessible spaces throughout the lot
Location of accessible spaces:  located in several locations
Surface of lot:  paved
Distance to venue:  about 3/4 mile
Transportation to venue offered:  no
Terrain:  boardwalk is even, if you take path it is paved/gravel
Places to rest:  three benches along the way
Paths and walkways:  boardwalk is wood - area near lighthouse is concrete, stone and brick
Location of accessible entrance:  ramp in rear
Doors:  double doors
Number of floors:  2 , plus 182 steps to top, which is 168 feet tall
Elevators:  no
Ramps:  wooden ramp to accessible entrance
Steps and staircases:  two steps to enter, 182 steps to top of lighthouse
Width of aisles:  main floor of museum has ample space, gift shop a bit tight
Places to sit:  benches both outside and inside on first floor of museum
Location of restrooms:  in hallway just past gift shop
Type of restroom:  multi-stall, with small accessible stall, accessible sink and baby-changing station
Ease of entry and exit:  ok
Baby changing station:  yes
Available food services:  no food
Friendliness of staff:  Everyone was lovely and extremely knowledgeable
Notes:  * there are many accessible parking spaces, in several locations, in Field Five.

Read More

A perfect August day was made for a walk to the Fire Island Lighthouse and on to Kismet, on Fire Island.

We always park at the east end of the Parking Field 5 at Robert Moses Park when going to the Lighthouse.  There are many accessible spaces in the large, paved lot.

It is an easy 3/4 mile walk, on a well-kept boardwalk, with three benches along the way. As you walk, you can imagine you are almost anywhere, the beautiful vegetation makes it easy. The first building is the Fire Island Light Station, which houses the Fresnel Lamp. You can usually stop here to look at, and find out about the lamp. Unfortunately, it was closed today. You can continue on to the Lighthouse by going down and then up two flights of steps, or continue on the wooden walk which will get you to the back of the building where the accessible ramp is located.

We walked up the steps today and took a look at the always interesting museum. Dating from 1826, rebuilt in 1858 and automated in 1986, this is an important landmark for ships coming into New York Harbor. For many European immigrants, it was the first sight of land upon arrival in America. More of the museum is on the second floor ( 16 steps up). There are 182 steps to the top of the lighthouse. The staircase is spiral, with metal steps and rope handles. This also is not available at this time. According to my better half, who made the climb last time, the steps get a bit steeper near the top. There are height restrictions for climbing, and no one can be carried (even if a baby is in a carrier). If the day is clear, there are amazing views from the top.

Restrooms are located in a hallway just past the gift shop. Although there is an accessible stall in both the men’s and women’s restrooms, they are not very wide. The sink is accessible, and there is a baby-changing station. 

If you want, on your way back to the parking lot, make a left at the first path going toward the water. The walkway goes to the road. When you cross the road you will find a mobi-mat ( about 1/10 of a mile) that will take you close enough to have a good view of the ocean. If this is too much for you, wait until you get back to the parking lot and go to the first boardwalk ramp, towards the beach and ocean. There are a number of benches from which you can have a great view of the ocean.

If the walk is too much for you, there are Pedicabs that go from the parking lot to the Lighthouse, and even on to Kismet. (http://www.fireislandpedicab.com">www.fireislandpedicab.com). 

We decided to walk from the Lighthouse to the town of Kismet. It is about 1 1/2 miles from the Lighthouse. The roadway is a mix of gravel, paved and sand.  We made our way to town, got a drink, sat on one of the benches and enjoyed the view of the ferries coming and going, and of the many people enjoying the day.  There are a number of restaurants and one “general store” type venue. We walked back, but again, if you are too tired, there’s always the Pedicab (Pedicabs are available every day until Labor Day, then weekends only until Thanksgiving). 

It was a great way to spend a lovely afternoon, and a good way to get our steps in!

As always, we at Destination Accessible, advise you to visit a venue’s website, when planning a visit, to “know before you go.”

Location

Nearby