25 pictures that prove Fire Island is gay paradise

As soon as Memorial Day Weekend arrives, New Yorkers know that the best place to be on a sunny day is Fire Island. The 32-mile barrier island stretches south of Long Island and consists of 17 communities. Two of them, Cherry Grove and The Pines, are known as the best “gay getaways.”

For the hottest and wealthiest New Yorkers, The Pines is the chosen destination. Every summer weekend, they (and their friends) pack their tiniest and most stylish swimsuits and descend on the little village of marvelous houses and pristine sand dunes to relax, tan, drink and have fun.

To get there, most take the LIRR to Sayville station or drive- but good luck with traffic. Once there, you jump on a shuttle that will get you to the Sayville Ferry and then a scenic 20-minutes ferry ride will take you to your final destination.

But The Pines is more than what you see on TV these days; it’s actually a community. Gay and their allies have been coming here for years. In his book, Fire Island Pines Polaroids 1975–1983, the photographer Tom Bianchi captures the magic of this place: a beautiful, safe haven for gays.

Today, thanks to Instagram you can appreciate the modern day charm of this place and its visitors. Here are 33 pictures that prove Fire Island truly is a gay paradise.

25.

 

A post shared by Matthew Richards (@mattyrichards) on May 12, 2017 at 8:44am PDT

24.

 

A post shared by Guillermo Suarez Gil (@g_suarez_g) on Jul 25, 2016 at 4:58am PDT

23.

 

A post shared by Fire Island Pines ☀️ (@thepinesfireisland) on Jul 5, 2016 at 1:01pm PDT

22.

 

A post shared by Jeff Petersen (@jefflyboynyc) on May 20, 2017 at 7:16pm PDT

21.

 

A post shared by Bret (@bret_nyc) on Aug 6, 2016 at 4:30pm PDT

20.

 

A post shared by adam thompson (@morganfstop) on Feb 22, 2017 at 7:15am PST

19.

 

A post shared by Javi Perez (@javipee) on May 20, 2017 at 7:45pm PDT

18.

 

A post shared by Aly Salem (@alyesalem) on May 23, 2017 at 1:05pm PDT

17.

 

A post shared by Michaeljon Slinger (@double_windsor) on May 16, 2017 at 11:33am PDT

16.

 

A post shared by Evan Lenhoff (@drevanlenhoffnyc) on May 14, 2017 at 5:30pm PDT

15.

 

A post shared by Fred Ciaburro (@f_chips) on May 15, 2017 at 6:27am PDT

14.

 

A post shared by Ariel Padilla (@arieldp) on May 18, 2017 at 12:56pm PDT

13.

 

A post shared by dame_dame (@dame_dame79) on May 19, 2017 at 9:57am PDT

12.

 

A post shared by Javi Perez (@javipee) on May 21, 2017 at 2:12pm PDT

11.

 

A post shared by Jason Barker (@jasonjbarker) on May 22, 2017 at 2:36pm PDT

10.

 

A post shared by nicksmit (@nicolaassmit) on May 19, 2017 at 2:54pm PDT

9.

 

A post shared by Change @ Babylon (@changeatbabylon) on May 5, 2017 at 5:04am PDT

8.

 

A post shared by Impulse Group NYC (@impulsegroupnyc) on Mar 16, 2017 at 3:08pm PDT

7.

 

A post shared by Brett M. (@brettm10) on Apr 13, 2017 at 8:13am PDT

6.

 

A post shared by Menswear, Travel & Underwear (@manchic) on Jul 9, 2016 at 8:01am PDT

5.

 

A post shared by Lee Lenox (@leelenox) on May 5, 2017 at 3:44pm PDT

4.

 

A post shared by Casey Spooner (@caseyspooner) on Apr 24, 2017 at 9:15am PDT

3.

 

A post shared by Luis (@lmancheno) on May 15, 2017 at 5:13pm PDT

2.

 

A post shared by Carlos Huber (@arquistecarlos) on May 18, 2017 at 12:37pm PDT

1.

 

A post shared by Seth Fornea (@sethfornea) on Jul 25, 2016 at 8:10am PDT