Fire Island by pedicab: Take a ride to laid-back Kismet

For most visitors, getting to Fire Island means hopping on a ferry. But there’s a quieter and quicker way onto the island, tucked at the edge of Robert Moses Field 5.

Park, walk to a yellow wooden hut at the end of the lot and hop into a colorful pedicab bound for Kismet, one of the island’s most low-key communities. There’s no schedule and no ticket line, just a breezy seven-minute ride along a sandy, car-free path.

The route, run by Fire Island Pedicab owner Justin Galbraith, has become a simple alternative to the ferry. “It’s the fastest, easiest way to get to Kismet,” he says. For the return, head to the old firehouse in town, where cabs wait for the trip back.

Along the way, you’ll follow Burma Road past the lighthouse and through dunes lined with beach plum and bayberry. It’s a surprisingly scenic stretch that feels more like a nature trail than a shortcut.

Getting there, pedicab style

Robert Moses is accessible via the Robert Moses Causeway from the Southern State Parkway. Park at Field 5 for $10 and walk to the west end of the parking lot, where you'll find the Fire Island Pedicab pickup spot and begin your journey along Burma Road. Closed to public cars, the only thing moving through the path between the dunes is the pedicab, the occasional cyclist or jogger and the wind off the ocean.

Fares are $5 per person to the lighthouse and $10 to Kismet, one-way. The cabs run seven days a week from 9 a.m. to park close, Memorial Day through Labor Day, and are pet- and luggage-friendly. Cabs are constantly making trips, so there's no need to call or book ahead. Simply wait for one to arrive at the hut and hop on. To return, head to the old firehouse just outside the entrance to Kismet.

Worth the stop: Fire Island Lighthouse

Even if Kismet is the end goal, don’t skip the Fire Island Lighthouse. For $5, the pedicab drops you at the base, and the climb to the top is free. It’s 157 steps up a narrow spiral staircase, with sweeping views at the summit that stretch to the Manhattan skyline on a clear day.

Before Galbraith’s pedicabs, the only way here from Robert Moses was on foot or by bike, pushing through a mile of soft sand along Burma Road. Bikes struggled and sometimes had to be walked. "The one cab I started with could not go through this," Galbraith said. His solution? He borrowed a shovel and cleared a path himself, foot by foot, all the way down to the lighthouse.

Built in 1858, the tower was designed to house a then state-of-the-art Fresnel lens that helped revolutionize maritime navigation. That original lens now sits in a dedicated building beside the lighthouse, a quick, worthwhile stop for anyone who wants a bit of history with the view.

Destination: Kismet

Back in the cab, it’s another mile to Kismet and a few minutes through the dunes before you’re there.

"Kismet" means fate, and it fits. Tucked along Fire Island’s western edge, Kismet is noticeably quieter than Ocean Beach or Cherry Grove. Where those spots lean into the scene, Kismet is all about the setting.

The small downtown has everything you need and nothing you don’t: a few restaurants, a pizza shack, Kismet Coffee Co., a marina, the family-owned Kismet Market, a liquor and cheese shop and Red Wagon Emporium gift shop. Walk to the end of the road and the boardwalk opens onto Kismet Beach, where the water is the same striking shade of blue as Robert Moses next door, but the beaches are noticeably low key.

While you’re there: Where to eat, drink and shop

The Kismet Inn (1 Oak St., 631-583-5592; thekismetinn.com ) has been a fixture for over a century since 1925. The Inn is family-owned and operated, and inside it's warm, cozy and plastered with photographs of family owners, longtime patrons, fishermen and enormous taxidermy fish gazing down from the walls. The baked clams are a staple, with clams casino close behind. Order both, then finish with the "kiswich," an oversized chocolate chip cookie ice cream sandwich ($15) sold among other ice cream varieties at Kismet Market (631-583-8449) across the street.

Next door is Dive (1 Bay Walk, 631-583-7400; divefireisland.com), which opened in 2021 in the space that longtime locals knew as Surf's Out — which itself used to go simply by "The Out," so that visitors could choose between the Inn and the Out. The new incarnation leans hard into a retro '70s vibe with tons of outdoor space and an indoor-outdoor bar that makes it the ultimate hangout. The menu swings wide: upscale continental food with nods to Indian, Mexican and Thai cuisine, plus sushi. Frozen drinks include the strawberry daiquiri, Miami Vice and the Fire Island classic Rocket Fuel. Live music runs Friday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. 

For cocktails, light plates or snacks, head behind the Moonrise Motel to find Bar Aquatic & Market (631-886-7188) serving cocktails, draft beer, salads, paninis, flatbreads and cheeseboards underneath pine and palm trees.

At the ferry dock, grab cold brew, iced tea, espresso, breakfast, snacks and smoothies at the new Kismet Coffee Co. (21 E Lighthouse Walk, 631-583-8388; kismetcoffeecompany.com). The Pizza Shack serves slices, pies, shaved ice and ice cream and you can find a deli, bait and tackle, ice, beer and soft drinks next door at the market. Shop at The Red Wagon Emporium (631-583-0080) for beachwear essentials and Fire Island merchandise.

Staying the night

If one day isn't enough, Kismet has two places to wake up to that sea breeze.

The Moonrise Motel (177 Pine St., moonrisemotel.com; 631-886-7188) is the community's newest option, a fully renovated property entering its third summer that replaced the old Margarita Villas when it opened in 2024. The five units span two one-bedrooms, two two-bedrooms, and one three-bedroom, giving it real flexibility for couples and families alike. Rates start at $450–$650 per night in season, with nightly minimums.

The Fire Island Boatel (110 E. Lighthouse Walk, 833-342-6283; fireislandboatel.com) is the classic choice — 11 rooms, 10 of which look directly out over the Great South Bay, plus one garden-facing room. Personal decks, shared grills, picnic tables and an outdoor shower on the lawn make it a genuine waterfront retreat. Rates start at $300 on weekdays and $575 on weekends, with a four-night minimum.