ROBERT MOSES STATE PARK...Long Islands FIRST State Park......With NUDE Sunbathing
Written: May 31 '03 (Updated Dec 06 '05)
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Pros: Almost six miles of white sand beach. Many amenities.
Cons: Beach is eroding can get crowded in places.
The Bottom Line: Swimming, picnicking, sunning, playing volleyball, golfing, walking the beaches or boardwalk. It's all here plus more.
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| popsrocks's Full Review: Robert Moses State Park - Long Island |
There are many, many State Parks on Long Island. This rounds out the third of three parks that are on the south shore and just a few miles from each other.
This park, was the very first state park on Long Island, designated as such in 1908. It was renamed Robert Moses State Park, in recognition one of New York's great planners. It was his foresight that put Jones Beach on the map without amusement parks, boardwalk shops, or gambling. He mapped out an area that would be pretty much clear of commercialism. He also planned roads that would go through Long Island and be designed for Sunday rides out in the "country" as Long Island was still known as fifty years ago. It was Robert Moses that also did much in the redesigning of Central Park in New York City, making it the wonderful retreat it is today. Robert Moses was Long Islands first state park commissioner.
This park is situated on the western end of Fire Island. It is a park with much diversity and offerings.
GETTING THERE
The State Park is about fifty miles from NYC. Auto is still the easiest way to get there. The Southern State Parkway will take you out to Robert Moses Causeway at exit 40s. This takes you over the set of bridges and to the island itself. You can come in by boat too. There is a boat basin on the south side of the western end of Fire Island on the bay near the inlet. There is a five dollar per day docking fee. This basin can take up to 40 boats.
For cars the fee is $7.00 for the car. There is no individual personal charges.
You can purchase the Empire Pass. This is $59.00 and is good for one year, the year it is purchased. Any pass now is good until December 31, 2003. You really won't need another until spring of 2004 when they start collecting the fees again after the winter.
GOLF
On the western end of the park you will find the last parking lot and a sign to the Pitch Putt Golf Course. It is an 18 hole 54 par course. Basically each hole is par three.
The golf opens at 6:30am and on weekends you can have up to a two hour wait. Usually it's a half hour wait. I like this course. It's my speed. My wife and I enjoyed playing a round on this course. It was challenging, yet, we were finished in just two hours.
The course is in beautiful shape. The cool breezes of the ocean feel great on a hot summer day.
Prices are reasonable.
$9.00 to golf
$5.00 for seniors
$2.00 club rental
$1.00 lost ball fee.
There is plenty of early parking. The field does sometimes fill up on busy Summer Weekend days.
BAR-B-Q
At the approach of the golf course walking from the parking field there is a large picnic area. There are over twenty grills and tables. This is an area for larger groups of people. It is first come first served. Arrangements can be made for large groups by talking to someone in the park office.
There are picnic areas at all the bathhouse buildings. There are 4 houses and parking fields in the park that has almost six miles of white sand, oceanfront beach.
THE BATH HOUSES
The bathhouses as all the multi use structures are called are made of brick just one story high. They kind of blend with the beach. Each one has changing areas, showers, restrooms, and a first aid stations. There is no charge for use of them.
In the middle of the building is the snack bar. They are getting better in their offerings every year. There was a time I would tell you to never purchase anything to eat at the beach. The product was fair and the prices were very unfair. They were outrageous in fact.
You can now, in season, get breakfast with fresh eggs, bacon, muffins, bagels, etc. Lunch consisting of burgers, hot dogs, fries, wraps, soups, is also served. Fruit cups and Dippin Dot ice cream are sold as refreshers. I have always enjoyed a hot cup of Manhattan Clam Chowder on a chilly winter afternoon.
The food is all cafeteria style. The tables, even on a busy day, open up constantly for use.
Even though no alcoholic beverages are allowed on the beach, they do sell beer.
My wife and I generally bring a couple of beers to the beach from home and quietly enjoy them. We haven't been busted yet. Please don't tell the authorities!
A small gift shop with souvenirs, t-shorts, sunglasses, boogie boards, lotions, pails and shovels, and the like are open only in season.
All the Bathhouses have telephones.
At each of the bath house areas you will find umbrella rentals. These go out on very hot sunny days and also on the few very windy days that has sand blowing around. People take the umbrellas, put them on its side into the wind, and then duck in under the other side out of the wind.
PLAY GROUND
There is a wonderful playground that can keep the little ones busy for hours at field 4. There is a small gazebo to give a little shade to waiting moms and dads. This is a nice place to take the kids for a walk while enjoying the beach.
You can walk on the beach or take the boardwalk that does go on for part of the oceanfront area.
The BEACH
I mentioned the beach was all white sand. You may find some shells in it, especially after a high tide. People walk along the tide line looking for that special shell.
Swimming in season with life guards on duty is done between the green flags that mark where the guards are protecting us and watching the surf. The season is Memorial Day to Labor day and weekends a bit before and after depending on the weather.
The park is open from sunrise to sunset all year. Not all the concessions are.
Body boards are allowed as well as fins and masks in the swimming areas. These are not snorkeling waters. It's just not clear enough. None of the northern beaches really are.
They are clean enough to swim in. The problems of polluted beaches from dumped NYC garbage has thankfully been eliminated.
The surf at Robert Moses all depends on weather conditions and tides. Some time the ocean is like a lake. Other times it is unbelievably rough. A favorite pass time is coming down to see the surf when a storm is approaching. You may catch some crazy surfers out there too. The beaches are shut down when things get too rough.
Surfing is allowed in the non-swimming areas to the east side of the beaches. It's great fun to watch them as they catch a wave.
A couple of the beaches are No radio zones. Head phones are allowed but open volume is not. The quiet atmosphere is especially nice on those days when you come down on a late afternoon, lay down in the warm setting sun, read a book and just relax with a nice cold......ah, remember, please don't tell.
Other beaches have radios allowed. They are the more lively places to be.
AWAY FROM THE CROWDS
Robert Moses has one thing over Jones Beach, that is less crowds. You see this is further out on the island, and away from the city. This doesn't get bus service like Jones Beach does. It's much more of the locals and fewer from the outside. That includes me, who lives in Nassau County. The park is in Suffolk County.
Though it is less crowded, weekends in the summer can still be very busy.
One thing I do like about Robert Moses is that you can get away from the crowds with a little effort. Most people stay near the parking lots that are nearby the beach. If you take your gear and walk maybe ten minutes you can get to some fairly secluded areas.
LOSING THE BEACHES
Unfortunately every year the park loses some coast line due to winter storms. During the summer the beaches build up again. This past winter was a particularly bad one eroding much of the west end of field four. It seems that area may be closed this summer.
NUDE SUN BATHING
Now watch yourself if you happen to take a walk on the east end of the park along the beach. There is an area, not designated as, yet open to nude bathing. I think this is actually a Just show, don't tell area.
Staring and taking pictures is not proper etiquette. You know, you really must be proper when around nudist!
Now if you were looking to join them don't go too far down the east side of the park. You see, you then get into Fire island National Seashore and Lighthouse. The feds frown upon showing your totally gorgeous totally nude body. There are signs and warnings.
THE FIRE ISLAND NATIONAL SEASHORE and LIGHTHOUSE
I am always looking to check out historic and natural sites. This has both. On the east end of the state park right off parking lot #5 is a walk to the lighthouse. It is a half mile trail on a boardwalk through the sand dunes, with interpretive stations.
This is a very enjoyable and relaxing place to go. My wife took some of her art student here for some art study. No, not the nudes, the lighthouse. It was built in the eighteen hundreds and still works today.
There are tours of the lighthouse that is open most of the year. I believe only weekends in the winter.
This is also a nature study area. There is a good probability you will see deer here in the summer. In fact I can almost guarantee it. You are not supposed to feed the deer.
There are signs posted to drive slowly and a reminder that twenty five deer were killed on the road just last year.
Be sure you have a camera. There are great shots of deer, the surf, sand dunes, and the light house. Stay on the boardwalk. There are deer tics, and Lyme Disease is a reality.
If you are lucky you may even see an osprey flying around looking for food.
FISHING
I mentioned in my review about nearby Captree State Park that many fishing boats went out every day.
Well if you don't care for boats get some gear and do some surf casting. Long Island has some of the best in the world.
You can get your fishing tackle and bait at Captree State Park. You actually pass the entrance of it getting to Robert Moses State Park. It opens before 7am most mornings.
The fishing can be done in the designated areas away from swimmers. At any time of day you will find die hard fisherman out there. No special licenses are needed for salt water fishing. There are also piers you can fish from on the inlet side.
You do however need permits if you plan to fish overnight or in special, four wheel drive areas. These can be obtained through the park office.
When I was younger, in my early twenties I would come down to this beach to visit my friend John. He was the Superintendent of this beach. He had started as part time help at Jones beach at age seventeen and worked his way up. What a life, working at the beach!
Now I come down here with my wife and family a couple of times in the summer. It is centrally located for the extended family. My wife and I live just five minutes from Jones Beach so we go there quite a bit more often.
Robert Moses though, has its own special feel. I can't put a finger on it but I have to recommend it as a place to get away from it all and yet still be right off Long Island.
Other detailed reviews by popsrocks of places on, and around Long Island
Freeport's Nautical Mile A great summer destination!!
Montauk Point State Park and Lighthouse History, Fishing, Scenery, and quiet hikes.
Montauk Downs State Park Creature comforts and games
Camp Hero State Park A military base with secrets!
Hither Hills State Park Camping on the beach
Jones Beach State ParkOur treasure, just five minutes from home
Fire Island National Seashore and Lighthouse
Robert Moses State Park
Captree State Park Have fun fishing from party boats
Sagamore Hill Teddy Roosevelt's Summer White House
Wyndham Watch, LI Fine hotel, poor service
Marriott Hotel LI Great Location
Sheraton Hotel,LI Recommended
An Excellent book about Long Island Destinations
Discover Long Island: Exploring The Great Places From Sea To Sound
Long Island So much to so many
New York City and so much more
New York State It's got so much to offer
Recommended:
Yes
Best time to go: Anytime
Recommended for: Anybody
Review Topic: Overview
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