GT: What makes Fire Island Pines such a great LGBT destination?
M: There’s no place in America like Fire Island Pines. It’s 50 miles from Manhattan but feels like it’s a universe away. It’s astonishingly beautiful; the beaches are among the purest and most beautiful on earth, and there are no cars – just people walking along boardwalks. It’s a gay playground and a couple’s paradise; some people spend their weekends at the beach with a book while others live for its social scene and extraordinary nightlife. It’s as close to gay paradise as it gets.
GT: What are some hotspots gay and lesbian travelers should check out when they are in the Pines?
M: The Pines has its own unique social rituals. Every evening, people throughout the community converge on The Blue Whale at 6pm for “Low Tea,” a free event that’s a massive, stylish happy hour with a dance floor and terrific DJ’s. At 8pm, the crowd moves en masse to other venues, like the outdoor dance scene at the Botel pool deck and “High Tea” on the balcony of the Pavilion. After dinner, the scene re-convenes inside the Pavilion, possibly the single most famous club in the gay world, where DJ’s from around the world play until dawn
GT: What are the top five reasons for gay travelers choose your property over others in the area?
M: Reason One: The Madison Fire Island Pines is the only upscale guesthouse in the Pines, with soaring glass walls, beautiful, modern rooms, private baths, a vast pool deck, central air, upscale amenities, flat screen televisions, high-speed Wi-Fi and a roof deck with a panoramic view of the island.
Reason Two: We are staffed with professionals; if you read the reviews on TripAdvisor, our guests consistently rave about the level of service and the friendliness of our staff. We’re Fire Island’s only winner of TripAdvisor’s “Certificate of Excellence.”
Reason Three: We’re centrally located - a one minute walk to the ferry and a two minute walk to the beach. Yet we’re located in a secluded oasis that’s gives the compound a private, exclusive feel.
GT: Tell us your favorite local:
- bar – The upper deck of the Pavilion, an architectural gem with a breathtaking view of the harbor.
- club – The club inside the Pavilion; it’s an astonishing all-night dance experience that gives the Pines its reputation as an international nightlife destination.
- restaurant – The Blue Whale, which overlooks the bay. At night people dine outside on a candlelit deck, and during the day the place is filled with people having festive lunches with their friends.
- event – The annual Invasion of the Pines is the high point of the summer season. Hundreds of drag queens descend on the Pines by ferry from Cherry Grove and turn the harbor in an all-day festival that has to be seen to be believed.
- insider's tip – Don’t arrive with fancy clothes; it’s all about casual beach chic.
- daytime activity – Above all, there’s the beach, which Conde Nast Traveler chose as one of “The World’s Sexiest Beaches.” People alternately choose to lounge around their houses, or at the pool decks at the Madison and Botel if they are guests.
GT: What is the LGBT history of the Pines?
M: Fire Island holds a special place in the heart of the LGBT community. In the decades before gay marriage was even imagined, gay people found a playground on a secluded island just outside the city where their relationships could flourish away from society's prejudices. After Stonewall, the Pines became the symbol of chic gay life; disco was born at the Sandpiper, where the Pavilion sits today. Celebrities from Calvin Klein to Tommy Tune built sensationally beautiful homes. Gays from around the world have traveled to Fire Island as a mecca for half a century.
GT: Is there anything else you’d like to add?
M: Every gay person should experience the freedom and beauty of Fire Island Pines. At the Madison, almost half of its guests come from other countries or from cities across America. It’s a unique blend of small town and international destination. There’s no place like it.