Ocean Bay Park is a small town with big personality. This town’s laid-back, non-restrictive lifestyle is especially appreciated by the waves of young renters seeking a beach party environment. However, Ocean Bay Park also has its share of longtime seasoned residents.
Ocean Bay Park started to boom as a vacation resort with World War II when gas rationing and international travel restrictions made Ocean Bay Park an appealing and accessible getaway. In this era domestic servants from Point O’ Woods directly east were known to frequent Ocean Bay Park during their night off, so in the end Ocean Bay Park really did become a working class resort after all. The architecture in Ocean Bay Park tends to be modest, but with character. All the residential streets are named after lakes. Buildings like Flynn’s and the Fire Island Hotel are actually renovated Coast Guard stations from Forge River and neighboring Point O’ Woods.
The Ocean Bay Park Firehouse is among the prettiest volunteer firehouses on Fire Island, with a large back deck that overlooks the bay and serves as a community meeting center. For a Fire Island town and community that really is not all that large (about 350 houses) Ocean Bay Park has an abundance of bar/ restaurants, pizza places, two hotels, a tennis court, bike shop, and a well-stocked grocery store. Ocean Bay Park also offers a direct ferry line though Fire Island Ferries, from Bay Shore, NY. Flynn’s offers marina space for about 50 boats. To reach Ocean Bay Park Beach, take a water taxi or ferry from Maple Avenue, Bay Shore on the Mainland. The beach does not have public restrooms or lifeguards. Alcohol on the beach is not permitted. From restaurants and ice cream parlors to tennis courts and bars, there is something for everyone to do here at Ocean Bay Park Beach.