Trisha Kraker wakes up in the morning, opens her door, walks down her stairs and steps right into sand. She looks up and there it is — the Atlantic Ocean. For this, she pays less than $40 a night.

Ocean Bay Park offers something rare on Fire Island — a hotel with a swimming pool. The community also boasts two restaurants on the bay — Flynn’s and The Schooner Inn. Ferries go from Bay Shore to ...