This is the kind of national park we like best: a beach. Yup, that's right. Fire Island National Seashore counts in our book (and in the Parks Services' too) and it's just the national park to head to in the summertime.

The absence of cars lends the island a slowed-down pace, and the strictly-patrolled (no drinking, eating, music, dogs) areas of the beach are actually somehow the best. You can avoid the crowds and actually feel like you're on vacation. Each Fire Island hamlet feels like its own distinct personality - and you can pick and choose for what suits you best.

The drawback? Prices. You'll pay double for everything, from ATM fees to groceries to drinks, but watching the sunset on the beach or bay side makes it all worth it.

Related Stories:
· Fire Island National Seashore [Official Site]

[Photo: smojo] ]]> sedona 2007-06-20T11:18:18-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/8/1/125140/3733

Click here to go straight to the Long Island Beach Houses Map

File this one in the Things We Do For You category: Here's a recap of last night's One Ocean View. OOV is a short reality TV series by the same production team that does the Real World. In it, a bunch of heavily waxed singles spend the summer in Fire Island (mostly weekends, as some are working New Yorkers) and do all the things one would expect from reality TV housemates. The show is kind enough to give one line descriptions for the cast members, and we'll do the same:

Miki and Rhada: Twins that own an organic pizza shop in New York City. Tastefully crunchy.

Mary--A handbag designer that lives in both New York and L.A. She's got L.A. attitude and New York looks. Uh oh.

Lisa--The "shy" one, who is also a "dancer". A shy dancer, we assume.

KJ--Originally from North Jersey, he owns a gym. Guido.

John--Described as the romantic one, he's a broker of some kind. Sensitive Guido.

Usman--Ethnic and horny, much like if Fez from That 70's Show was a wealthy lawyer. Metro Guido.

Zach and Lauren--Formerly a couple, Lauren is keeping Zach on the hook (she was his only girlfriend) while she sluts around with other men. He's a delusional Guido, she's mostly evil.]]> AVB 2006-08-01T12:51:40-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/5/9/101441/1285

The rentals (and weekends when your friend's couches are vacant) may be fast disappearing from Fire Island, but that doesn't mean that you are SOL if you want to spend time there this summer. All you need to do is get cast for the reality TV show Summer Share, created by Bunim/Murray (of Real World) Productions for ABC. It's casting as we speak, and if you're a huge train wreck, your chances of getting cast are pretty good.

Gawker has all the details on the questionnaire, which is what you'd expect from reality TV. If you don't want to totally degrade your sense of self-worth in order to get some tan time, check out our Summer Rentals series, mapping the best places to spend a weekend this summer in the northeast, including Fire Island. You could always go to Seaside Heights, which is embarrassing even when the cameras aren't rolling. And if you know someone who's been cast in Summer Share, or are going through the casting process yourself, tell us about it: email tipsATjauntedDOTcom.

[Image via Blaise K/Flickr]

Related Stories:
·   Moderate Humiliation Required [Gawker]
·   Beach Houses [Jaunted]
]]> AVB 2006-05-09T10:55:04-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2006/5/2/15199/75260


Click here to go straight to the Long Island Beach Houses Map

As part of Jaunted's continuing effort to improve our beach houses maps, we've updated it today to add a couple of locations recommended by one of our readers. Flynn's and Maguire's Bayfront Restaurant are now represented up on the big board in all of their drawn butter and lemony goodness.

As for the rest of you, please keep those beachfront tips coming. Good places to rent a house, great eats, cheap sleeps, quiet beaches; we want to hear about all of them. Send your info to tipsATjauntedDOTcom. And don't hesitate to drop us a line if we're wrong about something--we want to hear about that too.

In the meantime, time to start working on that base tan.

Related Stories:
·   Maine Beach Houses [Jaunted]
·   Jersey Shore Beach Houses [Jaunted]
·   Long Island Beach Houses [Jaunted]]]> AVB 2006-05-02T15:19:09-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/