Sayville, NY

In Sayville, the route to central Fire Island begins at the foot of River Road. Passenger ferries cross Great South Bay to Cherry Grove, Fire Island Pines, Water Island, and Sailors Haven, where the National Park Service operates a seasonal visitor center beside the Sunken Forest. That globally rare maritime holly forest has a boardwalk and ranger programs, making the ferry terminal useful for more than beach travel. On the mainland, Sayville Marina Park gives residents a beach, three tennis courts, a playground, pavilion, picnic area, and partially shaded walking path along the bay. Its posted hours extend to 9 in the evening from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Rail service points in the other direction. Sayville station is on the Long Island Rail Road's Montauk Branch, and its parking is free and unrestricted; the station also has a bicycle rack and locker.

The 2020 census counted 16,569 Sayville residents. During 2020-2024, homeowners occupied 77 percent of homes, the median owner-occupied value was $637,200, median monthly mortgage-holder costs were $3,611, and median gross rent was $2,351. Median household income was $147,120, and workers' mean travel time was about 29 minutes. Sayville Library supplies an indoor counterpart to the waterfront and station. It opens until 9 on weekdays, lends museum passes and household equipment through a Library of Things, offers technology help, and operates a makerspace called the Makery. Its July 2026 calendar ranged from yoga, senior fitness, and walk-in technology help to fossils, LEGO, test preparation, and a teen service program about Long Island wildlife.