It's a beautiful beacon, attracting thousands to Long Island since 1858. We're taking a Road Trip: Close to Home to the Fire Island Lighthouse.

Park Field 5 of the Robert Moses State Park, from the east end of the parking lot, follow the boardwalk or the beach about ¾-miles to the lighthouse.

You can't go inside but there's still so much to see. Be sure to pick up a trail guide. The trail is numbered and there's so much to read about and learn as you walk along.

Enjoy a little maritime history. At 168 feet, the Fire Island Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on Long Island.

For decades, the first evidence of land for travelers crossing the Atlantic Ocean from Europe was the Fire Island Lighthouse. It can be seen more than 20 miles away.

Today, two counter-clockwise rotating 1,000-watt bulbs light the tower. The rotation gives the appearance that the light flashes every 7.5 seconds.

Just west is the foundation of the original lighthouse that was built on the westernmost end of Fire Island in 1826. It stood only half the height of the present lighthouse, about the height of a flag pole.

The present-day Fire Island Lighthouse was originally a cream color. It didn't get its distinctive black and white stripes, called "daymarks," until 1892.

Enjoy the land around the lighthouse, the miles of hiking trails are currently closed, but you can walk down to the bay.

You'll pass the historic boathouse. If you peek inside, you'll see that it still holds original equipment from the earliest days of the lighthouse.

Be sure to stay on the path to avoid the poison ivy.

Then make your way down to the bay for a relaxing rest of the day. If you want to keep walking, walk back over to the beach side and head east and within 15 minutes you'll arrive in Kismet, the westernmost community on Fire Island.