Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes’ daughter Suri, 18, soaks up the sun in bikini on Fire Island as she enjoys last summer before heading to college in Pittsburgh

Suri Cruise is making the most of her last summer in New York before officially starting her first year as a freshman in Pittsburgh.

And like a true New Yorker, the 18-year-old escaped the city and headed east for a beach vacation on Fire Island, where she was snapped soaking up the sun on the sand, according to exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com.

The daughter of Katie Holmes and Tom Cruise, who was travelling with friends, enjoyed a weekend of swimming and sunbathing at Ocean Beach, one of the idyllic villages in the popular seaside resort.

Wearing a tiny brown bikini, she looked relaxed and carefree as she lay on the sand reading, sunbathing and taking a nap.

Suri Cruise was photographed soaking up the sun during a beach vacation on Fire Island, New York over the weekend, according to exclusive photos obtained by DailyMail.com

She alternated between her beach chair and her towel to sunbathe and read, before taking a quick dip in the ocean to cool off

She alternated between her beach chair and her towel to sunbathe and read, before taking a quick dip in the ocean to cool off

Dressed in a brown, tiny bikini, she looked relaxed and carefree as she lounged on the sand, reading, sunbathing and taking naps

Dressed in a brown, tiny bikini, she looked relaxed and carefree as she lounged on the sand, reading, sunbathing and taking naps

She alternated between her beach chair and her towel to sunbathe and read, then took a quick dip in the ocean to cool off.

Suri was accompanied by a group of girlfriends, but was barely noticed by other beachgoers and guests of the island.

An eyewitness told DailyMail.com: ‘They arrived early afternoon and stayed on the beach for a few hours, mostly chatting and reading or taking a nap on the beach.

‘Suri was the only one of the group who went into the ocean to swim.’

The college-bound teen is now in the middle of her summer vacation after graduating from high school last month.

Suri – who now uses her mother’s middle name, Noelle, as her last name – graduated from LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in late June.

The New York City school, often referred to simply as LaGuardia, is a public high school that specializes in teaching visual and performing arts.

Earlier this month, DailyMail.com reported that Suri will be leaving her native New York City to attend Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh for the first time this fall.

Suri was accompanied by a group of girlfriends, but went largely unnoticed by other beachgoers and island guests

Suri was accompanied by a group of girlfriends, but went largely unnoticed by other beachgoers and island guests

At one point she was seen laying her towel in the sand before laying down to catch some rays

At one point she was seen laying her towel in the sand before laying down to catch some rays

DailyMail.com revealed that Suri will be leaving her native New York City for Pittsburgh for her first year at Carnegie Mellon University this fall

DailyMail.com revealed that Suri will be leaving her native New York City for Pittsburgh for her first year at Carnegie Mellon University this fall

Since then, she has been spotted enjoying her downtime with friends and her prom date boyfriend Toby Cohen in New York.

Cohen is an aspiring singer and songwriter who will be attending the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston in the fall. Suri, who studied dance, is reportedly leaning toward fashion.

Carnegie Mellon’s School of Design is one of the oldest and most respected schools in the country.

Now that she’s been admitted to the hallowed halls, has a remarkably chic mother and a wardrobe reportedly worth $5 million, Suri has the best possible start, if that’s her path.

An insider told DailyMail.com last month: ‘She’s a bright girl and she’s turning into a very intelligent, mature young woman. She’s got a close-knit group of loyal friends and she knows exactly where she’s coming from.’

Suri – born on April 18, 2006 in Los Angeles – is the child of divorced parents. Her father is Tom Cruise, who was married to Holmes from 2006 to 2012.

Suri (pictured above) is starting the next chapter in her life and will be living away from home for the first time in a few months

Suri (pictured above) is starting the next chapter in her life and will be living away from home for the first time in a few months

Carnegie Mellon School of Design in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, has one of the oldest and most highly regarded programs in the country

Carnegie Mellon School of Design in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, has one of the oldest and most highly regarded programs in the country

Katie Holmes was married to the Top Gun star and famed Scientologist from 2006 until 2012, when they divorced and she left the church

Katie Holmes was married to the Top Gun star and famed Scientologist from 2006 until 2012, when they divorced and she left the church

Cruise, 61, has only a financial say in his daughter’s life and has not been seen with his daughter since 2013, after Holmes broke up both the marriage and the Church of Scientology — the religion Cruise is so devoted to.

When the couple split in 2012, it was reported that Katie had chosen to end the marriage due to fears about raising her daughter as a Scientologist.

Her decision to leave the religion, and with it the marriage, caused a major rift between the former spouses and is believed to have caused Cruise to become estranged from his daughter.

Under the divorce settlement, Cruise agreed to pay Holmes $400,000 a year until Suri turned 18 and that he would also continue to pay her college tuition.

Under the terms of their agreement, even though he is physically absent from his daughter’s life, he will pay “medical, dental, insurance, educational, college and other extracurricular expenses.”

But despite having little to no connection with her father, Suri is reportedly a cheerful and balanced teenager who loves growing up in New York City.

Her mother was seen supporting her at her high school graduation ceremony, which took place at the United Palace Theatre in Washington Heights.

The teenager wore a long white dress under a bright red graduation robe, open heels and her long hair loose.