Ahh the Hamptons. A favorite East Coast summer retreat buzzing with old money and delusions of grandeur, despite their notoriety as an upper crust and celebrity retreat, the Hamptons can be an accessible vacation destination for all whether you want a luxury getaway or a weekend of see and be seen party hopping.
A group of colonies, villages and hamlets just short ride from Long Island, you can get to the Hamptons via a ferry from NYC or Connecticut, or the Jitney, a coach bus specifically designed to shuttle people to the haute hideaway for the weekend. The ferry will run you just about $15 per person per way, or $55 if you want to shuttle your car across, while the Jitney costs $18-30 depending on what stop you’re getting off at.
Stay
If you’ve
got money to burn, Southampton’s Meadow Lane is known as Billionaire’s Row,
which includes a private helipad that can get you to Manhattan in 20 minutes
flat. With a median home price costing just 18 mil, if that sounds ridiculous,
there are plenty of hotels and vacation club rentals for the more modest
vacationer. With Expedia averaging about $200-400 a night for a 3-star pad, we
recommend checking out airbnb. You can find a number of cute cottages and
country homes for under $100 a night. Most are not waterfront, but there are
surprisingly few waterfront properties in general in the area.
Do
You’re at the
Hamptons to relax, and there’s no better place to bask in the sun than at Coopers
Beach in Southampton. Consistently rated one of the best beaches in the
country, it’s perfect for sunbathing and splashing around. When you’re ready to
beat the heat, browse for antiques, hike the nature preserve, or shop ‘til you
drop.
Eat
Splurge at country
chic Toppling Rose, originally opened by celebrity chef Tom Colicchio before they
parted ways last summer. If you want to celeb-spot, Nick and Toni’s and 75 Main
are two of the best high-end dinner spots. For a more reasonable meal, try one
of the many fish shacks like Canal Café
for their lobster rolls or Bostwick’s Chowder House, a favorite of chef Bobby
Flay for it’s raw bar and seafood soups. Or, if you feel so inclined, the
Hamptons are home to tons of famer’s markets and fruit stands for you to make
your own picnic by the water.
Play
SL East is
the place to get a Saturday night bumping. For a less clubby environment, Rick’s Crabby Cowboy Café & Marina is a
popular bar that comes alive on the weekends. If you’d rather check out a live
show, Stephen Talkhouse is where you want to be.