Michael

My wife and I are going to the Hamptons for the first time,,,(East Hampton).. What suggestions do you have?
What attractions? boat charters? antiquing? Shopping?

We are going for a long weekend May 17-20

Any ideas.... thank you
Michael

Ellen

Shopping in E. Hampton is pretty mundane since they started letting shops like Banana Republic in. However, I would still walk the main street, have a Donut in Dreesen's,vist the art galleries, & grab some bargains at the Coach outlet. Sag Harbor is my favorite & just a few minutes drive north of E. Hampton. It is an old fishing village. The main street is beautiful, and even from the far end you can just about see the bay. In E. Hampton, I feel like I can be in just about any small town on L.I, but in Sag, I really feel like I am away. Drive out to Montauk and stop at Lunch or Cyril's on the way for clams. Visit the lighthouse and have a drink at Gossman's upstair bar. You can take a harbor boat ride from there. Della Femina for dinner in East Hampton, to see and be seen. Drive along Further lane in Amagansett (next town over from East Hampton heading east)& enjoy the views of the ocean and the mansions. Visit the farmer's market in Amagansett for morning coffee outdoors. And of course, if the weather is good, go to the beach!

Lizzie

As an East Hampton native, I take offense to the description of East Hampton as being like "just about any small town on LI"... it certainly is not! For the record, Banana Republic is the only "shop like that" in town.You will, however, find plenty of branches of chic and expensive NYC shops, which are good for window shopping and not much else.

I'm half joking about being offended - East Hampton is crowded and overpriced, but still a pretty little town. I agree with the above poster regarding Sag Harbor, and that's also where you're going to find the antiques shops. The Whaling Museum is also worth a visit. For lunch, go to Espresso, a little Italian market that's a short walk from town, and get sandwiches to bring to the beach.

Best meal out there, for the money and lack of scene: Dave's Grill in Montauk. Tough to get a table, and reservations are only taken starting at 5 pm day of. Go! And, the lobster rolls at The Lobster Roll (sometimes - not often - referred to as Lunch) are great. Do go to the lighthouse and climb on the rocks out there.

If you're interested in wine, it's fun to go for tastings at a local winery. Wolffler or Channing Daughters are good - there's live music outside on the patio at Wolffler, so you can sit in the sun and relax for a while.

And, of course, the beautiful beaches...

Ellen

Lizzie! So sorry! Didn't mean it as bad as it came off in writing. I love it in East Hampton too. Dismayed that they are going so 'commercial'. As a regular out there, I know where to dig around to find the 'old East Hampton', but it is so hard to put that together for someone coming for one weekend, first trip. The whole fishing village feeling of Sag will give first timers a great view of what all of the Hamptons used to be, before all construction. But, I also neglected to mention that the town of East Hampton does a very nice walking tour on weekend mornings. They cover the landmark buildings dating back to the 1600's, cemetary, etc. I would still make time for Dreesen's donuts though : - )

amanda

Beach best bets... Amangansett... any
Collect shells together... build a sand castle...


Shopping East Hampton or take a short ride to Southampton (many more shops and lovely as well)

Buy a fresh baked blueberry crumb pie from a roadside stand....

Buy 6 ears of corn for $12.00 from the farmer who makes his living by selling fresh, crispy, white corn to us.

Laugh a lot

Smile more

Hug your wife

Tell her she is beautiful

corny

unfortunately, corn is not in season in may...

Michael

Thank you everyone... didn't mean to start a war of words....

Keep the good ideas coming...
Michael

Mike

I'm also planning a 1st visit to the Hamptons in July - any recommendations on a place to stay? Maidstone Arms? Are there any places on or near the beach?

sly s.

The Hamptons are over rated crowded and expensive playground for wannbes.

The real wealthy do not go out and hang with the gawking tourists. Would you if you had $$$?

Stay away and have a 3x better vacation elsewhere. Unless over paying and being stuck in traffic then looking 1hr for a parking space means fun.

Lizzie

Mike - In East Hampton itself, there are no inns or b&bs right on the beach. The Maidstone Arms is lovely - it is quite pricey - and is a nice walk from the beach (down a beautiful road lined with huge, gorgeous summer "cottages.") The restaurant at the Maidstone Arms is delicious, too. James Lane Inn is right across the street from the MA, and is also nice with a very good restaurant. Down Main Street, closer to town and a minute or two farther from the beach, is the J. Harper Poor Cottage which is also very beautiful. The prices at these three places are pretty typical of what you'll find out there. Motels in Montauk are less pricey and tend to be closer to the water.

SlyS... if the wealthy don't like the Hamptons, I wonder why the median house price is so high? Not that that makes me happy, at all, but your logic is a little skewed. Overpriced and crowded I'll give you. Beautiful, I'd also add, however...

lisa

Can't remember which town it's in, but there is a store I love in the Hamptons called Fish's Eddy that sells dishes, stemware, flatware, etc. from restaurants that have gone out of business -- interesting selection & great prices (there are at least a couple of locations in Manhattan too). Fun browsing...

Lizzie

Fish's Eddy is in Southampton - great store!

toodle

Why is the median house price so high Lizzie?

Because 50 22 yr. old hangers on are willing to all share one house. They are so into the faux "scene" that they are willing to sleep in a bathtub to be in "The Hamptons"!!!

Oh How I wish I could do that also!!!!!!

Lizzie

Yikes. I don't know many 22-year-old "hangers on" who are paying millions of dollars for houses out there! You're referring to shares, which have nothing to do with the median price of houses. Doesn't sound like you know much of anything about the area.

xxxxx

The Hamptons is full of self grandizing conspicous consumers - a wide age range of hanger ons (or as we call them on Fire Island - wanna be players). Lots of traffic. Then there the ones who live there who pride themselves on having never gone into NYC in their entire life.

Parts of the North Fork or Fire Island are far better.

T

Yes I agree F.I. is better. Everything is walkable since there are no cars. Every time I have been to the Hamptons, the traffic is terrible, there is no place to park the car, and you must have a permit to park at the beach.

Ginger

I have been to both the Hamptons and Fire Island. There is good and bad at both. F.I. is also a popular spot for 22 yr olds who want to share a house with 20 people. Also, unless you want to just lay on the beach and hang out in a bar at night, there is not much else to do in the way of activities. And if it rains, you are really stuck. You are also at the mercy of the ferry schedule. On the positive side, no traffice, the most beautiful beaches, no distractions from relaxation. The Hamptons come with mega traffic, however during the week it is much lighter. It is also more expensive (stores and restaurants), and more built up than F.I. On the other hand, they have some small museums, galleries, performances at Guild Hall, West Hampton Performing Arts, etc., tennis clubs, golf clubs, and health clubs. People do tend to 'dress' more, & some go really over the top, but you could find that anywhere. I think it is a matter of opinion & depends on what your needs are. I prefer the Hamptons with small children because if it is not beach weather there are other things to do. (Visit Montauk lighthouse, paint pottery in East Hampton, Whaling Museum in Sag Harbor, movies, etc. To each, his own.

xxx

Oh oh oh!! I grew up on LI, spent a lot of time on Fire Island and one whole summer in East Hampton working at the Lobster Roll "Lunch".
You are making me miss my youth and also where I grew up!

Thanks for the memories (good and bad) y'all!

mike

I still think the Hamptons are beautiful, even though they have grown too much in the past 20 years. We generally have nothing to do with the zoo-scene other than to drive into town (East Hampton or Amagansett) in the morning for coffee, gourmet "stuff" from the Barefoot Contessa, and produce from the Farmers Market. This is the extent of our participation in the scene. We have stayed at the Ocean Dunes in Amagansett when not able to borrow someone's house. The units are fairly basic, but it's on the ocean and has wonderful views out to the sea over the dunes. The sea will lull you to sleep at night. I still love the beaches at Napeague (halfway between East Hampton and Montauk) and at Georgica. The ocean is wonderful (and cold), the dunes impressive, and the light different from just about anywhere. Long walks on very uncrowded beaches are still possible, even at the height of summer. And while the traffic is a mess at times, you can avoid it by riding bikes down back roads and traveling at off-hours. Watch the parking regulations carefully at the beaches and in town, though, to avoid tickets, which are major revenue generators for these towns. Montauk light is impressive, particularly at night. While I have not visited any or the vineyards out there, I did have an incredibly good sauternes-like wine from the east end of Long Island this winter. So the wineries may be a good bet if you feel compelled to do something. Consider drinks or dinner in Sag Harbor at Sunset. Overall, though, if you want to unwind, focus on the incredible beaches that run from East Hampton to Montauk, bring excellent reading material, and RELAX.

EHamptonResident

You should rent bikes and just take a long, relaxing bike ride all around the Further Lane (Maidstone Golf Course) and the East Hampton Main Beach area. The houses there are absolutely beautiful. Visit a less crowded beach- like Wyborg Beach or Maidstone Beach for a more romantic (less Manhattanite) setting. Dinner on Shelter Island is also beautiful- especially at sunset. If you golf - Montauk Downs is also a must.