Week of July 4th in Hamptons. First-timer, bday dinner...
 

Renting a home near SagHarbour and wanting to celebrate 2 birthdays! One Friday evening (24year old son is coming in from Manhattan on LIRR after 8) and mine on Sunday lunch somewhere. Ideas? Want nice, not formal or too fancy, but not dives....GOOD FOOD...seafood a plus! A view is a plus! Memorable is also a plus! Ideas?

Also things to do. Not too interested in wineries, want to explore Montauk, minor shopping, greatfood, like LUNCH which I hear has great lobster rolls. Bike rental? Boat ride? Historical sites...maybe check out Shelter Island. Interested in Gold Coast but can ureally see much? Beach walking, and any other things that are must do's in the Hamptons.

Many thx!

I am on the North Fork so cannot help with restaurants in Sag or near there. But I can tell you that you need to book those places asap in order to get a table at a decent time.

Sunset Beach on Shelter Island was good for me a few years ago. On the beach, great view. Prices typical for the area:

http://www.sunsetbeachli.com/pdfs/all-menues

anybody??

If you do take the ferry across to Shelter Island, Vine Street Cafe is very nice. Sunset Beach is fun too with great views, especially good for a younger crowd. Also, the Pridwin Hotel will be starting their Wednesday night BBQs the week that you're there, so you could always check that out. You can also rent kayaks on Shelter Island and take a tour with the Shelter Island Kayak Tours (http://www.kayaksi.com/rentals.html).

If you're driving out to Montauk, definitely stop at Lobster Roll, known by the sign "Lunch".

It's worth taking the time to explore the art galleries and antique stores that line Main Street in Sag Harbor. The American Hotel serves a nice lunch.

Enjoy!

Worth a visit and it's not a winery:

https://www.longhouse.org/

Excellent tips! thanks!

AJP, just checked Long House, sounds like a great close by option. Any other gardens you particularly enjoy? Had thought of Old Westbury Gardens on the way back to the airport (North shore). thanks

NF, Love these ideas. Yes, LUNCH is on my list. and the shelter island options sound great. love these historic hotels, have the bbq penciled in. thanks. love the idea of the kayak tour. many thanks.

eks, checking out this menu. wish i were there now!! thank you!

A visit to OWG on your way to the airport would be impractical and, frankly, not nearly as interesting as the Longhouse Reserve. Same for Planting Fields and Clark Botanical. The three Nassau County gardens are more for seeing plants and trees than anything else. Good for a pleasant walk.

OK, AJ, got Longhouse on my list. So there really is nothing to see in this fabled Gold Coast area? We have a late flight out of JFK, and since it is not likely we would be that way (staying East Hampton), I had thought that could be something to do that last day. Any other ideas?

I realize that area isn't a straight shot to JFK, and really have no idea how dense this area is...thanks

There is Sagamore Hill, newly restored, home of Teddy Roosevelt. Depending on what is showing when you are travelling, the Nassau County Art Museum sometimes has an interesting collection on display.

My worry would be a traffic jam on the way to JFK causing a missed flight as a consequence of finding "one more thing" to see, especially if you have to turn in a rental car.

Or, just stop at Briermere Farm on the North edge of the western end of the North Fork to grab a great pie to take home. Their excess are frozen, sell at half price, and travel well.

Or hit the Riverhead outlet center and get half price chocolates at Lindt. Or eat a great thin crust wood fired pizza at Grana in Jamesport.

(Never ask a foodie for ideas on things to do.)

Couldn't you just call Ina Garden and have a backyard luncheon at her place?

GRANA inJamesport is a favorite. I believe they are still closed Tuesdays. Their wood-cooked breads are worth bringing home. they are large loaves and they had them only after 5pm last year..I've not been yet this season. Also good for steaks and Italian dishes.

LUNCH is really overpriced, rushed service, nothing great except the view if you've had lobby rolls before.

I think you are really brave to go there then. Traffic is always horrendous but is especially so around the holiday. Take plenty of CDs for the car since you'll be spending so much time in it.

B, thank you for your kind words. love an upbeat personality like yours!

thanks the rest of you, will make a note of Grana. And Ina, I have a call into you too!!

AJ, noted!! you are the second person to mention Briermere Farm!! thanks.

Where you need to be brave is the Brieremere parking lot on a weekend!

Their raspberry bar cookies are great. They also sometimes have half-priced muffins and other things.

Those bakeries are on the North Fork - she'll never get to them. The OP is staying on the South Fork.

An interesting spot to visit is the cemetery in the Springs, East Hampton. Jackson Pollock and others are buried there.

For all beaches in the area, you'll need a permit. Ask your landlord if one is available to you. My favorite is at the end of Lily Pond La., E. Hampton, but the Main Beach is OK, too.

Have fun.

At most one hour drive Hamptons to Briermere, lass to Jamesport.

Right, but in that traffic ? No way. For cookies and bread ? No way.

Have a pizza at Sam's Bar & Restaurant, Newtown La, E. Hampton. It's an old-time favorite with reasonable prices. Have been going there since 1960 !

GRANA is not a bakery; it is an Italian restaurant with great pizza and steak.
We make the 45 minute drivde a few times a summer, as we like the place so much.

Ah, but you said you stay on the North Fork, a different world and more convenient.

Yes, I spent most of summer at the far end of the North Fork, so maybe Grana not the best for someone coming from Sag Harbor although we do not mind the 45 minute ride. As I mentioned, we go a few times a year but if time is limited, probably not the best idea.

There are some reportedly good new spots in Greenport but maybe those are also too inconvenient. I would not know as I could not get a table for this week!

Ah, so the North Fork is crowded, too. Figures. In all my years, many, of going out to the Island, I've never been there. Guess I like to frequent old haunts. But, were I to visit NY, I might go have a look.

just got back. wonderful trip. must say, i was nervous about the traffic, but many locals say, it is all "100 days of hell"...so the fourth wasn't a killer. Actually, we had very do-able traffic. Actually the day of the fourth seemed a bit empty. We were in Sag Harbor area, rented a sailboat out on Noyac Bay. Didn't do the big firework display in Montauk...everyone must have been out there. Can I actually say the day of the 4th was quiet?

Just take the side roads, SIRI (iPhone) routes well. Used that a lot. Did Montauk on the 5th, wonderful day, wonderful weather. Easily got a primo table at the Montauket Hotel for dinner and sunset that evening.

Best eats? Clam Bar and LUNCH on the road to Montauk were fun. Navy Beach restaurant was quite pleasant for lunch...and no wait, I might add. In town, the biggest wait we had was Estia's Little Kitchen in SH...seemed mainly local, and what a pleasant place to wait!! Sipping lemonade in the wonderful garden. So nice and great food, we ate there twice! Loved the VFW in SH for dinner. Bay Burger rocked for a quick bite, as did John's in Montauk for ice cream. A little french place in EH (owned by Nick and Sam's I think) was delightful, outdoor table, super meal.

There were more, but, LOVED our time. The perfect weather helped I am sure. Shopping in Amagansett (loved that town), exploring Northhaven. Never made it to North Fork and not much in Southampton, but saw plenty. Most beaches are free after 4pm, when we would go anyway. Lots of beach walking. Main, Indian Wells, Montauk, Mecox...

Great trip...think I prefer it to the Cape...

So glad you enjoyed your trip - good weather and lack of very bad traffic helped, I'm sure. Yes, prefer the East End to the Cape. In fact, after living for 20 yrs in Europe, EH was the only place I wanted to live in the US.

So glad you had a great time! We were shocked at the lack of traffic going west from the east end to Manhattan on the 3rd July. And thrilled to view the fireworks on the 4th..highly recommend this event for anyone planning to be in the city next year...