|  With dozens of miles of scenic, dune-swept beachfront, numerous quaint villages to explore, and some of the nation's most beautiful estates a stroll away, the entire town of Southampton is a classic seaside getaway. Though best known as a summer playground for the rich and famous, Southampton's natural beauty and nearly year-round activities make it a perfect escape any time of year for those looking to get out of the city and enjoy the breezy pace of seashore life. Southampton stretches along nearly 30 miles of Atlantic coast and is blessed with an abundance of bay and inlet vistas, bucolic back roads, and charming main streets. (As an added asset, this area's relative proximity to New York City means that you can access many of its treasures without having to drive here÷as we spell out below, under Transportation, it makes a natural car-free getaway.) Part of Southampton's attraction is also its unique mix of communities, each with its own character. Westhampton offers a small, walkable downtown with quirky, independent shops and stunning modern architecture along its famed Dune Road. The village of Southampton, meanwhile, is home to higher-end shops and more classically designed seashore estates. In between are Hampton Bays, with its many charter boats and commercial fishing dock, and the bucolic village of Bridgehampton, with its acres of corn and potato fields, farm stands, horse farms, and country estates. And among the largest communities of Southampton is the gorgeous village of Sag Harbor. This little village is one of the area's most genuinely year-round communities, with residents and visitors mingling along its small Main Street and enjoying its bayside views. So it may be Southampton's worldwide reputation that attracts you, but it will be the authentic charms of one of the nation's most beautiful and historic seaside towns that keep you coming back.  | | |  Among Southampton's best-known treasures are its long, wide, dune-filled beaches. Town beaches are staffed with lifeguards in season and require a parking pass May through the middle of September. Passes cost $15 to $35 per day, with season passes costing $250. Charter fishing in the Atlantic and Southampton's bays is also available from outfitters such as Peace of Mind Custom Charters and Reel Action Charters. Peace of Mind Charters offers half and full-day, four-person charters in the bay for stripe bass, sea bass, and fluke beginning at $500. Marinas rent boat slips or anchoring spots. On the ocean side, Captains Mike Bauhs and Bill Williams of Reel Action Charters will take you on their 44-foot Henriques charter boat for half-day, full-day, and overnight charters ranging from $500 to $3,000 for six people. Bauhs' full-day charters head roughly 65 miles offshore to fish for tuna, mahi mahi, wahoo, blue marlin and the occasional mako shark. Reel Charters runs May through November; and both of the above outfitters say some of the region's best fishing is found after Labor Day. The area's waterways can also be explored via kayak tours with one of the region's numerous outfitters, such as Sag Harbor's Mill Creek Marina, which offers two-hour wetland wildlife tours for $45 and one-to-eight-hour kayak rental for $16 to $60. Three-hour scenic cruises and high-adrenaline water sports are available through Blue Rush outfitters in Bridgehampton. Yacht and private boat rentals are also available throughout the area, with many of Southampton's restaurants offering boat slips for those who want to dock and eat. Southampton also offers plenty to do and see away from the water, such as touring its renowned vineyards, driving its scenic back roads, taking in cultural events, catching glimpses of its classic estates, or stopping in its many shops and restaurants.  Three noted wineries in the region, the Wolffer Estate, Duck Walk Vineyard, and Channing Daughters, are open for touring and tasting. The Wolffer Estate is a 20-year-old, 55-acre vineyard in Sagaponack offering year-round tours and a grand tasting room inside a beautiful Tuscany-inspired stone villa. The Duck Walk Vineyard is a 12-year-old vineyard set among 130 acres and housed within a grand Normandy Chateau-style estate in the village of Watermill. The vineyard offers year-round tours and live music from Memorial Day through October. Meanwhile Channing Daughters, located in Bridgehampton's open fields, invites visitors to share a glass as the sun falls off the edge of the earth over nearby Windmill Hill. (BTW, the best time to visit the vineyards, claim many wine aficionados, is after Labor Day, when the vineyards are in full fall harvest mode and the vineyards are rich with the scent of freshly pressed and fermented grapes.)  No vacation would be complete of course, without a little shopping, and Southampton provides a range of options, from high-end name brands to quirky local shops. Some of the best small, independently-owned shops can be found along the tree-lined Main Streets of Westhampton and Sag Harbor, while Southampton's Main Street (left) and adjacent Job's Lane offer higher-end jewelry, clothing, and art galleries. There's also plenty for history buffs to enjoy in Southampton, beginning with the Southampton Historical Museum, which is housed in an 1843 Greek Revival mansion. The museum includes furnishings and artifacts common to the area from 1837 to 1910, as well as a photographic history of the devastating 1938 hurricane. The grounds also showcase historic buildings that have been preserved and moved to the site. One of the region's oldest houses, the 1660 Halsey House, is also open for tours. Sag Harbor's history as an early 1800s whaling center is also chronicled at the Sag Harbor Whaling and Historical Museum, which features a short film detailing early nineteenth-century whaling techniques and showcases a collection of early whaling tools. Sag Harbor's past is also captured in a mapped, 20-building self-guided walking tour. Contact the Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce, located in the Windmill at the north end of Main Street, for a map detailing the village's architectural and historical treasures.  History buffs can also tour a circa-1644 grain mill which gave the town of Water Mill its name. The mill has been fully restored with its water wheel and grinding mechanism still in place. You might also want to visit the 300-acre Quogue Wildlife Refuge, which offers self-guided walking trails and a wildlife rehabilitation center. And given Southampton's close proximity to New York City, it's not surprising that the town also offers year-round cultural events and attractions. Among the most noted is Sag Harbor's 299-seat, non-profit Bay Street Theatre, founded by Julie Andrews, which has been named one of the nation's pre-eminent off-Broadway theaters by CBS Sunday Morning and Newsday. Another well-known venue is the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, which regularly draws such name acts as musician Peter Frampton as well as live theatrical performances and independent films. The area is also bursting nearly year-round with events like the annual September Horse Show, the September HarborFest and Chowder/Chili festival, the October Fall Harvest, Arts and Crafts Fairs, the November Fall Art Show, and the December and April Bed and Breakfast Tours, which keep visitors coming back throughout the year. Click on the following links for more info on activities and businesses:
East Quogue Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce
Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Southampton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce | | | |  Southampton is blessed with many elegant and comfortable places to rest your head. Among them is the beautifully situated Baron's Cove Inn (left) in Sag Harbor. This 35-year-old, 66-room inn overlooking one of the area's many bays offers a variety of room styles to go along with its pool, tennis court, and bayside deck. Free wireless Internet and a conference room are also provided. The Inn sits within walking distance of Sag Harbor's downtown restaurants, shops, theatre and boat-filled harbor. Room rates range from $90 to $350 per night. In Southampton you'll find the 90-room Southampton Inn, which sits on 5.4 shady, manicured acres and offers a heated pool, kids game room, ballroom, conference and meeting rooms, an all-weather tennis court, and a cafe. The Inn is close to Southampton's shopping district, offers a shuttle to the beach, and will arrange kayak, fishing, and other tours. Rates run from $119 to $449. And for a Hamptons vacation right on the ocean, try the Bath and Tennis Hotel and Marina on the beach alongside Westhampton Beach's renowned Dune Road. This classic seaside resort features 40-individually owned rooms and suites as well as four tennis courts, a heated pool, and a classic oceanfront restaurant. Rates range from $119 to $649, and the hotel is open from mid-April to the end of October. Numerous bed and breakfasts are also available in Southampton, such as the Hidden Mill Bed & Breakfast, located in the small village of Remsenburg (beside Westhampton). This five-room inn offers shade-filled grounds with a secluded, heated pool and Jacuzzi as well as air conditioning, refrigerators, and Bose CD clock radios in each room. Rates for this antique-filled inn range from $135 to $335. In Westhampton you'll find the 110-year old, nine-room Inn On Main. This classic inn is located within walking distance of the ocean and just a block from the restaurants and shops of Westhampton's Main Street. The inn also offers a full service spa and hair salon. Rates range from $125 to $225 per night. And on Main Street in the village of Southampton sits the historic, 12-room 1708 House, which the New York Times called a cross between "a luxury getaway and a museum." Named after its first year of official occupation, the inn has been fully restored to include three two-bedroom cottages, two of which include kitchens, as well as private baths, air conditioning, cable television, and telephones in all rooms. Rates range from $140 to $625. Just a few miles East of The Hamptons you will find the Montauk Manor Condominium Resort. Click on the following links for more info on lodging:
East Quogue Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce
Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Southampton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce |
| Southampton is blessed with many celebrated quality restaurants—too many to list on a single page. But here are just a few that are sure to please. You'll enjoy the splendor of the soaring, glass-enclosed oceanfront dining room and breezy dune-side outdoor patio of Westhampton Beach's Tierra Mar restaurant. Decorated in classic seashore blues and whites, this elegant seaside space is headed by Chef Todd Jacobs, who studied at the French Culinary Institute in Manhattan. Tierra Mar's menu includes such unique items as pan-seared local white sea bass with chili-lime beurre blanc, corn polenta, and organic spinach sauteed with garlic and saffron broth for $30. Full appetizer, lunch, and raw bar menus are also available. Prices range from $10 for a sandwich to $40 for a pound and a quarter of local lobster. The restaurant is open all-year and forms part of the Bath and Tennis Hotel and Marina (see above, under Lodging), on Westhampton Beach's Dune Drive.
For
an entirely different but equally tasty experience, try
ll Capuccino Ristorante in Sag Harbor.
This 30-year-old family eatery is an old-style traditional
Italian restaurant complete with red-and-white checkered
tablecloths and tasty breads dripping with garlic sauce.
All the classic Italian dishes are present, alongside
specials such as cheese tortellini with roasted pistachios
in a creamy alfredo sauce for $17.95. Classic appetizers
such as baked clams and steamed mussels, as well as daily
specials, are also offered. Prices range from $4.50 to
$8.95 for appetizers and up to $22.95 for entrees.
Southampton is also blessed with an abundance of casual, often waterside, restaurants where you can sit back with some good food and a cold drink and enjoy the scenery. One such place is the bayside Tide Runners Restaurant Bar and Marina in Hampton Bays. This laid-back bar and restaurant offers an expansive waterside deck where you can enjoy live rock and reggae seven nights a week during the season and feast on peel-and-eat shrimp for $15.95 a pound. Nightly drink and food specials are also offered. Oaklands Restaurant and Marina, also in Hampton Bays, offers stunning views of the Shinnecock Bay and inlet from its large deck and glass-enclosed dining room, as well as live music on weekends and public beach access directly across the street. And for some friendly local flavor, head to the neighborhood restaurants of Fellinghams in the village of Southampton and Margarita Grill in Westhampton. Click on the following links for more info on dining:
East Quogue Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce
Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Southampton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce | | | |  Southampton is indeed famed for its nightlife. Celebrities of all stripes casually speak of their "weekends in the Hamptons." And though a night of star-hunting can be fun, Southampton also offers plenty of good times for the rest of us. If you are in the mood to party with the stars, however, then head straight to village of Southampton's clubs Cain and Pink Elephant. The newly renovated Cain attracts some of music's top DJs as well as regulars like Howard Stern. The door policy is tough, so look stylish and hope for the best. Pink Elephant is the beach version of the popular Chelsea, NYC club of the same name and offers a sandy faux-beach and individually heated cabanas. For young and wild but less exclusive nightlife, try any one of Southampton's beach-style bars, such as the Beach Bar in Hampton Bays or the Neptune Beach Club in East Quogue. Or just stop in at any of Southampton's numerous waterside pubs and restaurants, where you'll likely find outdoor seating, live music, and plenty of cold drinks. Click on the following links for more info on nightlife:
East Quogue Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce
Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Southampton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce |
| As noted in our introduction, above, Southampton is a viable car-free or "green" getaway. But those arriving in the town of Southampton via bus or train (see below) may want to head to the villages of Westhampton Beach and Southampton, whose small downtowns and nearby beaches offer the best opportunities for a car-free vacation. Other villages, such as Westhampton and Sag Harbor, can also be enjoyed car-free with the help of hotel shuttles to beaches, estates, and other area activities. Numerous taxi companies are also available to ferry visitors to restaurants, nightclubs, and shopping. However, if you do plan on enjoying some of Southampton's more outlying attractions, such as its vineyards or small farm stands, you may want to consider renting a car or hiring a taxi. AIR: John F. Kennedy International and LaGuardia airports are both within a 1-1/2 to 1-3/4 hour drive to Southampton. The Long Island MacArthur Airport, also known as Islip Airport, is a 35-minute drive, and the general aviation East Hampton Airport is located just minutes outside Southampton. The general aviation Francis S. Gabreski Airport is located in the village of Westhampton. CAR: Drive time from Manhattan is approximately 2 hours, Philadelphia 3-1/2 hours, and Boston clocks in at 4-1/2 hours.
CAR
RENTAL: Car rentals are available at JFK Airport
from Avis (800-230-4898), Budget
(800-527-0700), Dollar (800-800-4000),
Enterprise (800-RENT-A-CAR), and National
(800-CAR-RENT). Hertz is also available
in Bridgehampton (631-537-8119).
TRAIN: Several villages within Southampton are readily accessible by train! Through its Montauk Branch, the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) offers daily departures from not only Manhattan's Penn Station but also Jamaica, in Queens, and its Flatbush Avenue station in Brooklyn. Daily service is available to Westhampton, Hampton Bays, Southampton, and Bridgehampton; from Penn Station, travel times run from just under 2 hours (to Westhampton) to between 2-1/2 to 3 hours (for Bridgehampton). Note that trains to and from NYC run less frequently on weekends than on weekdays, so be sure to check the LIRR's current schedules to confirm times and availability. BUS: For those planning a car-free getaway, two handy alternative are the Hampton Jitney and Hampton Luxury Liner bus companies, which offers an approximately 2-1/2-hour bus ride from Manhattan. Buses run several times a day, seven days a week, stopping in the villages of Westhampton, Hampton Bays, Southampton, Sag Harbor, and Bridgehampton. Buses depart from and return to several locations in Manhattan; contact the companies for details. FERRY: From Connecticut/New England, the Cross Sound Ferry (New London, CT, to Orient Point, LI) offers car and passenger ferry service from Connecticut to the East End of Long Island. It provides an "intermodal" link with an Amtrak Northeast Corridor rail service stop. The ferry service connects Greenport (on the North Fork) to Shelter Island, where the car and passenger South Ferry connects to North Haven/Sag Harbor (on the South Fork). TAXI: Numerous taxicab companies serve the Southampton area. Consult local listings for taxi companies and phone numbers. Click on the following links for more info on transportation:
East Quogue Chamber of Commerce
Hampton Bays Chamber of Commerce
Sag Harbor Chamber of Commerce
Southampton Chamber of Commerce
Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce |
|  Though Southampton is a beautiful place to visit during the summer, the early fall and late spring are also great times to enjoy the region without the crowds. The weather is warm, the colors are beautiful, the maritime and agricultural fairs abound, and chances are, you won't have to wait for a table. Some restaurants, hotels, and attractions do close during the off-season, however, so be sure to check before you go.
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All photos courtesy of R. Strovink/Hamptons Visitors Council, except: Baron's Cove Inn, courtesy of Baron's Cove Inn; Lori Restaurant and Wine Bar, courtesy of Lori Restaurant and Wine Bar. |
