Hamptons Weekend Guide
The husband is about to go on a huge work trip, I'm talking an around-the-world extravaganza! I will miss him. Aaron has been working so hard and that can take him far away. Sometimes, I work with him, but we aren't always able to be together. Between projects, we love to get out of the city and into nature. We've been enjoying some pretty rad explorer time before he has to take off. We've been hiking upstate, restaurant hunting, farm visiting, and, most recently, exploring the Hamptons. We love to visit the Hamptons during the on and off seasons to get a taste of how it is at different times of the year. I've decided to compile all food, lodging, shopping and general fun things for you to do in and around the Hamptons. Let's get started!
Where to stay:
We love to camp and actually prefer camping in the Hamptons over other locations.
Hither Hills State Park is basically our home away from home. We've stayed there three times already this year! Not only can you save tons of money camping, but you also get to sleep literally a few footsteps from the ocean. We cook our food outside and have great campfire chats! Plus, watching stars is a must! You have beautiful views here.
If you'd like a more luxurious escape option,The Crow’s Nest is a great place. It's the perfect balance between beachy and glamorous.This fun hotel has a great restaurant, a beautiful private beach area and the perfect patio to watch the sunset.
Where to eat:
Oh my goodness, where do I start here?! Food in the Hamptons is some of the best! I’ve narrowed this one down to some categories.
Breakfast:
Naturally Good Foods and Cafe. This is our breakfast go-to. Nestled in downtown Montauk, this gem is full of healthy foods to fuel your ocean adventures. I highly recommend The Costa Rican Platter. Trust me -- you'll thank me later.
Jack’s Stir Brew Coffee. Just like the one in Manhattan, except with a beautiful backyard and more fresh air! We love to grab vegan donuts here, egg sandwiches and coffee, coffee, coffee!
Left Hand. One of the spots Aaron took me on our first date.This place is majorly sentimental. I highly suggest grabbing a coffee (made in house) or tea and taking a walk to the beach. Fun stuff!
For a quick bites/lunch:
Simply Sublime. Our go-to when we are all kinds of hangry. This place is YUMMY + HEALTHY, an amazing combination! Simply Sublime has everything from organic fresh juices, farm fresh grocery items, to the best wraps ever. Order the Southwestern Wrap for a delicious flavor explosion!
Provisions. A great health-food grocery shop that doubles as an eatery located in Sag Harbor. We love to stop in here for their quesadillas and super-fresh soups.
Dinner:
Inlet Seafood Restaurant. A guilty pleasure, I must admit. This one is not really healthy. But this place is majorly yummy! The sushi here rocks and so does the calamari. Have a glass of wine on the beautiful patio with ocean views. Fresh air makes everything healthy...right?!
South Edison. This modern restaurant has a great vibe. Only a few steps away from the beach at Montauk, we love to sit outside and people-watch! The waiters are so nice and the decor is a dream. Even the bathroom is cool! We love the Lobster Buns and Yellowfin Tuna.
Crow’s Nest. Again, we love this gem. The food has a fun mediterranean flare, plus the decor is basically my dream becoming reality. You can sit outside by the fire pit with your wine while you wait for a table or take a walk down to the water to watch the sunset. Our favorites here are the Mezzo Platter (a plate of hummus that could basically feed an army) and the Blue Crab Claw Tagliatelle (a delicious indulgence). Go here!
What to do:
Visit farms/farm booths. This is our favorite activity in the summer. There are a lot of great organic farms in the Hamptons. We love to just look at the farms, buy produce for a recipe concoction of mine or even just talk to the farmers. Our favorites are Bhumi Farm Stand in East Hampton and Balsam Farms in Amagansett.
Go paddle boarding/swimming in the lake. We bring our own paddle board, but If you don’t have your own, not to worry! You can rent one in Montauk (here) to take out on the lake. We prefer the lake to the ocean in Montauk because the waves can get pretty crazy. Here is the lake we love to visit. It is also great for swimming!
Walk around. The Hamptons is full of charming little things to explore. We personally adore walking around Amagansett, New York. Amagansett has a very cute downtown area, full of shops, restaurants and all sorts of things to look at. Our personal favorite is to just walk down any random road to look at the amazing houses. Amagansett has some of the most beautiful homes I've ever seen. Walking around is so much fun and, the best thing is, it’s freee!
Vineyards. On our last trip we visited The Wölffer Estate Wine Stand. I loved how open and airy it was. The wine was delicious. We had Rosé and drank it with a beautiful view of the vines. They also had mini bites for a little picnic. This was a great beginning to summer. Highly recommended!
Where to shop:
Melet Mercantile Outpost. A vintage dream in Montauk. Filled with vintage tees, surfboards, skateboards and denim denim denim. If the price-tag is too high, just go there for some inspiration. The rad decor will be sure to get your creative juices flowing.
Innersleeve Records. A great spot for new and used records of all genres, but, an even better spot for scoring some free records. That’s right. They have a free record section outside the shop where you can grab some free records even when the shop itself is not open. We found a Bob Dylan record out there one time. -Quite a score!
Pilgrim Surf Supply. We love this place for menswear. Shopping here for little gifts for Aaron is usually just the ticket. They also have a pretty impressive section of surfboards, so be sure to check those out before you hit the waves.
Beach Stop by Henry Lehr. My one-stop-shop for all my beachy island-gal needs. I love their selection of comfy pants, sweatshirt, and sandals, perfect for lounging by the pool. Last time I was in there I saw a rad jumpsuit that I am still thinking about. I guess that means I have to go back!
Love Adorned. We've picked up countless items for our apartment here. I love all the throws, coffee table books and incense burners. We purchased cedar incense here and I burn it everyday. We also bought a pretty awesome lighter here. This is a must-stop shop for interior-design lovers.
-The Hamptons can truly be a real tropical dream if you just have a little guidance. I hope this guide can help you there. Good luck exploring!