Summary
We spent the month of July in Southampton, Long Island – a tradition we have maintained over the past several summers. We have typically stayed in East Hampton but this summer we tested out a different neighborhood. We were looking to try out different restaurants, activities, beaches etc and also see if the revised commute would be impactful – Southampton is less than 2 hours from our home in Manhattan, making our commutes back and forth (when necessary) more palatable. Overall, we loved our stay (and the proximity to the city) and would look to likely repeat this visit next year.
Accommodations
As we do each summer, we chose an Airbnb home for our summer stay. Our home was on the border with Hampton Bays – this was nice because it was the closest area to NYC within Southampton and it allowed to easily visit restaurants in Hampton Bays (not to mention use the Hampton Bays train station). We always go for a simple house with basics for a summer rental – air conditioning, grill and heated pool. This stay is truly about enjoying the house and exploring the best of the activities and restaurants in the area.
Select Favorites
Dining
– Southampton seems to have many Italian restaurants and we loved many of them – including Dopo Argento (loved the cacio e pepe), Sant Ambroeus (pricey but amazing pasta), Tutto Ill Giorno (sit on the back patio!) and La Parmagiana (excellent for takeaway pizza). We also loved Francesca’s for its Pizza in Hampton Bays.
– For great American burgers, sandwiches etc, we loved 75 Main (best location) and Union Burger Bar (nice, chill outdoor seating but also good for takeaway to the beach!)
– Our favorite brunches were at Goldbergs (best bagels anywhere), Hampton Maid (best pancakes and traditional brunch fare in Hampton Bays) and, most surprisingly, the diner within the Poxabogue Golf Course (best omelets and traditional brunch)
– Other favorites were Cowfish (Seafood in Hampton Bays – nice views!) and Calissa (Mediterranean/Greek in Water Mill)
– The best and most eclectic ice creams can be found at Francesca’s (love the seating area outside) and The Fudge Company (love the main strip location)
Activities
– We spent much of our time in the Hamptons enjoying our home
– but of course we got out to do some of our usual favorites. Playing golf with the kids at the 9-hole Poxabogue Golf Course is always a highlight; visiting the Wine Stand at Wolffer Estate Winery for our favorite Summer in a Bottle Rosé is fun for the whole family given the open field and enjoyable live music; we also loved exploring new and beautiful beaches – specifically Coopers Beach and Flying Point
Recommendation
I would certainly recommend this type of escape if it can work for your personal and professional life. We are fortunate to be able to work partially remotely and have childcare support during the week. This allows for us to work in a different environment and enjoy some of the small luxuries of summer with our kids. We look forward to future summer stays!
