A much-welcome overhaul gave this sprawling inn a Swedish sensibility; most of the rooms and cottages are inspired by famous Scandinavians (Arne Jacobsen, Hans Christian Andersen, even Edvard Munch).
Five Arts and Crafts–style rooms and two lovely outdoor pools behind an ivy-covered façade.
An updated classic in an 1824 farmhouse. The rooms now have a suitably beachy, if slightly cookie-cutter, feel.
This red-brick Victorian hasn’t changed much since 1846. And that’s just how guests like it, with its faded elegance, backgammon tables in the lobby, and a bartender who will soon know your name.
The 152-year-old dowager is surrounded by lush English gardens. Each of the five individually decorated rooms is named after an estate where co-owner Christopher Allen—a former butler—once worked.
The most luxurious hotel in the area is worth the splurge: the seven suites have wood-burning fireplaces; each of the three cottages also has its own gym and steam room.
A summer camp for grown-ups in Montauk. Think cabins clustered around a decorative tepee, bingo nights, Ping-Pong, and a bar in an oversize sandbox.
The 61 whitewashed rooms are set in a Tudor-style house; an allée of bamboo leads to eight garden cabanas out back.
Named after a hotel in St.-Tropez, La Maison Blanche channels the south of France: pétanque courts, a Gallic brasserie, and an authentic boulangerie.
Worth booking for the ocean views alone. The pastel bathrooms and kitchenettes betray its previous life as a 1950’s motel.
On a small islet, the resort has a scaled-down replica of the town’s famous lighthouse, not to mention three pools, four tennis courts, a spa, and a marina.
For a dose of glamour by the sea, check out the vibrant social scene here. The hotel has its own brand of rosé and spectacular sunsets (as the name would suggest).
Foodies flock to Shelter Island for crisp calamari salad and miso salmon in this simple space with high, beamed ceilings.
A gourmet find hidden away in the tiny town of Water Mill, Robert’s serves meticulously prepared Italian cuisine in a 1670 stagecoach house.
The restaurant is run by a husband-and-wife team (she works the room while he’s in the kitchen making his famous Croatian stuffed cabbage).
A BYOB restaurant with only 16 seats. A charming touch: several days out, the owner confirms your reservation by e-mail and sends along the evening’s prix fixe menu.
It’s no surprise that Gabby Karan De Felice’s place is so stylish, considering her mother is Donna Karan; the lusty dishes range from branzino al forno to house-made pappardelle.
It’s no surprise that Gabby Karan De Felice’s place is so stylish, considering her mother is Donna Karan; the lusty dishes range from branzino al forno to house-made pappardelle.
A former surfer’s bar right on the sand is adding to Montauk’s culinary cred with its great menu of ceviches.
The area’s fishermen and family farms provide ample resources for chef Joe Isidori, who has gained a following for his commitment to sustainable seafood, fresh produce, and Long Island wines.
Still East Hampton’s most coveted reservation. Chef Joseph Realmuto sources from the best local purveyors for such dishes as dandelion greens and pork-belly croutons in a white-anchovy vinaigrette.
Jennifer Meadows, the adorable chef-owner here, is so friendly with the fishermen that she radios them when they’re at sea to check out what they’ve caught.
Jennifer Meadows of Fishbar has opened an eclectic takeaway with a fleet of taco-delivery bikes buzzing around town.
One of the toughest tables to get in Montauk. In-the-know diners start dialing at 4:15 p.m.—when the reservation line opens—to sample hearty cioppino and onion-and-potato-crusted flounder.
You’ll get one of the most generous lobster rolls around—plus great water views and salty air in your hair—at this spot, tucked into a Hampton Bays marina.
In a weathered cottage on Sag Harbor’s wharf, groupies line up at the for the clam chowder and steamed lobsters; the live specimens are kept in an antique bathtub next to the front door.
You can’t get a better endorsement than chef Bobby Flay, who has been spotted at this East Hampton destination for shoreside favorites.
On the stretch between Montauk and Amagansett, look for the yellow-and-white-striped umbrellas. We prefer the simple seafood here to the more famous Lunch, a.k.a. the Lobster Roll, down the street.
Bring a bottle of rosé to Duryea’s, set on a rocky Montauk outcropping and renowned for its well-priced lobster. Just be prepared for a long wait.
Locals were devastated when the decades-old Fairway lost its lease in 2010. After a heated battle with the town, it soon reopened, once again supplying happy Hamptonites with no-fuss bacon and eggs.
An unassuming cult spot in a 1959 Hampton Bays motel, known for its fluffy omelettes and decadent French toast.
At this modern-Mexican roadhouse in Bridgehampton, regular Alec Baldwin has a menu item named after him: the egg-white “Big Al’s Burrito.”
The cheddar-scallion scones alone are worth the wait at this low-key neighborhood haunt that also makes addictive cookies and sweets.
You’ll encounter lines outside this spot in Montauk for such indulgent combinations as the “ET” (chocolate and peanut-butter chips) and the “sabre” (coconut-filled and topped with coconut syrup).
On a health kick? Follow the surf crowd to Joni’s for whole-wheat breakfast burritos and chai lattes.
When Rocco DiSpirito wants to make Mexican corn with chili mayo, he stocks up on the ingredients at this farm stand in Water Mill.
After buying cheeses, fruit pies, and grass-fed beef at this Bridgehampton farm stand, make your way through the winding corn maze.
Set under huge chestnut trees in East Hampton, this farm stand sells everything from guacamole to chocolate-chip muffins.
The area’s most atmospheric farm stand. Pick up just-harvested corn and incredible pies baked by Vicki herself (regulars are allowed access to the pick-your-own-herb garden out back).
A trip to Long Island wouldn’t be complete without a wine tasting. At Channing Daughters, the vineyards are dotted with the owner’s sculpture collection.
One of our top choices for wine tastings in the Hamptons hosts free Friday jazz at sunset, overlooking the vines.
In an Amagansett cottage, Brazilian-born Claudja Bicalho and her Australian husband, Mark Wilson sell sexy-but-sophisticated clothes and jewelry found during their world travels.
The colorful shop outfits pint-size beachgoers in floral dresses and tunics (there are some matching mom looks, too).
In a converted Wainscott diner, Maier (you know him as the creative director of Bottega Veneta) sells some of the most arresting (and form-flattering) swimwear around.
With locations in Southampton and East Hampton, Miller stocks baubles perfect for a glittering poolside party.
With locations in Southampton and East Hampton, Miller stocks baubles perfect for a glittering poolside party.
Among East Hampton’s enticing one-off boutiques. We love the personalized totes and the cocktail napkins emblazoned with cheeky phrases like FORCED FAMILY FUN and HAVE YOU SEEN MY CONTRACTOR?
The French-influenced boutique is the location for the authentic striped fishermen’s tops that everyone is wearing lately.
Elizabeth Donnarumma left her career as a brand manager to open this spot in Quogue; there’s a grab bag of summery finds, from sea-themed linens to silver sailcloth beach bags.
All of Shelterego is wrapped in sailcloth; the breezy shop stocks both the fashionable (earrings woven from golden thread) and the eccentric, like wooden pig bookends.
One of our top sources for reasonably priced gems. Get there when it opens (weekends only): the selection of etched glassware, Art Deco lamps, nautical relics, and white-painted dressers moves fast.
A highly personalized collection that mixes in new treasures such as handblown glass lamps with the antiques.
Marika’s looks like a flea market: Heywood-Wakefield tables, bamboo bar carts, and iron garden furniture spill out into the front yard.
You never know what you’ll uncover at this interiors consignment shop in Southampton. On a recent visit, we spied a vintage wooden racing car and a set of metal Navy chairs.
In an unassuming Montauk garage, Bob Melet—former director of vintage buying at Ralph Lauren—displays used surfboards, 1970’s rock concert T-shirts, and other offbeat discoveries.
Jackson Pollock and his wife, Lee Krasner, were perhaps two of the Hamptons’ most famous residents. You can tour their 1879 residence and studio, complete with paint splotches on the floor.
Don’t miss this place founded by textile designer and crafts expert Jack Lenor Larsen. Works by artists Willem de Kooning and Sol LeWitt dot the acres upon acres of gardens.
This center for visual and performing arts is a top East Hampton destination. Board member Alec Baldwin often hosts readings and theater performances.
The well-regarded Parris, established in 1897, is about to move its collection of 19th-, 20th-, and 21st-century American art into a dazzling new Water Mill space designed by Herzog & de Meuron.
Run by the Dia Art Foundation, the Bridgehampton institute displays the artist’s light sculptures in a former firehouse and church.
Girls can try their hand at the newly popular sport of stand-up paddleboarding with Paddle Diva. (Guys can get in on the action at Wainscott’s Main Beach Surf & Sport.)
Rent kayaks from this picture-perfect East Hampton store and head for the serenely beautiful Accabonac Harbor.
Don’t miss this spot, hidden between Amagansett and Montauk. The shifting mountains of sand move several feet a year.
The birds eat right out of your hand at this refuge near Sag Harbor.
On Shelter Island, the Nature Conservancy's preserve offers hiking trails through various ecosystems and past kettle holes formed by glaciers during the Ice Age.
The Hamptons nightlife scene is a mixed bag, but this one of the few places that are worth the effort. It hosts acts like Jimmy Buffett.
The buzzing spot had come under criticism for its crowds of late-night revelers: the new management promises a more mellow scene, so you can peacefully sip mojitos by the waterfront fire pit.
The Fourth of July party at Rick’s, a down-and-dirty seafood joint in Montauk, is filled with celebs and locals. It’s a can’t-miss affair that defines summer in the Hamptons.
Pick up a sandwich on freshly baked artisanal bread at Blue Duck and take it to Cooper’s Beach, which is great for kids, plus summer concerts on the sand
A food truck with addictive Jamaican patties , located at Ditch Plains, the area’s surfing mecca.
A chic fromagerie for takeaway cheese plates; devour them under a rented umbrella at East Hampton’s Main Beach.
For a picnic on Westhampton Dunes beach, pick up classics here like tuna sandwiches and peach pie.
