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In less than two hours by car you can drive from Manhattan in one of the most famous and exclusive place in the world: the Hamptons!
“The Hamptons” refers in particular to the towns of Southampton and East Hampton located at the Eastern end of Long Island.
The Hamptons are famous for hosting summer residences of celebrities and wealthy New Yorkers. Here many movies and series are set, from The Great Gatsby to Gossip Girl!
Traffic permitting (the main road that runs through Long Island is very busy during the Summer) you can come to the Hamptons in a day trip or this is the ideal place to spend a weekend immersed in nature just a few hours from New York!
You can reach the Hamptons by car or by bus with the Hampton Jitney ($ 30 each way with departures from different places in Manhattan) or by train with Cannonball Hampton Reserve Eastbound Service from Penn Station.
In East Hampton and South Hampton you can admire the most amazing and luxurious villas that you can imagine, surrounded by greenery or overlooking endless beaches of white sand. The huge open spaces allow you to find easily an entire beach all for yourself, I do not wonder that celebrities choose these places for their holidays!
White beaches, great nature and beautiful sea! We are speaking of the Atlantic Ocean but here you can easily swim, the water is not too cold and it’s perfect for a bit ‘of refreshment in the Summer heat!
But just take a walk, or move around by bike in perfect Hamptons style, and you’ll find the main road with super luxury shops and great places to eat or drink something (pay attention to the prices though!).
The Hamptons have not always as chic as they are today: in the ’30s and ’40s this was the place where artists of the Abstract Expressionism took refuge looking for some quiet from the bustle of Manhattan. Here in the ’40s there was a kind of artistic community: Mark Rothko, Jackson Pollock, Willem de Kooning, Franz Kline… they all lived here painting and enjoying the beautiful nature of the place.
To go back to that time push yourselves beyond the tourist Hamptons and venture out to Montauk or Spring, here you can still find the Jackson Pollock’s house and museum – I’m writing a dedicated post about it!
Do not miss Sag Harbor, on the North coast of Long Island: an amazing place where you’ll feel like in a movie!
After a day or a weekend here it’s time to go back in the city … Manhattan will welcome you with open arms!
Enjoy!