I recently went to Montauk with several friends for the beach weekend. We chose Montauk because we were all familiar with the Hamptons and knew that Montauk was low key with a better mix of people of all economic backgrounds. In the Hamptons “scene” we don’t care so much about being somewhere beautiful and relaxing with nice beaches.
Getting to Montauk takes about 2.5 hours by car from New York City if you avoid the traffic. To avoid weekend traffic you should leave before noon on Friday or after 9pm. We avoid going after 9pm and lying at all. Between taking smaller trips and time we avoided trading altogether. Returning we also took small roads and left around three o’clock – this morning we avoided the crowd of people looking for the morning exit and the night crowd of people who spend the whole day on the beach. We encountered only traffic for about 40 minutes and due to accidents and rubbernecking near JFK airport it continued.
We stayed at the Montauk Yacht Club. You should get good parts there before you go, because the ones on Mapquest were rather inaccurate. We found the facilities lovely and humble and right on the water. Their private beach was unimpressive though. This is a good place to stay if you are interested in sailing tours or want the other amenities they offer, which include 2 pools and indoor pools (great when it rained most of the time we were there), a fitness center, tennis courts and several restaurants. To go to the beach though I recommend just going into town and going to the public beach.
Speaking of beaches – many in Montauk have no lifeguards and this part of Long Island has very strong surf and riptides, so please be extra careful.
The town of Montauk is mainly geared towards tourists, but there are many pubs that are also excellent for catering to locals bar food (burgers, fried clams, etc.). Shopping in town is mostly limited to shops and beach supplies – more upscale shopping in East Hampton and South. It took about 30 minutes to clear Hampton.
Other things to do in the area include going on a tour of the Montauk Lighthouse (it is the 4th oldest operating city in North America) and walking along the beach at night or in the storms. It is quite beautiful, but we must warn you, cold at night or weather. Even if you go in the peak season, be sure to wear something warm.
Montauk is also accessible by the Hampton Jitney (a href=”https://e-info.vn/tag/bus-service”>bus service) and the LIRR, but if you choose these options you’re really best off booking a motel room right on the beach. Note that Montauk can be difficult to get to when summer starts and some places are often booked a year in advance. My trip was rather last minute and I had to call literally 30 hotels before I could book a three week stay.
Montauk is the best trip if you are looking for some quiet relaxation and nice in a non-pretentious atmosphere.
Report:
- Montauk Chamber of Commerce: www.montaukchamber.com
