The Hamptons: Our Magical Summer Guide

by Katie Watson Grant

The Hamptons was made famous by movies such as ‘Something’s Gotta Give’, ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ and ‘White Chicks’ and is home to celebs including Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow and J-Lo, but you don’t have to be a billionaire (or even a millionaire!) to enjoy everything it has to offer.  We travelled there for 3 weeks last summer and whilst it’s a long flight from the UAE, it was definitely a bucket list holiday!  

Here’s my top picks to enjoy the magic that is summer in the Hamptons:

What to do:

Hit the beach!  A lot of the beaches are open to residents only (lucky them!), but there are plenty of beaches to relax and enjoy. Cooper’s Beach (great for surfing), Southampton and Foster’s Memorial Beach in Sag Harbor were both beautiful.

Visit a vineyard.  Wolffer was our favourite, the food, live music and wine tasting were beautiful and felt a world away from Dubai.

Catch a movie.  The Sag Harbor Cinema is a centuries old (but still state of the art) movie theatre that plays new and vintage movies.

Take a boat ride.  We really enjoyed the ferry from Sag Harbor to Shelter Island.  We spent the day at Shelter Island Hotel – a great hotel and restaurant and you can enjoy time by the pool there too. 

People Watch!  We stayed in Sag Harbor and the people watching, wandering and generally letting the day slip by was great fun.  Celeb spotting was top notch too!  

Where to eat:

This is where the list could go on forever.  If I had to only pick 5 spots though, they would be:

Dureya’s Montauk – apparently a total Hamptons staple!  Beautiful food, wine and waterside views.

Le Bilboquet -  A Manhattan hotspot, Le Bilboquet brings it’s huge following to the Hamptons!  The mussels and the Cajun Chicken are absolute must haves.  Book in advance, and dress well to nab a spot on the terrace.

Lulu Kitchen & Bar – On the high street in Sag Harbor, Lulu served great local food with a focus on wood burning cuisine.  Sitting outside and watching the world go by was worth the bill!

Crows Nest – An awesome atmosphere, the restaurant has a terrace and great a lawn outside where you can grab a spot and watch the sunset. 

Little Estia’s – A roadside café – we ate in and picked up takeaway.  Little Estia’s is a Hamptons institution serving up great food with a Mexican flair.  Do not miss the margaritas (or the takeaway ones!).  It was definitely a trip highlight to relax in their garden with good food and great drinks.

Ok, I lied, I had to pick 7! 

The Dock House – the best lobster roll I have ever had.  Head down for sunset, grab a bench and watch the sunset with your lobster roll take out.

Big Olaf – every American movie ice cream shop vision, come to life, Big Olaf is a great stop for an ice cream!  Be warned, there will be a queue, but it will be worth it!  It’s next door to The Dock House so combine the 2 for a dreamy sunset picnic!

Where to stay:

We’ve got a wild 5 year old, so we opted to stay in a waterfront Airbnb, and it suited us perfectly (waking up to the waves crashing against the house was blissful!).  But if you wanted to opt for a hotel, these come highly recommended:

Barons Cove – A favourite of Truman Capote and Jackson Pollock, Baron’s Cove is an all-American resort.  With bikes, tennis clinics and a gorgeous restaurant, it would make for a dreamy stay!

A Room at the Beach – exactly what it says on the tin, a room on the beach is exactly that!  A short stroll from the Atlantic Ocean, it was once owned by Martha Stewart and her family.  

Sunset Beach – located in one of the quieter parts of the Hamptons, Sunset Beach sits right on the ocean and the food and drink is on point!  There are bikes, paddle boards, beach chairs and boats all available to guests.

The Crows Nest Inn – a beautifully designed hideaway with only 14 rooms, the Crow’s Nest is located far enough away from the action but an easy bike ride from the action.  The onsite concept store and restaurant make the hotel even more appealing!

Topping Rose House – a renovated 19th century mansion, Topping Rose House blends stylish heritage with contemporary comforts.  The hotel is the crown jewel of the Hamptons and a member of the small luxury hotels of the world.

Where to shop:

Goop – Owned by Gwyneth Paltrow, the coastal cottage themed space was like walking into a friend’s beautiful home.  With more clean beauty brands than you can shake a stick at and gorgeous clothes, it is a total must shop!  They also sell vintage and resale designer bags – I fell in love with a limited-edition pale pink Birkinl, but sadly you would have had to be a millionaire to afford it!

The Monogram Shop – playing into my all-American dream aesthetic, this is the perfect store to grab any and every monogrammed home good.

Round Swamp Farm – up your credit card limit now, Round Swamp Farm is the ultimate deli.  We may or may not have spent $500 on picnic food but I promise you, it was money well spent. The resulting beach picnic was a dream!

Chanel – if only for the beautiful and iconic Hamptons storefront, wander past Chanel!

Love Shack Fancy – the prettiest store I’ve ever set foot in, a total pink and floral dream.