Many people are not aware that the Hamptons – a collective term for a dozen highly individualized villages and hamlets east of the Shinnecock Canal – are located on the eastern end of beautiful Long Island, New York. If your visit permits you time to explore the Island more fully, Discover Long Island is a great resource for you. Check out this video: Long Island: Where You BeLONG.
Beaches
Southampton’s Cooper’s Beach has been ranked #1 in the USA — only 2-1/2 miles away — and is rightly a popular destination for our guests. During the summer season, we offer complimentary shuttle service to Cooper’s Beach, as well as a beach bag with fluffy, oversized beach towels and beach chairs to borrow.
Regardless of who owns the spectacular house in front of it, the ocean beaches are open to the public…but parking at them varies. In Southampton village, Cooper’s Beach is our large, beautiful public beach, complete with a pavilion that during the season sells food, rents umbrellas and other beach equipment, and has bathrooms and showers.
Read More...Parking during the summer season runs $50 per carload per day. For this reason, Kim and Chris offer our guests complimentary shuttle service to and from Cooper’s Beach. Just ask!
There are two FREE beaches at Road D and Road G, where the 50 or so parking spaces are filled on a first-come, first-served basis.
Looking to avoid the crowds? Any village beach marked Resident Parking Only is open to non-residents if you arrive by bicycle or by foot, but a vehicle without a Resident Permit will be ticketed.
Nearby Restaurants
Update on dining options under COVID restrictions: Click here for a list of local restaurants that offer take out or delivery, and enjoy your meal either at a private table in our dining room or outside in our garden!
The villages that comprise “The Hamptons” are fortunate to have a fine variety of good restaurants, some within walking distance of A Butler’s Manor, running the gamut of very casual to fine dining. Kim and Chris take the testing of our local restaurants very seriously and try to eat out as often as possible to stay current with menu selections and new openings. Replacing our binder of local menus we formerly kept in the living room for guest perusal, click here for a full list of restaurants, with menus, within a 20-mile radius of A Butler’s Manor. Here is a sample of places we most often recommend.
Read More...- Plaza Café – (Southampton) 631-283-9323
- Union Sushi Steak & Union Burger Bar – (Southampton) 631-377-3500
- Bistro Ete – (Water Mill) 613-500-9085
- Bell & Anchor – (Noyac) 631-725-3400
- Dockside Bar & Grill – (Sag Harbor) 631-725-7100
- American Hotel – (Sag Harbor) 631-725-3535
- Stone Creek Inn – (East Quogue) 613-653-6770
- Bobby Vans – (Bridgehampton) 631-537-0590
- The 1770 House – (East Hampton) 631-324-1770
Day Spas
WORKING OUT AND CHILLING OUT
Maybe you’re the type for whom a day isn’t complete if you haven’t had your pre-breakfast walk or morning run. Whether you’d prefer a short stroll around the block, you’re up for a 5K, or want to do some mileage on the beach, just ask! We’ve got suggestions for routes for you.
Sometimes the best getaway includes some personal pampering. Whether you want to get your om on with a yoga class, do some cardio to release tension, or have a pro knead the stress out of your body, here are some suggestions for bringing some mental and physical peace back into your life.
Read More...Day Spas
- Geomare Wellness Center (Southampton) 631-287-9352
- Naturopatica (East Hampton) 631-329-2525
- Spa 27 (East Hampton) 631-329-7868
Yoga Studios
Gyms
- Soulcycle
- Tracy Anderson
- New York Pilates
- SLT
- Flywheel
- CrossFit Hamptons
- Hamptons Gym
Museums and History
The Hamptons’ history as a fashionable summer resort and dwelling place of high society date from the late nineteenth century when the community changed from a farming community with good potato ground to a popular destination. In 1893 The New York Times, based on its natural advantages and the quality of the Summer Colony located there, compared The Hamptons favorably with the Garden of Eden.
Read More...Settled in 1640, Southampton is the first English establishment in New York State, and nearby East Hampton was settled in 1648. Prior to that, the entire area was under the providence of the Shinnecock –Indian Nation, descended from the Pequot and Narragansett tribes also located on Eastern Long Island, and whose present-day reservation is still located in Southampton. If history is your passion, come explore!
Historical Attractions
Southampton Historical Museum & Halsey Homestead
17 Meeting House Lane, Southampton. 631-283-2494. Open year round.
249 South Main Street, Southampton. 631-283-2494. Open July through October.
Shinnecock Nation Cultural Center & Museum
Rte. 27A & West Gate Road, Southampton. 631-287-4923
South Fork Natural History Museum & Nature Center
377 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton. 631-537-9735
Mulford Farm & Home Sweet Home Museum
James Lane, East Hampton. 631-324-0713
Montauk Lighthouse
2000 Montauk Highway (the end!), Montauk. 631-668-2544
Bridgehampton Historical Society & Corwith Museum
2368 Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton. 631-537-1088
Open June through mid-October.
Sag Harbor Whaling Museum
Main Street, Sag Harbor. 631-725-0770
Open mid-May through mid-September.
Sag Harbor Custom House
Garden Street, Sag Harbor. 631-941-9444
Open weekends between Memorial Day and Columbus Day, 7 days during July and August.
Art and Theatre
From visual arts and films, to live performances, talks and children’s activities – explore the nearby options for a day of culture and entertainment.
The Parrish Art Museum
Dedicated to American art, with a focus on Long Island’s East End.
Guild Hall
Established cultural complex hosting art exhibits, theater, film series, concerts & workshops.
Water Mill Museum
This restored 1644 water-powered grist mill contains exhibits on milling and 19th century life, as well as changing exhibits on fine arts, quilts, and crafts. Open May through October.
Southampton Cultural Center
Art exhibits, classes, and live theater.
Southampton Arts Center
Located in the heart of the village, the Southampton Arts Center offers a diverse slate of cultural programming, including visual arts, film, live performances, talks and children’s activities.
Bay Street Theater
Professional regional theater offering theater productions, concerts, and drama education programs year round.
Outdoor Activities
Maybe what you crave is just you and the water. Or perhaps it’s spending the day with like-minded folks on a boat upon a bay or the ocean. If your idea of a vacation includes time on the water, not just basking near it, here are some ideas for you.
Stand Up Paddling, Surfing, Windsurfing
Hamptons Watersports
Windsurfing, Surfing, SUP, Kayak, Sunfish Lessons & Rentals
Main Beach Surf & Sport
Stand-up Paddling, Surfing, Kayak Lessons and Rentals
Weekend Warrior Tours & Outfitters
Stand-up Paddling, Kayak Tours
Boat Rentals & Tours
Strongs Marine
Powerboat Rentals
The Riders of the Hamptons
Watersports, Waterskiing
PeconicPaddler
Kayak/Canoe Rentals
Main Beach Surf & Sport
Kayak/Canoe Rentals
American Beauty
Sightseeing, Nature Cruises, Sunset Cruises and Charters
Fishing Charters
Fly Fish Montauk
Fly fishing and light tackle trips from East Hampton to Montauk Point on Long Island. For striped bass, bluefish, tuna, Bonito, false albacore, and more. (Montauk)
Montauk Fishing Charters
Independent charter service featuring the latest electronic navigational and safety equipment. (Montauk)
Movin On Charter Boat Service
Offering saltwater sport fishing trips for a range of fish including shark, tuna and striped bass. (Montauk)
Events
Special Events in Southampton, NY & Beyond
Some are renowned, others are our favorite low-key things to do. For current information of local events, check out Hamptons.com/Calendar
- Hamptons Restaurant Week (early spring and late fall)
- Hampton Classic Horse Show (end of August)
- Southampton Village Fourth of July Parade (July 4)
- Concerts in Agawam Park (July – Labor Day)
- Hamptons Designer Showhouse (late July – Labor Day)
- Bridgehampton Chamber Music Festival: (end of July – mid-August)
- Pianofestt (mid-June – early August)
- Sag Harborfest (September)
- Southamptonfest (September)
- Hamptons International Film Festival (October)
- Montauk Fall Festival (October)
- Long Island Winter Fest (Feb/Mar)
Sample Itineraries
First visit? Or want to do a deeper dive into the Hamptons beyond the beach and shopping? We’ve created two informal ways to see the South Fork — and made one of them a game!