Montauk is a popular weekend getaway spot, particularly for New Yorkers and New Englanders. The easternmost point on Long Island, this oceanfront hamlet is a more affordable option to the rest of the Hamptons, with the same ocean views, sandy beaches and menus full of fresh fish. The town also hosts year-round festivals, parades and other events for both locals and tourists.
Take a stroll on the some of the 5,000 acres of public beaches in this enclave, or spend a morning fishing at Montauk Harbor. Seafood and libations are king in Montauk, and New York magazine suggests enjoying lunch alfresco with a classic lobster roll at Duryea’s Lobster Deck, as well as joining regulars at Montauket restaurant for the daily countdown-to-sunset cocktail hour. Try the clam chowder at Navy Beach, steamed mussels or calamari salad at Harvest On Fort Pond and the clam bar at Gosman’s Dock. For affordable yet stylish accommodations, unwind at Sunrise Guest House, the new Lakeside Inn and Sole East. Summer camp nostalgists should look into Ruschmeyer's Campspot, which takes inspiration from the site's original use in the 1950s as a summer camp. Choose from one of 19 rustic-chic cabins, and enjoy the grounds' fire pit, hammocks, picnic tables, bicycles and teepee, as well as the restaurant and bar.
One of the town’s most notable landmarks, the Montauk Point Lighthouse, has been converted into a museum presenting vintage equipment and rooms. Take a tour of the interior apartments, once the dwellings of the lighthouse keeper’s family and his two assistant keepers. See the oil room, fog signal house, fire control station and even climb the lighthouse tower for views of the rocky shores and seemingly never-ending waters. Outside the lighthouse, meander through the meadow where the keepers grew and harvested their vegetables for more than 200 years. The town also has an active night scene featuring live music, dancing and more than 100 bars and restaurants.
In the summer, take a whale-watching cruise to admire the area’s whales, dolphins and numerous seabirds. Specifically, you may spot fin, minke, humpback, sei, pilot and right whales, as well as common white-sided dolphins. For those visiting in the winter, hike to Montauk Point for an opportunity to spot the area’s seals.
Home to numerous water sports, visitors to Montauk can choose to surf, snorkel, scuba dive, water ski, jet ski, kite surf, windsurf, paddleboard, canoe, kayak or sail. Those who prefer to stay on dry land might golf, play tennis, ride horses, or hike on one of the hamlet’s many trails, such as the three-quarter mile Walking Dunes trail, which loops through sand dunes reaching upwards of 80 feet. Montauktrails.com lists all of the city's trails and descriptions.
