The Hamptons has been a perennial summer getaway since the late 1880s, when a group of well-heeled New Yorkers decided to build homes amid the Southampton dunes and the Long Island beaches beyond. Fast forward almost half a century, and the Hamptons is now a destination for a global clientele with a Gucci store to prove it.

That’s not to say it has lost its distinct, bucolic charm: farm stands abound, as do idyllic waterfront restaurants that serve seafood pasta amongst sailboats. Brown shingled homes are tucked behind hedge-lined streets . . . and some of them have even turned into boutique hotels. (No chain groups here.) And that’s not to mention the beaches, where white gold sand stretches into the deep blue of the endless Atlantic Ocean.

For those heading “out east” this summer, here’s Over The Moon’s guide to The Hamptons.

Hotels

Hedges Inn — East Hampton

The owners of The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach recently took over The Hedges Inn, a quaint, historic hotel on the edge of East Hampton town. Although more extensive renovations will come in 2026, they’ve already introduced a full service concierge service, as well as a beach butler buggy that will drive you—along with beach chairs, towels, and baby pink coolers—to East Hampton’s famous Main Beach.

The Reform Club — Amagansett

Set amid five manicured acres that includes a rose garden, The Reform Club embraces the bucolicness that the Hamptons is known for. The rooms are spacious—the property offers suites, cottages, and even a five-bedroom home—and boast crisp white linens and modern art. Take a beach cruiser or the house car to the shore before returning for a complimentary glass of rosé.

The Roundtree — Amagansett

Another quaint offering in Amagangsett is The Roundtree. Located right off of Main Street—meaning offerings like The Row and Il Buco Mare are just steps away—lodging options include cottages, private multi-bedroom homes, as well as guest rooms, housed in a renovated barn. There’s also fire pits and chaise lounge seating set up on their sprawling lawn, which is adjacent to the fields of Balsam Farms.

Baron’s Cove — Sag Harbor

While most hotels in the Hamptons have a beachy style, Baron’s Cove instead exudes a nautical energy: interiors are moodier, adorned with oil paintings of ships, navy upholstery, and anchor motifs. (It’s an appropriate aesthetic: Sag Harbor is a historic whaling town.) They have a pool and tennis court, as well as an on-site restaurant that serves All-American fare overlooking Sag Harbor Cove.

EHP Resort & Marina — East Hampton Springs 

Out of all the hotels in the Hamptons, EHP Resort & Marina has the most extensive amenities: their waterfront property along Three Mile Harbor includes a pool, tennis courts, a resort gift shop, multiple food and beverage outposts  (including the Mediterranean restaurant Sí Sí) as well as a marina for those arriving via boat. Guest rooms include suites and cottages that boast a living rooms and kitchenettes.

Topping Rose House

Known as the most luxurious lodging option in the Hamptons, the full-service Topping Rose House is a member of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World. Amenities include a pool, fitness center, and a Naturopathica Treatment Studio, whereas guest rooms (either in the property’s historic 19th-century home or in a modern structure elsewhere on the grounds) come with Frette linens and Matouk towels. But arguably the biggest selling point? The Jean Georges restaurant, where lobster cobb salads and black truffle pizza are served either inside an airy green-and-white dining room or al fresco on a patio that overlooks the hotel grounds.

Marram Montauk — Montauk

If you are going all the way to the End, stay at Marram Montauk, a resort nestled right within Montauk’s dunes that’s inspired by the rich surfer culture of Uruguay’s Punte del Este and Montauk itself. Guest rooms are adorned in a earth tone color palette of umbers, yellows, oranges, and tans. The landscape, meanwhile, is formed from slightly tamed sand. A casual eatery, Mostrador Marram, offers locally caught seafood and fresh baked goods. (If they’re offering paella, order it.) Your hardest choice of the day will be whether to tan by their pool or the beach that is a mere several steps away.

The Pridwin — Shelter Island

The grand dame of Shelter Island. Since opening in 1927, the majestic, green and white hotel has welcomed generations of families to the laid back Hamptons isle that lies between Sag Harbor and the North Fork. On the resort’s ten acres? A pool, tennis and pickleball courts, kayaks, a croquet lawn, as well as a game room perfect for children. The Pridwin also has a full-service private beach.

Restaurants

Nick & Toni’s — East Hampton

Nick & Toni’s is 37-year old Hamptons institution beloved by everyone from Mick Jagger to Martha Stewart. (Such a starry clientele even led The New York Times to do a profile on its then-general manager, Bonnie Munshin.) Focaccia with whipped honey ricotta is a must, as is the housemate Campanella. Many of their ingredients are sourced from local farm stands, such as Amber Waves Farm and Balsam Farms.

Swifty’s — East Hampton

Swifty’s, a beloved Upper East Side restaurant whose regulars included Aerin Lauder and Michael Kors during its heyday, closed its New York City doors in 2016. This year, they swung them back open at The Hedges Inn, thanks to owners Andrew and Sarah Wetenhall. Dishes like chilled lobster salad with green goddess dressing and chicken paillard are served upon table linens from Schumacher while Lewis Miller flowers adorn both the dining room and outdoor patio. An added bonus? Swifty’s is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Dopo La Spiaggia — Sag Harbor

The quaint Dopo La Spiaggia boasts an intimate charm: housed in a brown shingled cottage across from the bay, you can choose to eat amid a cozy farmhouse style interior or al fresco on the patio underneath twinkle lights. Order the branzino trenette with clams.

Le Bilboquet — Sag Harbor

For a dinner that doubles as “going out,” go to Le Bilboquet in Sag Harbor where you can get rosé and seafood towers overlooking the bay as D.J. plays on. For those who want to extend their night a little longer, linger at the indoor bar for a drink or two.

Camp Rubirosa — East Hampton

Camp Rubirosa is the Hamptons outpost of the beloved New York Italian restaurant. It is worth going for their famous tie-dye pizza, but even more so for the setting: the whole place is designed to look like an old-school summer camp complete with tents and wooden signs. Children of all ages, as well as their parents, will enjoy the adventure.

Il Buco al Mare — Amagansett

Il Buco al Mare is Hamptons dining at its best: warm, simple, and delicious. Their cuisine is inspired by the Iberian peninsula and Italy: think pastas, yes, but also an entire menu section dedicated to tinned fish and focaccias.

Tutto il Giorno — Southampton, Sag Harbor

Tutto il Giorno started with a restaurant in Sag Harbor fifteen years ago. Now, they have a location in Southampton as well as a café in East Hampton. That’s because they do fresh, summery Italian cuisine so well, from their catch of the day baked in parchment paper to their spaghetti with scarpariello sauce and corbara cherry tomatoes. Enjoy it all on their idyllic patio, which has become a see-and-be-seen site in the Hamptons.

LUNCH — Southampton, Amagansett

Go to LUNCH in Southampton or off Highway 27-A in Amagansett for a good old fashioned lobster roll in a no-frills setting. Whether you want it Maine-style (cold and with mayo) or Connecticut-style (warm and with butter) is up to you.

Crow’s Nest – Montauk

Located on Lake Montauk, Crow’s Nest is a popular spot to take in the sunset. Couples and friends gather at their bar down on the water while they sip on their rosé and wait for their dinner reservation. Post sunset, the fire pits with twinkle lights above are a perfect place for an after-dinner drink.

The Beacon — Sag Harbor

Sitting on the deck of The Beacon is one of our favorite things to do during the summer. If you go, be sure to try one of their signature martinis—but remember what Dorothy Parker once said: “I like to have a martini. Two at the very most. After three, I’m under the table. After four, I’m under my host.” Proceed with caution.

Pierre’s — Bridgehampton

Located on Bridgehampton’s main drag, Pierre’s is one of our favorite, fun date night or pre-going dinner spots in the Hamptons. Not only is the food delicious, but they serve rosé from magnum bottles . . . enough said.

The American Hotel – Sag Harbor

Located in Sag Harbor, The American Hotel is a quirky historic establishment that feels like it’s straight out of a Wes Anderson movie. Chess boards adorn cocktail tables up front near the bar, so you can play a quick game while you have a cocktail and wait for your table at this must-not-miss restaurant.

Sant Ambroeus – Southampton, East Hampton

Sant Ambroeus has two locations in the Hamptons. Both are perfect spots for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But we have a soft spot for their Southampton locale, with its extensive coffee bar (you can get an iced coffee to go) and their al fresco garden.

Music Venues and Nightclubs

Stephen Talkhouse

Sometimes, you just need a rowdy bar with live music. In the Hamptons, that is Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett—an institution that’s been open since 1987. Despite its no-frills atmosphere, every summer, there’s an impressive lineup of indie bands playing, along with a variety of music genres. (This July, you could go to everything from a reggae night to a performance by an Abba Tribute band.)

The Surf Lodge

The most elevated nightlife experience in the Hamptons is The Surf Lodge, the intimate outdoor concert venue and beach club that regularly brings famous performers to the East End. (Past names? Bob Moses, Rufus du Sol, and 50 Cent.) Warning: a table here isn’t cheap. But for those who want an over-the-top time that you may (or, depending on how much you embrace the bottle service, may not)  this is the place.

Farm Stands, Gourmet Grocers, and Cafes

Round Swamp Farms — East Hampton, Bridgehampton, and Montauk

Round Swamp Farms started over fifty years ago with a simple farm stand in East Hampton. Since then, they have opened three different locations—one in Montauk, another in Bridgehampton, as well as a store in the East on the same site as the original. They offer locally grown produce like sweet corn, blueberries, peaches, and heirloom tomatoes as well as gourmet pre-made meals: their chicken salad in particular is a cult culinary item amongst Hamptonites.

Amber Waves Farms — Amangansett

Amber Waves Farms is a beloved Amangansett institution; many shoppers wear their branded trucker hats while perusing their local produce and flowers. (For a good cause: Amber Waves is also a nonprofit teaching farm.) Their breakfast sandwich, with free range eggs, sriracha mayo, and brioche bun, is particularly popular with early risers.

Balsam Farms — Amangansett

Balsam Farms, also in Amagansett, farms 200 acres of mixed vegetables, fruits, herbs, cut flowers, as well as grain, and then sells them out of their stand on Town Lane. They’re particularly known for their jams and rhubarb.

Sagaponack General Store — Sagaponack

Sagaponack General Store re-opened to great fanfare this summer after a four-year renovation overseen by Mindy Gray. It sells everything from cinnamon rolls, to frozen yogurt, to artisanal pantry products from a brown-shingled house with a Nancy Meyers aesthetic.

Carissa’s — Sag Harbor, Amagansett, and East Hampton

Carissa’s is a James Beard–nominated bakery with locations in Sag Harbor and Amagansett and is arguably the best place to get pastries in the Hamptons. We love their raisin snail, monkey bread, and hazelnut mocha croissant. They also make a delicious pistachio milk latte.

Red Horse Market — East Hampton 

For those looking to grill at home, Red Horse Market—with its specialty butcher—is the best gourmet grocer for meats, organic poultry, and seafood.

Tutto Café — East Hampton

With its indoor and outdoor seating, Tutto Café is the perfect place to sip over an ice coffee and biscotti before going shopping in East Hampton town. (Or something stronger: Tutto Café also serves spritzes and mimosas for those wanting to make their breakfast or brunch a boozy one.)

Shops

TWP — Sag Harbor and Southampton

TWP specializes in American sportswear—think effortless button downs, denim, trousers, and easy poplin dresses that you can throw on at home or for a stroll into town. Their elbow length cropped “Next Ex” shirt in particular has a fashionable following, with many well-dressed women now considering it a closet staple.

The Row — Amagansett

Even if you aren’t buying anything, The Row’s Amagansett store is worth a visit, with its landscape design by Grace Fuller Marroquin and collectible furniture. Of course, if you do want to buy something…you’ll have a number of high end, minimalistic pieces to choose from that will all whisper “quiet luxury.”

Ralph Lauren — East Hampton

Visiting Ralph Lauren in East Hampton is somewhat of a pilgrimage: the store of the iconic American designer housed in a quaint, white clapboard house and boasts the Americana-fueled designs that made his brand famous. (Yes, including that Flag sweater.) You can also visit their Polo Ralph Lauren, Double RL outposts nearby on Main Street.

Ulla Johnson — Amagansett

Ulla Johnson’s flowy, boho designs feel right at home in the Hamptons. Stop by her Amagansett store for an effortless statement dress for your next dinner party or summer cocktail soirée.

Mecox — Southampton

Situated on an expansive three acre property, Mecox has home goods for both the interior and exterior. Here you will find an extensive collection of furnishings, coffee table books, and objet d’art as well as garden scenes with outdoor sculpture and boxwoods. For over 25 years, Mecox has been a one-stop-shop for designers and homeowners alike.

Hildreth’s Home Goods — Water Mill

There is no place like Hildreth’s—established in 1842, the store is the largest source for interior and exterior home goods in the Hamptons. Linens, soaps, gifts, and cashmere—Hildreth’s has everything.

The Monogram Shop — East Hampton

What’s the Hamptons without a little preppiness? The Monogram Shop—where you can get monogrammed towels, totes, notepads, more—is a must visit, especially for those who want to personalize their beach lifestyle a little. (Their cheeky cocktail napkins, with sayings like “drink”, “Forced Family Fun”, and “Has Anyone Seen My Contractor?” are also perfect for the summer hostesses.)

Bookhampton — East Hampton

Famed art gallerist Larry Gagosian runs Bookhampton, a well-curated book store in East Hampton town. Go to pick up a quick summer beach read by Taylor Jenkins Reid or a cultured art book that will grace your coffee table for years to come.