Happiness is a sunny day, a cold beer, the beach, a boat and plenty of SPF. By this logic, happiness is Memorial Day weekend in The Hamptons.
The Hamptons is a ecclectic destination. The areas of the island range from suburban North Hampton to ritzy East Hampton, and there’s a part of the island to suit all tastes and budgets. Past the tony East Hampton boutiques and endless designer handbags, through Sag Harbor and 6 miles from the end of the island is the town of Montauk – an understated blend of Long Island money and Jersey Shore housewives seeking respite from the chaos of the city and a weekend of bliss on a boat.
I arrived in Montauk just before lunchtime on Friday of Memorial Day weekend.
Destination: Montauk Yacht Club
Goal: A glass of sauvignon blanc under the sun. The wine couldn’t arrive soon enough.
Montauk Yacht Club harbor
Coming off a whirlwind tour of Shanghai, I was eager to relax for a weekend in the Hamptons. While work brought me here, there was time scheduled into the itinerary for relaxation, and the blend of hotel reviews and lounging by the water was fine by me.
Montauk Yacht Club is located off Route 27 East toward the east end of the Hamptons, and is the perfect destination for those seeking fun-in-the-sun summer activities without all the hustle and bustle of East Hampton. The money is the same, but the mood separates the towns. Past the Prada, Chanel, Hermes and lines of Lexus’ in East Hampton sits the understated luxury of the Montauk Yacht Club.
People flock to Montauk for the laid-back vibe of the Hamptons, and Montauk Yacht Club offers something for everyone: charter fishing boats, over 200 boat slips, live music, water activities, restaurants and more than 150 rooms with some of the best beds this hotel reviewer has ever slept in. The hotel was working out some kinks when I visited over Memorial Day weekend (the food menus were still being adjusted and the club was on ‘island time’, meaning everything takes about 15-20 minutes), but the atmosphere was inviting and intoxicating.
Montauk mornings are great for a run or walk, afternoons are filled with shopping and beach time and the evenings are perfect for lounging at the bar or docking boats together for friends. During Memorial Day Weekend, the Montauk Fine Arts Festival, held on The Village Green, features over 10,000 works of art and is ranked as one of the top 20 fine art fests in the nation. While you’re here don’t miss the following:
Breakfast and John’s Pancake House – try the homemade waffles or pancakes topped with fresh fruit and maple syrup.
Ditch Beach – the beach of surfers (and endless sun-worshipers). On a good day, you can catch a wave with the surfers that flock to the sandy shores.
Surf's up at Ditch Beach
Dinner at Duryea’s – Bring your own wine, beer or spirits, and indulge in lobster rolls or fried clams while watching the sunset. The vibe is local – dress in shorts, flip-flops and t-shirts and you’ll fit right in.
Sunset at Duryea's
Saturday night at Montauk Yacht Club - The club hosts live dancing and DJs every Saturday night. The scene is a combination of ‘youth gone wild’ and lazy nights by the bonfire – choose what you like and enjoy your evening.
Bonus: Want fresh seafood? Hop a charter boat from MYC, courtesy of Masterpiece Fishing, and go fishing for the day. The MYC kitchen will clean and cook whatever you bring back (striped bass was plentiful when I was visiting, but if you catch a fish less than 28 inches you’ll have to throw it back).
While The Hamptons is known for its celebrity sightings and late-night revelry on the beach, the tony town of Montauk has its own secluded appeal. Come armed with plenty of SPF and a few changes of swimwear – you’ll want to spend as much time as possible in the sun, and the sun is steamy in The Hamptons. Special kudos to the MYC’s live entertainment – the lead vocalist was backed by a steel drum band and found a way to work Lady Gaga, the Bee Gees, Bon Jovi and Miley Cyrus into her set, proving the point that the MYC is open to everyone.
Happiness
View the entire Montauk photo gallery here.
This blog post is brought to you from one of MYC’s oversized love seats on the outdoor patio. While the Montauk Yacht Club hosted my stay over Memorial Day weekend, the opinions expressed in this post are strictly my own.
