I’ll be visiting the Hamptons for the first time this year. Could you help me come
up with a weekend itinerary that hits all the notes but doesn’t feel too touristy?
The key to the Hamptons is to act like you’ve been going your whole life, even if you haven’t. Here’s how I’d do it.
Saturday morning, drive out early before the traffic makes you question all your life choices. First stops: Loaves & Fishes Foodstore in Sagaponack and Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton. Both are institutions and neither feels touristy because they’re where people actually shop.
Walk around East Hampton Village and stop at Tutto Caffè for coffee and cookies. Afterward, pop into White’s Apothecary on Main Street. It’s an old-school pharmacy that still has the charm of a proper neighborhood shop and is great for stocking up on makeup, pharmacy needs, and cute gifts. Also stop into BookHampton, which was recently bought by Larry Gagosian, but somehow still feels like a beloved independent bookstore. East Hampton itself is mostly name-brand stores these days—which is a little depressing—but these two stops make the walk worth it.
On your way from East Hampton toward Amagansett, pull over at Carissa’s on Pantigo Road right on Route 27. It’s a James Beard–nominated bakery with extraordinary breads and desserts. Do not drive past it. You will regret it.
For lunch in Amagansett, go to Fini Pizza and get the white lemon slice. I am not joking, just do it. Then, walk around Amagansett, which still has real charm and actual shops worth browsing.
For the afternoon, head to Georgica Beach. It’s quieter than the main beaches, and the late-afternoon light there is something else entirely.
For dinner, go to Duryea’s Lobster Deck. Yes, it’s crowded. Yes, it’s cliché. Yes, it’s overpriced. I don’t care, and neither will you once you’re sitting there at sunset with a delicious lobster watching the boats go by. Some things are just worth it.
On Sunday, walk Southampton. It still has the cute mom-and-pop boutiques that East Hampton has mostly given up on. Stop into The Perfect Purse for vintage bags; it’s one of those finds that makes you feel like you discovered something. But leave before noon. The Long Island Expressway on a Sunday afternoon is not an experience anyone needs.
The whole point of the Hamptons is to slow down and pretend you have nowhere to be. Lean into that and you’ll understand immediately why people lose their minds over this place.
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