Montauk is a Great Escape from New York City

I recently went to Montauk with several friends for a beach weekend. We chose Montauk because we were all familiar with the Hamptons and knew that Montauk tended to be more low key with a better mix of people from all economic backgrounds. We weren’t interested in the Hamptons “scene” so much as being somewhere beautiful and relaxing with nice beaches.

Getting to Montauk takes about 2.5 hours by car from New York City if you avoid traffic. To avoid weekend traffic you must leave before noon on Friday or after 9pm. We chose to go after 9pm and to avoid the LIE entirely. Between travelling on smaller roads and the time, we avoided traffic completely. Returning, we also took small roads, and left around 3pm – this avoided the morning rush of people looking to get out early and the night rush of people who spend all day at the beach. The only traffic we encountered lasted about 40 minutes and was due to accidents and rubbernecking near JFK airport.

We stayed at the Montauk Yatch Club upon arrival. You should get good directions there before you go, because the ones on Mapquest were rather inaccurate. We found the facilities to be lovely, and lowkey and right on the water as promised. Their private beach was unimpressive though. This is a good place to stay if you’re interested in taking boat tours or want the other ammenities they offer, which include 2 outdoor pools and an indoor pool (great since it rained most of the time we were there), fitness center, tennis courts and several restaurants. For going to the beach though I would recommend just driving into town and going to the public beach.

Speaking of the beaches – many in Montauk have no life guard and this part of Long Island has very strong surf and riptides, so please, be extra careful.

The town of Montauk is geared mostly towards tourists, but there are several pubs that also cater to locals that have excellent bar food (burgers, fried clams, etc.). Shopping in town is mostly limited to tourist shops and beach supplies – more upscale shopping can be found in East Hampton and South Hampton, about 30 minutes away.

Other things to do in the area include going on the Montauk Lighthouse tour (it’s the 4th oldest operating lighthouse in North America) and walking along the beach at night or in storms. It’s quite beautiful, but I should emphasize, cold at night or in bad weather. Even if you are travelling at the height of the season be sure to bring warm clothes.

Montauk is also accessible by Hampton Jitney (a bus service) and the LIRR, but if you choose these options you’re best off booking a motel room right on the beach. Be aware that getting a weekend room in Montauk is extremely difficult once the summer begins and some places are often booked a year in advance. My trip was rather last minute and I had to call literally 30 hotels before I could get a room three weeks in advance.

Montauk is an excellent trip if you’re looking for some quiet relaxation and pampering in a non-pretentious atmosphere.