Adventure: The Hamptons
‘When Spring came, even the false Spring, there were no problems, except where to be happy.’ —Ernest Hemingway
I hate April in Vermont. The weather’s wild pendulum swing drives me bonkers, and the energy I waste being elated (‘it’s 80 degrees and sunny today!’) to depressed ‘(it ‘effing snowed again last night’) is too much for my bubble meter. I end up feeling exhausted and gypped of an entire season. Because the energy of a true Spring is so precious, I typically choose April as my getaway adventure month to recharge my batteries after a long Vermont winter, but this year I was unable to fly due to health complications. To pivot, I planned a ‘Seeking Spring’ car trip that included my husband, Jeff, our pug, Trixie, and our mountain bikes.
Trixie is a good traveler and likes the ferry rides with her Mama best.
For the first few days in April, I scanned the weather forecasts of a few choice locations in New England that also had decent singletrack biking available. No surprise—the weather wasn’t looking at all promising—and I despaired, until the idea of the Hamptons came across my radar. I had visited summers there as a kid, and quickly realized that this could be the ideal location to seek Spring. Sunny forecasts, 50 to 65-degrees, and the ocean: we could mountain bike, walk Trixie on the beach, eat at great restaurants, and reasonably book a glamorous home to ride out April’s fickleness. Given the crowds, traffic jams, and attitude, I would not be a candidate for enjoying the Hamptons during high season, but pre-gaming via Spring seemed like the ideal way to experience the Hamptons magic of my youth.
There were lots of places available on Airbnb and we scored a sweet spot in the Mecox area of Watermill, only a seven hour drive, that was smack dab in the middle of all the action of the neighboring towns and beaches of Bridgehampton, West Hampton, Southampton, East Hampton, Sag Harbor, Amagansett, and Montauk.
Cool temperatures, no crowds, lots of snack stops, and slowly easing on the miles turned Trixie into a badass mountain biker.
Our main priority was to enjoy the natural beauty of the area as much as possible and Mother Nature was very kind, sprinkling very few raindrops the entire visit. We started the morning with a summer childhood memory: crunchy sugar crullers from Krieg’s Bakery in West Hampton, enroute to our ride. Long Island is not a mountain bike mecca, but our goal was to joy ride, and to teach Trixie how to join us safely on the trail. Using our trusty Trailforks app, on day one we discovered The Masonville ride, twelve miles of rolling bliss. Trixie cut her teeth on three miles of it, loving every step. We had the trail all to ourselves, and were thrilled with our first foray—who knew a Bugg/Pug could mountain bike? She’s a natural!
To celebrate we visited Shinecock Lobster Co. on the way home for some mega lobster rolls. WOW. I consider myself a lobster roll aficionado—albeit a purist—but even I was impressed with how many ways these Island pros can turn a roll. Jeff chose a well-executed BLT version, while I went for one with both butter and mayo. It was an irresistible idea, but ultimately an impeachable error of excess. While it was delicious, I reaffirm my commitment to Team Mayo. Speaking of lobster salad, how about this batch we saw at The Seafood Shop: Lobster Salad $90/ lb!? I’ll crack my own shells, thank you very much.
On the way home we toured some of Southampton’s serious rubbernecking spots: Gin Lane and Meadow Lane—yes, the homes are mind blowing—then a walk down Job’s Lane retail area. Cooper’s Beach is absolutely stunning, the playground of my youth. A final dessert pitstop at the original Tate’s Bake Shop topped off a wonderful nostalgic tour. Everywhere we looked were signs of Spring: beautiful pots of spring blooms, pussy willows, and bursts of forsythia yellow on a sunny 55-degree day. Heaven.
The next day we headed to Sag Harbor, starting our day at Carissa’s Bakery, a instagramably chic spot filled with people wearing very white Chloé Nama sneakers and Alo nude leggings. Eating artisanal pastries and sipping coffee concoctions in this precious setting felt like hooking up to an IV bag filled with Hampton Vibe drip. A quick seven mile drive north had us tramping Two Holes Pond, a six mile walk of stunning proportions: verdant forest and ocean front, with the Cedar Point Lighthouse at the midpoint. Post hike, we munched on fresh guacamole and fish tacos at KPasos Tacos, and then toured Sag Harbor’s very charming main street lined with boutiques, markets, benches to chill on, and lots of specialty shops. I especially loved the iced coffee at Sagtown Coffee which I imbibed while chatting with other dog owners on their sweet deck.
On Easter Sunday we started our day at Citarella, the delectable gourmet store you will find in each village of the Hamptons. We grabbed some provisions, and then ate a wholesome breakfast at Organic Krush—in earthy Amagansett—en route to our bike ride in Montauk. We parked at Petticoat Hill Trailhead and discovered an excellent ten-mile loop, the Hither Hills trail network, that afforded us spectacular ocean views throughout. Trixie devoured the track and we continued to marvel that the universe had delivered the ideal rescue dog to us.
Post ride we toured the hamlet of Montauk, the relaxed part of the Hamptons. The have an old school style Bake Shop, and an outlet of the Island’s modern chain, Hampton Coffee, right next door to each other so everyone is happy there. On the drive back to our rental home we simply had to stop at Levain Bakery, in East Hampton, for their outrageous chocolate chip cookies—which are too over the top for me, but definitely Jeff’s nirvana. To celebrate Easter, we dined at Topping Rose, a Michelin star restaurant set in a beautifully restored mansion run by Chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. While a bit chilly on the drinks patio, the food was stellar, and a it proved to be the perfect spot for a holiday away from home.
The Hamptons is a scene of unparalleled beauty, wealth, and extremes within a very small radius. To grasp the contrasts, I recommend taking the car ferry over to Shelter Island to explore this low key, not-yet-gentrified-haven. Before you board, stop at the Harbor Market & Kitchen in Sag Harbor and provision a picnic to enjoy on their beautiful beaches. This outing is a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of the Hamptons. To experience the other extreme, go to East Hampton—it’s the hub of the .01% of the one percent, and a walking-gawking tour down Newton Lane is not to be missed. Every high-end shop and restaurant you desire is available in this tiny village, and the people watching is next level. As a counterbalance, the main beach is super beautiful, and you can walk for miles.
While the Hamptons are a luxury vacation destination for many people, they are also the hometowns of families. It’s possible to visit on any budget and thoroughly enjoy the unique vibe of the place—especially in the Spring or late Autumn.
I’m obsessed with ranunculus which was on display everywhere.
Every day of our Spring Fling we enjoyed some version of a mountain bike or hike along with sampling the local eateries and shops, and we never ran out of things to do. The roads are relatively quiet and you can easily bike for miles from town to town; Dune Road was my favorite stretch. Our rental was so nice that we spent and lot of time in hurkle durkle mode writing, working, reading, and recharging. I felt increasingly renewed as Spring burst with the wicking of the mile-high hedges, the ruby magnolia tree’s elegant flowers on parade, and thousands of daffodils in bloom. I have never seen so many landscapers in one place, the teams working non-stop to bring the rows of spectacular homes back to life. I will admit that I used my Zillow app quite a bit, and was perpetually gobsmacked by the value of real estate as we toured around the villages.
Our favorite restaurants were 1770’s House, Sant Amboreus, Almond, Cove Tavern, Topping House, Cowfish, Classia’s for oysters, and La Capannina for the Hampton’s best pizza. Take out from Loaves & Fishes and Citarella helped balance my need or desire to cook.
I’d say that the greatest thing about the Hamptons is their vast selection of public beaches. In the off-season dogs are allowed on the beaches and we hiked one every day for miles. It was so serene and enchanting to be on these vast stretches of solitude—this routine quickly recharged our winter weary spirits. Mecox Beach was our home base beach, but it’s easy to google any village to find the perfect spot.
The four seasons are vital to calibrating our biorhythms here in the North, especially as the birthdays start to rack up; celebrating the season of rebirth is essential to overall well-being. I’m grateful that this opportunity to experience a true Spring was only a car ride away, it’s made a difference in my health and overall attitude. April—I think I DO love you, I think we could be happy—as long as we don’t try to meet in Vermont.
