Yea yea….so summer’s unofficially over, I’ll be holding out until September 21st when the calendar tells me it’s official, hopefully we’re in for a few more weeks of warm weather and weekends by the pool, Indian summer??

I spent several weekends out in Montauk this summer.  Since moving to NY, I feel like I’ve gotten a pretty good handle on the other Hampton towns, but this is the first year actually staying in Montauk (me and everyone else who has just recently “discovered” the final frontier of Long Island’s most eastern point). 
 

Six years ago my mom and I took a trip out east, we spent 3 nights in East Hampton and then decided to spend a few nights out on the beach in Montauk.  We ran screaming back to the city (dirty, sandy motel where the sheets didn’t stay on the bed, no decent place to eat, no people to watch).  Boy how times have changed.  Now crowds line up starting at 5pm to get into Surf Lodge on a Saturday night and even the most casual dive bars require greasing the palm of the bouncer for speedy entry.  Every weekend I must have heard at least one local or long time Montauk vacationer complain about what has become of the place! 
 

Us New Yorkers need the escape from the city on summer weekends, my question is why travel 3+ hours to line up and pay to get into a sweaty, crowded bar when one could certainly do that in the city on any given weekend?? 
 

My preference is to get out there and enjoy the outdoors, make the most of the BBQ, great friends, wine-fueled dinners with the freshest seafood and produce, early morning walks, beach time, and bike rides.  All things that are just that much better outside of our dear city. 

A few of my favorite discoveries and adventures from my weekends out east……

Morning walks in Shadmoor State Park

The “other” lobster roll joint on highway 27

Clam Bar lobster rolls and Rosé

Pink skies at night….

Sunset at Navy Beach

Minutes old lobsters from St. Peter’s Catch