We’ve left London to visit family and friends in New York, and as expected the Hamptons are as busy and fun as ever. Based at a house in Water Mill, centrally located between Southampton and East Hampton, nearby Bridgehampton and Sag Harbor, we love this area as most of the Hamptons are within easy reach. Here are our tips for Hamptons fun with kids in tow!
Beaches: We’ve been flip-flopping between Sagg Main and Flying Point; both of these have bay sides where little kids can safely splash and bigger ones can spend hours catching crabs as well as ocean beaches with life guards. On Monday nights there is an open drumming session for families, and this gets busy with people bringing picnics and drinks. Day and tourist passes are available. Coopers Beach in Southampton is also gorgeous and offers a snack bar.
Water sports: Paddle boarding and kayaking keeps you fit and cool. They are super fun for both adults and kids and we’ve enjoyed this at Peconic Sports, not far from the town of Sag Harbor. They also offer morning water sports camps for kids with waterskiing, wake boarding and fishing.
Fitness: The best yoga setting ever is One Ocean Yoga on the grounds of Channing Daughters Winery in Bridgehampton, where yoga practice takes place in a tent overlooking the vineyards. Kids are welcome—we’ve seen a few and even brought our teens. Spinning is the fitness trend of choice in the Hamptons, with Soul Cycle studios abound. Teens are welcome, but not younger.
A view of the lawn and vineyards at One Ocean Yoga
Farm Stand Treats: It's hard to drive any length of time in the Hamptons without passing a farm stand offering fresh local fruit and veggies, but some really special stands offer baked goods too! The best fruit pies—over 20 different varieties—are at Fairview Farm at Mecox, and the cinnamon bun at Round Swamp Farm is not to be missed (they also have great prepared foods and salads, perfect for a picnic).
Eats: The hottest reservation this summer is EMP Summer House. New York City’s famed three Michelin-starred Eleven Madison Park has closed for summer and opened this more casual pop-up in East Hampton with an a la carte menu, indoor dining room and patio area with picnic tables and games across an expansive backyard that is great for families. Reservations are exclusive to American Express Card Members. A perennial favorite of local foodie celebrity Ina Garten is Topping Rose House and its restaurant by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. Tip: breakfast and lunch are a treat for families. (We spotted Ina at lunch twice this summer!) We also love the relatively new (opened last summer) East Hampton Grill, and their excellent and enormous Lobster Po Boy. They don’t have a kids menu but portions are large and ideal for sharing.
Culture: The Parrish Art Museum offers an extensive program for families, from workshops and tours to open studio time. It's a fun outing for a rainy day or just for a dose of culture.
As we did, most families stay in houses in the Hamptons but the aforementioned Topping Rose House offers four cottage with two individual guestrooms on the ground floor and a King Suite on the second floor, ideal for families. Centrally located in Bridgehampton, with a pool and full service spa Topping Rose House would be a great starting point to sample a bit of Hamptons life.
Even if you're not in the area, it's not too late to get out and enjoy the last few weeks of summer!
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