The Insider's Guide To Hanging Out in the Hamptons*

There's a summer's worth of carefree fun to be had in the fabled enclave. You just have to know where to look

- Kristin Vuković

*Even if You're Not a Celebrity or a Billionaire

I'm standing on Indian Wells Beach in Amagansett on the south shore of Long Island, marveling at the vastness of the Atlantic, watching waves lap and recede. During the depths of the pandemic, I spent hours like this, witnessing the ocean's moods: white-capped waves strong enough to push formidable mounds of sand into the parking lot; tranquil, rolling surf that caressed the shoreline like a long embrace. No matter the weather, my ocean-viewing trips became an almost daily occurrence. Standing on the beach reminded me of the fleeting nature of life, the sands shifting beneath my feet.

Amagansett was our shelter. It was where our toddler daughter spent her first year of nursery school, where we made new and lasting friends with neighbors and fellow parents. As the pandemic eased, we discovered favorite local haunts where we're now welcomed like family.

And now it's time to share that hospitality. It turns out that despite the Hamptons' reputation as the toughest of social geographies to crack, this trio of East Hampton's beachy hamlets-Amagansett, Springs, and Montauk-can feel like home to any visitor. Welcome to the Hamptons.

AMAGANSETT

THE VIBE: WARM-HEARTED CHIC

Long Island's East End boasts a rich farming and fishing heritage; some farms trace back a dozen generations, and its fertile ground sustained indigenous peoples for millennia. Amagansett, despite its upscale evolution, has preserved its agricultural legacy, and one of its pillars is Amber Waves Farm, Market & Café, a nonprofit that aims to unite food and community through education, workshops, dining, and delicious shopping.