The Hamptons are so mythologized in film, music, and literature that they may as well be A-listers’ Neverland.

Defoes Lifestyle Travel Team

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Introduction

The Hamptons

The Hamptons are a holiday place that has been mythologized so extensively in cinema, music, and literature that it is easy to conceive of the region as the Neverland of A-list celebrities. And it’s true, like clockwork, the jet-set crowd rushes to Long Island’s East End every summer in quest of sun and a good time, often in the form of invigorating wellness experiences or booze-soaked parties along the ocean. This is because Long Island’s East End offers the best of both worlds. However, in spite of the luxuriousness that covers (nearly) every surface from Westhampton to Montauk, people are aware that the allure of the community goes well beyond what money can buy or what myth can encapsulate.

With this in mind, we decided to “dip our proverbial toes” into the Long Island Sound by taking a ride out east in a 2022 Porsche Taycan GTS Sport Turismo 20″, which is a fully electric vehicle that combines the excitement of a lightning-fast race car with the peaceful purr of…well, one of those yachts that Hamptonites seem to love so much. As we travelled from one hamlet to the next in search of delicious cuisine and even better company, we discovered that you don’t have to be Jennifer Lopez or Sean Penn to appreciate what the Hamptons have to offer.

There is something for everyone here, from the ultra-chic scenester to the low-key diner, whether you’re stopping by Little Ruby’s at Ruschmeyers for the prettiest avocado toast we’ve ever laid eyes on, strolling along East Hampton’s Main Street in search of a chic find at the (newly opened) Rag & Bone or Balenciaga shops, or closing out the night with a romantic dinner at Fauna in Westhampton Beach. This particular collection of villages is well-versed in the art of staying young at heart, as seen by the magnificent architecture and seaside residences that dot their landscape. In the following, you will find everything that we uncovered along the route, such as the top hotels, restaurants, and experiences that are now being offered this summer.

What Gurney’s has to offer at its 30,000-square-foot Seawater Spa, which has recently undergone renovations by architect Ignacio Alonso, is the most rejuvenating experience that can be had at a beachside spa. The spa was meticulously designed with input from some of the most highly regarded skin and body care specialists in the country, and it features the only ocean-fed seawater pool in all of North America, in addition to various indoor-outdoor treatment suites that overlook the ocean. In addition to individualised facials and other treatments for skin care, clients can purchase products created by celebrity-favorite specialists such as Dr. Dennis Gross. (In particular, the High Performance Facial for 60 Minutes comes very highly recommended by us.) After your treatment, you can relax in the spa’s bathhouse, which has a sauna, a steam room with eucalyptus oil, a caldarium with temperatures of 104 degrees, and a frigidarium with temperatures of 50 degrees.

A summer in the Hamptons is not complete unless there is at least one outdoor concert. The Francis S. Gabreski Airport in Westhampton Beach hosted the third-ever immersive event for the Palm Tree Music Festival, bringing together the festival extravagance and shoreside leisure for a single day only. 5,000 people attended the festival this year, and the headlining act, Kygo, along with supporting acts Haywood Forester, Thomas Jack, Claptone, and Disclosure, welcomed summer.