Beaches

🎫 Permit: Suffolk County day fee · Green Key discount; separate 4x4 outer-beach permit

Yes - the big-sky barrier beach; less scene, more sand, and the county day fee beats any village sticker.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker or Passport-app day pass

Worth it if you're already out west — quiet ocean sand and almost no crowds.

🔒 Permit: Westhampton Beach Village permit · $495 non-resident seasonal sold at the gate

Yes - the village’s flagship beach and the friendliest full-service sand west of the canal.

🎫 Permit: Westhampton Beach Village permit

Yes - same sand as Rogers with half the crowd; bring your own lunch.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker · Passport day-pass (Mon–Fri)

Yes — the best value beach on the South Fork, with easier parking and a real snack bar. Worth the extra drive.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker · Passport day-pass (Mon–Fri)

Yes — roomy, full facilities, and an easy day-pass beach out west.

🔒 Permit: Suffolk County day fee · $10 resident / $20 non-resident, Green Key discount

Yes - calm water, cheap day fee, and a beach bar; the family-friendly bay answer to Dune Road.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Village permit · or daily parking fee at the lot

Yes — the easy answer if you're new and want a real Hamptons beach day. Lifeguards, parking, the wide stretch.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Village permit · no lifeguards, no daily lot

Yes, for village-permit holders avoiding the Coopers crowds; day-trippers should go to Coopers.

🔒 Permit: Southampton Town resident sticker · residents only (no day pass)

Yes for families — shallow, calm bay water and a great sunset, but there's no lifeguard.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker · Passport day-pass (Mon–Fri)

Yes — the Water Mill locals' pick, and the crowd is mellower than Coopers. Worth it on a hot weekday.

🔒 Permit: Southampton Town resident sticker · residents only (no day pass)

Yes — wide, calm, and quieter than Mecox, but parking is residents-only with no day pass.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker · Passport day-pass (Mon–Fri)

Yes — the cut is a scene, and the Mon–Fri day pass means non-residents can actually get in.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker · Passport day-pass (Mon–Fri)

Yes — unpretentious, wide, and the locals actually swim here. Worth it if you have a rental permit.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Worth it if you're staying close. Skip if you don't have a permit — parking here is openly hostile to outsiders.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Village permit · $50/day non-resident permit (Mon–Thu) at Lot 2

Yes — the polished Hamptons beach day if you can get a parking permit. Lifeguards, snack bar, the full scene.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Village permit · resident + non-resident seasonal

Yes — quieter than Main Beach with a mellower crowd. Worth it if your rental has a non-resident permit.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Village permit · $50/day non-resident permit (Mon–Thu)

Worth it for a clothing-optional stretch and the calmest LGBTQ+ crowd on the South Fork. Skip for families.

🎫 Permit: East Hampton Village permit · no daily option, no lifeguards

Yes, if you hold a village permit and want the empty stretch; skip if you need guards or restrooms.

🎫 Permit: East Hampton Village permit · no daily option, no lifeguards

Yes, for permit holders who want Main Beach sand without Main Beach crowds.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes — the surf crowd's Amagansett pick, with consistent waves and a young scene. Worth it if you brought a board.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes — walkable from Amagansett village, lifeguarded, and the rare ocean beach with easy food. Worth it for families.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes - calm water and picnic grills make it the town’s best little-kid beach.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit (bay / trustee access road)

Yes for kayakers and a sunset over Gardiner's Bay. Skip if you need a real ocean beach with real facilities.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit (trustee beach road)

Yes for paddleboards, clams, and a seal colony in winter. Skip if you want to sunbathe on a real beach.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes for a quiet family picnic on the bay. Worth it for Springs locals who don't want to fight for ocean parking.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes — the one non-negotiable Montauk stop, even if you just sit on the rocks and watch longboarders for an hour.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Worth it for a quieter Montauk alternative with free parking. Skip if you want the scene — this is deliberately not it.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes for a family day inside the jetty. Worth it because the water is calm and the fishing boats are a show.

🏞️ Permit: NY State Park · $10/car day fee, Empire Pass accepted

Yes - the day-fee loophole: no sticker needed, just $10 a car, and you get a full-service ocean beach.

🔒 Permit: East Hampton Town resident permit

Yes - the walk-to beach if you are staying in downtown Montauk; everything else is a drive.

🎫 Permit: Shelter Island Town permit · non-residents pay a daily fee at the lot

Yes if you're already on Shelter Island. Worth it for calm water and the quietest crowd on the East End.

🎫 Permit: Shelter Island Town permit · non-residents pay a daily fee at the lot

Yes — the Shelter Island sunset spot, hands down. Worth the ferry if you're chasing one great beach day.

🔒 Permit: Sag Harbor Village resident sticker · or walk/bike in (no car permit on foot)

Worth it for a quick family dip in the bay. Skip if you want waves — this is a protected bay beach, not the ocean.

🟢 Permit: No permit needed · free parking (NYS DEC natural area)

Worth it for solitude and kayak launches. Skip if you want amenities — this is a preserve, not a beach day.

🎫 Permit: Southampton Town sticker · Passport day-pass (Mon–Fri)

Yes — the only truly dog-friendly beach on the South Fork in shoulder season. Worth it for dog owners.