New York’s Hamptons epitomize a place preceded by its reputation. This storied collective of neighborhoods, nestled entirely on the south fork of Long Island’s East End (and honorarily, Shelter Island), are known near and far for their celebrity residents, south-of-the-highway sandcastles, and pristine ocean beaches, some of which rank regularly among the world’s best. But of course, you already knew that.
Though seen largely through rosé-colored glasses, the truth is that life in the Hamptons, unlike Balsam Farms corn, is anything but a seasonal affair. The area’s innate draws have long cultured a year-round society, amplified by its shockingly convenient proximity to Manhattan.
