Fishing
Half-Day Offshore Charter
Montauk calls itself the sportfishing capital of the world and, for once, the slogan holds up. Fluke and sea bass in summer, stripers and false albacore in fall. Boats leave from Montauk Harbor.
Surf · Striper · Lobster · Lighthouse
Where the Island Ends
Montauk sits at the far eastern tip of Long Island — three sides ocean, one road in. Here's what to do when you get here, from people who actually stay through winter.
Read This First
Montauk Is Four Different Towns
The single biggest mistake visitors make is picking the wrong month. The same village that has a two-hour wait for a lobster roll in July is half-shuttered in February. Neither one is the "real" Montauk — but you should know which one you're booking.
Quiet Season
December – March
Most restaurants closed, rooms at their cheapest, the Point at its most dramatic. Bring a real coat. Best for writers, walkers and anyone who wants the beach alone.
Shoulder
April – May
Kitchens reopen, striped bass start moving through, water is still cold enough for a full wetsuit. The best value-to-experience ratio of the year.
Peak
Memorial Day – Labor Day
Everything open, everything full, everything expensive. Book lodging months out, eat before 6pm, and never drive to Ditch Plains after 9am.
The Locals' Favorite
September – November
Warm water, empty lineups, false albacore blitzing the Point, and tables you can actually get. If you only come once, come in late September.
Book Ahead
Experiences Worth the Drive
Surf
Ditch Plains Surf Lesson
A forgiving cobblestone point break that has taught two generations of New Yorkers to surf. Long, slow rights on a clean swell. Lessons and boards are easy to find in summer, harder in May.
History
Montauk Point Lighthouse
Authorized by George Washington and lit in 1796, it's the oldest lighthouse in New York State. Climb the 137 steps for the view, then walk the rocks below where the Sound meets the ocean.
On the Water
Sunset Sail from the Harbor
Because Montauk faces south and east, the sunsets happen over Block Island Sound rather than the open ocean. From the water it's the best two hours of the day.
State Park
Camp Hero & the Radar Tower
A decommissioned Cold War air force station wrapped in bluff-top trails. The enormous AN/FPS-35 radar dish still stands, and the cliffs below hold some of the emptiest beach in town.
Family
Trail Ride at Deep Hollow Ranch
Working land since 1658 and billed as the oldest cattle ranch in the country. Rides go out through the Montauk moorlands and down onto the beach itself.
Short Lists
If You Only Have a Weekend
Opinionated, not comprehensive. These are the places we send friends.
Beaches
1
Ditch PlainsSurf culture, food truck, no lifeguard at the point
2
Hither HillsWide, guarded, campground attached
3
Gin BeachCalm Sound water, easiest with small kids
4
Kirk ParkWalk from town, no parking headache
5
Full Beach Guide →
Navy BeachSunset side, shallow and warm
Eating
1
Duryea'sLobster on the dock, cash-register-shaped bill
2
Gosman's DockThe classic harbor-side institution
3
Montauk Brewing Co.Tasting room in the middle of town
4
The Clam BarRoadside, no frills, worth the stop
5
Full Restaurant Guide →
Inlet SeafoodOwned by working fishermen; it shows
Doing
1
The LighthouseGo at opening or an hour before close
2
Charter a boatBook weeks ahead in July and August
3
Camp Hero trailsBluff loop, then down to the beach
4
Shadmoor bluffsSunrise walk, almost always empty
5
Everything To Do →
Fort Pond sunsetFree, five minutes from the IGA
The Hard Part
Getting Here Without a Car
Montauk is the last stop on the LIRR's Montauk Branch and the last stop on the Hampton Jitney. Both work. Driving on a summer Friday does not — Route 27 east of Southampton becomes a parking lot from about 2pm.
The Montauk Off-Season Letter
One email a month: what's open, what's closed, when the water turns over, and where the crowds aren't. No affiliate spam.
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