Montauk Getaway

There is something quietly restorative about a road-trippable weekend away. Whether it’s for a spa-cation, a round of golf on a favorite course, a gourmand’s tour, or all of the above, an easy weekend getaway is just the right recipe to refresh and recharge - without having to deal with airports and flights! It can be arranged on a Wednesday and you can be walking on a beach on Thursday - starting a four-day weekend. It’s a good way to celebrate an occasion - or just to take a break. Long enough to leave the drama and distractions at home behind. …And, particularly in May, the Hamptons are the perfect escape! 

Heading east before ‘the season’ fully arrives means, first, that the traffic will be more bearable. But, more important, the air in May still carries the earthy early-spring mist from the local corn and potato fields. The beaches are just as great as always. …And you can get a dinner reservation anywhere you choose!

Photo: Read McKendree

Last May, I booked a four-day weekend with my fiance at the beachfront Marram Hotel in Montauk. Known as ‘The End’ because of its geographic location at the tip of Long Island’s south shore, Montauk is ‘the end all and be all’ for a fun weekend. Notwithstanding a kind of gentrification, the town has retained its very special kind of beachy charm. Fishing…and surfing…are still a real part of the local culture. …And Montauk in May means the throngs of college kids who sometimes turn downtown Montauk into a bawdy beerfest on weekends in July and August - have yet to arrive!

We headed out on Wednesday afternoon and made it to Amagansett in time for an early dinner at Il Buco al Mare. Il Buco is known for simple, coastal Italian, done exactly right. …dinner was delightful - and I might go as far as to say that it’s the best food in the Hamptons. I especially recommend the focaccia breads (which are really like personal pizzas), the bucatini cacio e pepe, the whole roasted fluke, the Black garlic skirt steak with scallion chimichurri, the crispy cannellini beans, or anything on the raw bar. But you truly can’t go wrong with anything on the menu. 

We arrived in Montauk just as the light began to soften but while you could still feel the warmth of the day. The Marram is located at 21 Oceanview Terrace, just behind the main stretch of town. It has a 1960s ‘Beach Party’ vibe, matched with a comfortable and clean aesthetic. Beachwood textures, soft neutrals, and a quiet, retro sensibility all call to mind a version of beachfront bohemia - that no longer really exists. The rooms are functional, and each has its own balcony facing the ocean. It’s the sort of place that makes you feel like you’re supposed to be there to write something. Or think about something important. Or achieve some greater zen.

Thursday

Without a plan, we started Thursday with a long walk on the beach, had a casual breakfast at Anthony’s Pancake House on Montauk Highway, and then wandered through the Montauk Farmers Market on the village green. The Farmers Market has dozens of local vendors offering everything from just-baked breads to fresh produce - and it’s open every Thursday starting in May. From there, it was on to the iconic Montauk Point Lighthouse. The grounds stretch out over dramatic bluffs, the ocean in constant motion below. Authorized by George Washington in 1792 and completed in 1796, the lighthouse is New York's oldest and the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the United States. We decided to go to Surf Lodge for dinner. It’s a cute spot and has good food. And, on a Thursday in May, it was no problem getting a reservation!

When we got back to the Marram Thursday evening, we headed right out to the beach overlook. We spent a couple of timeless hours watching the stars and listening to the waves break. It was, quite romantically, like being in our own world. 

Friday

Photos: Read McKendree & Heidi Bridge

For Friday, we determined to…do very little! We grabbed snacks from Marram’s cafe and walked to the beach just steps from our hotel room door…and just relaxed all day! And I mean really relaxed - not like at home where a relaxed day is still filled with errands, emails, and the subtle pull of routine. I finished the book I was reading. We must have gone a couple of miles up the beach when we went for our walk. Our pace was set by the rhythm of the waves.

One of the luxurious offerings at the Marram is their full-service beach service. Chairs, umbrellas, towels…all handled by attentive cabana boys. All the pleasure of the beach, none of the logistics - a rarity in the Hamptons, and one that quickly feels indispensable.

We were feeling adventurous that evening, so we took the trip to Sunset Beach, on Shelter Island, for dinner. The drive to Sag Harbor and the ferry across to Shelter Island makes for a pleasant journey in both directions, and Sunset Beach is on the list of all-time-greatest-beach/dining-spots, certainly in the Northeast… but maybe in the world. It’s a chic, St. Tropez–inspired waterfront hotel and restaurant that blends barefoot ease with a distinctly posh scene. Striped umbrellas, flowing rosé, and a terrace that looks out over one of the best sunsets on the East End. While peak summer brings a lively, high-energy crowd, an early-season or weeknight visit reveals a softer, more intimate side, where the coastal European menu of simple grilled fish, light pastas, and crisp salads takes center stage.

Saturday

It was a nice and sunny Saturday morning. …The Marram is located just next to town in Montauk, so a walk into town for coffee in bathing suits and cover-ups was a fantastic start to the day. After coffee we strolled over to the nearby and notorious Ditch Plains Beach - where the local surfers congregate. There’s a special energy and a different pace about the place. It’s communal and cool. We got some snacks from one of the food trucks, and then hung out on the beach watching about a dozen surfers ride the waves. …We even took a dip - to inaugurate the coming of summer!

And then we drove to the dock to catch the fishing charter we booked with Lazybones - recommended to us by Luke Gavigan, who we featured in our September/October 2023 ‘18 Under 18’ highlight, and who’s actually worked summers as a mate on the boat. …I was really more interested in watching for whales, and although prime season doesn’t start until mid-June, we did get a glimpse of two humpbacks breaching a couple of times only a couple of hundred yards from the boat!  …My fiance was entirely focused and quite determined to reel in one of the large yellowfin tuna that are known to arrive early for the summer maritime feast and, although he was not successful in that endeavor, he did manage to hook a couple of groupers and one pretty good size trout - thank heavens!

We got back to Marram at about three, had a bite from the to-go stand - which has a simple, fresh, and tasty offering - and then spent a couple of hours at the Marram’s pool - which overlooks the ocean in a way that feels almost too good to be true. We said we were going to go for another walk on the beach, but laying around the pool and sipping drinks ended up occupying the rest of our afternoon.

We had dinner at the famous Duryea's Lobster Deck. The lobster salad does indeed come with a price tag that invites skepticism… but it delivers. As does the setting. It’s an unmistakably Montauk experience.

We were back at the Marram fairly early and, instead of going back out to the beach lookout like the night before, we gathered around one of the crackling fire pits in the main area of the hotel and enjoyed drinks and smores as a fun nightcap.

Photo: ReadMcKendree

Sunday

6:00 A.M. alarm Sunday morning…to make a 7:40 tee time at Montauk Downs State Park Golf Course. This legendary Robert Trent Jones design will challenge any low handicapper, but the relaxed atmosphere makes it a fun environment for golfers of any level to go for a walk in the fescue-covered hills, bang around some balls, and enjoy the company. …My fiance and I did enjoy the time together…but don’t have any scores we’re interested in reporting.

…And then the drive home…which, on a Sunday in May, wasn’t too bad! We did make pit stops at Round Swamp Farm in East Hampton to pick-up some of their famously addictive muffins and delectable chicken salad to take home, and for a quick bite at the Candy Kitchen in Bridgehampton, before really getting on the road. But it was a breeze on 27, the L.I.E., the Whitestone, and the Merritt, and we were home in time to watch 60 Minutes, unpack, and go to bed feeling totally rested and ready for the workweek to come.

What a weekend! Montauk is ideal! …And the Marram’s combination of pleasant design, their terrific beachfront access and service, the proximity to town, and the gentle and restorative vibe of the hotel…along with a price tag that compares favorably with all other upscale Hamptons lodging…is compelling.