The Hamptons, part of the

East End The East End of London, often referred to within the London area simply as the East End, is the historic core of wider East London, east of the Roman and medieval walls of the City of London and north of the River Thames. It does not have uni ...

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...

, consist of the

towns A town is a human settlement. Towns are generally larger than villages and smaller than cities, though the criteria to distinguish between them vary considerably in different parts of the world. Origin and use The word "town" shares an ori ...

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

and East Hampton, which together comprise the South Fork of Long Island, in

Suffolk County, New York Suffolk County () is the easternmost county in the U.S. state of New York. It is mainly located on the eastern end of Long Island, but also includes several smaller islands. According to the 2020 United States census, the county's populatio ...

. The Hamptons are a popular

seaside resort A seaside resort is a resort town, town, village, or hotel that serves as a Resort, vacation resort and is located on a coast. Sometimes the concept includes an aspect of official accreditation based on the satisfaction of certain requirements, suc ...

and one of the historical

summer colonies The term summer colony is often used, particularly in the United States, to describe well-known resorts and upper-class enclaves, typically located near the ocean or mountains of New England or the Great Lakes. In Canada, the term cottage countr ...

of the

northeastern United States The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...

. The

Montauk Branch The Montauk Branch is a rail line owned and operated by the Long Island Rail Road in the U.S. state of New York. The branch runs the length of Long Island, 115 miles (185 km) from Long Island City on the west to Montauk on the east. How ...

of the

Long Island Rail Road The Long Island Rail Road , often abbreviated as the LIRR, is a commuter rail system in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, stretching from Manhattan to the eastern tip of Suffolk County, New York, Suffolk Co ...

, the

Montauk Highway Montauk Highway is an east–west road extending for across the southern shore of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York, in the United States. It extends from the Nassau County line in Amityville, where it connects to Merrick Road, to Montauk ...

, and private bus services connect the Hamptons to the rest of Long Island and to New York City, while ferries provide connections to

Shelter Island, New York Shelter Island is an island town in Suffolk County, New York, United States, near the eastern end of Long Island. The population was 3,253 at the 2020 census. Geography Shelter Island is nestled between the North and South Forks of Long Island. ...

and Connecticut. Stony Brook University's Southampton campus is located in the Hamptons.

West to east

The Hamptons include the following hamlets and villages in the town of

: * Eastport (hamlet) * Speonk (hamlet) * Remsenburg (hamlet) * Westhampton (hamlet) * West Hampton Dunes (village) *

Westhampton Beach Westhampton Beach is an incorporated village in the Town of Southampton, in Suffolk County, on the South Shore of Long Island, in New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 1,721. History The village of Westhampto ...

(village) *

Quogue Quogue () is a village in the Town of Southampton in Suffolk County, on the South Fork of Long Island, in New York, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 967, down from 1,018 at the 2000 census. Geography Acc ...

(village) * East Quogue (hamlet) * Hampton Bays (hamlet) **Places of Interest: Shinnecock Bay * Shinnecock Hills (hamlet) *

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

(village) *

Water Mill A watermill or water mill is a mill that uses hydropower. It is a structure that uses a water wheel or water turbine to drive a mechanical process such as milling (grinding), rolling, or hammering. Such processes are needed in the production o ...

(hamlet) * Bridgehampton (hamlet) * Sagaponack (village) *

Sag Harbor Sag Harbor is an incorporated village in Suffolk County, New York, United States, in the towns of Southampton and East Hampton on eastern Long Island. The village developed as a working port on Gardiner's Bay. The population was 2,772 at the 2 ...

(village, shared with East Hampton) The Hamptons include the following hamlets and villages in the town of East Hampton: 285-E-Montauk-Hwy-Hampton-Bays-large-003-4-Aerial-View-1334x1000-72dpi

285-E-Montauk-Hwy-Hampton-Bays-large-003-4-Aerial-View-1334x1000-72dpi

(village, shared with Southampton) * Wainscott * East Hampton (village) * Northwest Harbor * Springs *

Amagansett Amagansett is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet by the same name in the Town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States, on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the 2010 United States Census, t ...

* Montauk The

Shinnecock Reservation Shinnecock Reservation is a Native American reservation for members of the Shinnecock Indian Nation in the town of Southampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is the furthermost east of the two Native American reservations in Suff ...

of the

Shinnecock Indian Nation The Shinnecock Indian Nation is a federally recognized tribe of historically Algonquian-speaking Native Americans based at the eastern end of Long Island, New York. This tribe is headquartered in Suffolk County, on the southeastern shore. Sin ...

lies within the borders of the Town of Southampton, adjoining Shinnecock Hills and the Village of Southampton.

Places

These areas constitute the core vacation area of the east end of Long Island.

Description

The Hamptons are home to many communities. Historically, it has been devoted to agriculture and fishing. Many farms are still in operation in the area. There are three commercial vineyards operating in the Hamptons as well. Given the area's geographic location, it maintained strong commercial and social links to New England and the nearby states of Connecticut and Rhode Island. Many of the original settlers were from and most of the trade links were with communities in Connecticut. Indeed, much of the older architecture and aesthetics of the villages in the Hamptons resemble New England. This is especially true for Sag Harbor Village and East Hampton Village. Once direct rail links to New York City were established, the community of summer vacation residents expanded significantly. The Village of Southampton, which is the oldest of the Hamptons and the most westward of the villages in the core area of the Hamptons, grew rapidly. It remains the largest and most diverse of the Hamptons' towns. The other villages and hamlets grew at a slower rate over time. The agriculture community became supplemented by artisans and professionals (mainly in Southampton Village and Sag Harbor Village), and then by a large influx of artists. As a result, the arts community in the Hamptons has origins extending back to the nineteenth century. The Art Village in Southampton and the community of Springs in East Hampton town hosted a number of resident artists and art schools (e.g., the Shinnecock Hills Summer School founded by

William Merritt Chase William Merritt Chase (November 1, 1849October 25, 1916) was an American painter, known as an exponent of Impressionism and as a teacher. He is also responsible for establishing the Chase School, which later would become Parsons School of Design. ...

Current profile

The villages and the hamlets are distinguished by how their significant population increases during the summers, although the Hamptons have increasingly become year-round destinations for New Yorkers seeking a refuge on weekends. Residential real estate prices in the Hamptons rank among the highest in the U.S., and, as of 2015, the real estate market was very strong with prices rising for both home buyers and sellers, as well as for rentals. Historically, real estate south of Route 27 ("south of the highway"), the main transportation artery in the Hamptons, was more highly valued. Land south of Route 27 is closer to the ocean, and the road served as a marker for social standing and land valuation. The most expensive neighborhoods lie south of the highway, and most of all in the so-called Estate Areas of Southampton Village, Water Mill, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack and East Hampton Village. Notable streets include Ox Pasture Road, Halsey Neck Lane, Coopers Neck Lane and First Neck Lane in Southampton Village and Lee Avenue and West End Road in East Hampton Village. Oceanfront property commands a high premium over other real estate. The oceanfront streets in Southampton Village (Gin Lane and Meadow Lane) and East Hampton Village (Lily Pond Lane, Further Lane and West End Road) rank among the most expensive roads in the country. Meadow Lane in Southampton Village is sometimes referred to as "Billionaire's Lane". Sagaponack,

, and Bridgehampton were cited by ''

Business Week ''Bloomberg Businessweek'', previously known as ''BusinessWeek'', is an American weekly business magazine published fifty times a year. Since 2009, the magazine is owned by New York City-based Bloomberg L.P. The magazine debuted in New York City ...

'' magazine as being the first, sixth, and eighth most expensive ZIP codes in the nation, respectively."Most Expensive U.S. Small Town: Sagaponack, N.Y."
article by Venessa Wong in Bloomberg ''Business Week'' January 19, 2010 In 2015, according to ''

Business Insider ''Insider'', previously named ''Business Insider'' (''BI''), is an American financial and business news website founded in 2007. Since 2015, a majority stake in ''Business Insider''s parent company Insider Inc. has been owned by the German publ ...

'', the 11962 ZIP code encompassing Sagaponack, within

, was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., by real estate-listings site Property Shark, with a median home sale price of $5,125,000. In 2016, according to ''

'', the 11962 ZIP code encompassing Sagaponack, within Southampton, was listed as the most expensive in the U.S., with a median home sale price of $8.5 million. Amenities in the area include the Southampton Arts Center, the Southampton Cultural Center, the

Pollock-Krasner House and Study Center In November 1945, Jackson Pollock and his wife Lee Krasner moved to what is now known as the Pollock-Krasner House and Studio in Springs in the town of East Hampton on Long Island, New York. The wood-frame house on with a nearby barn is ...

in Springs; the

Parrish Art Museum The Parrish Art Museum is an art museum designed by Herzog & de Meuron Architects and located in Water Mill, New York, whereto it moved in 2012 from Southampton Village. The museum focuses extensively on work by artists from the artist colony of t ...

and the Watermill Center in Water Mill; the Guild Hall, a museum and theater, in East Hampton. In the sporting world, the region's golf courses are very highly regarded. The private golf clubs in Southampton are among the most exclusive and expensive in the nation. Those courses include the

National Golf Links of America National may refer to: Common uses * Nation or country ** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen Places in the United States * National, Maryland, ce ...

, the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, and the

Sebonack Golf Club Sebonack Golf Club is a private golf course in Southampton, New York, located on the Great Peconic Bay on Long Island. Opened in 2006, the course was designed by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Doak and is adjacent to the National Golf Links of America a ...

. These golf clubs are currently ranked 8th, 4th and 41st within the United States by Golf Digest. There is also the

Maidstone Club The Maidstone Club is a private country club on the Atlantic Ocean in the village of East Hampton, New York. Maidstone has both an 18-hole and nine-hole private golf course. History The Club derives its name from the original name for East Ha ...

in East Hampton, ranked 72nd by Golf Digest. Other private clubs include The Bathing Corporation of Southampton, the Southampton Bath and Tennis Club, and the Meadow Club in Southampton Village. In 2019, according to Tim Davis and

The Financial Times The ''Financial Times'' (''FT'') is a British daily newspaper printed in broadsheet and published digitally that focuses on business and economic current affairs. Based in London, England, the paper is owned by a Japanese holding company, Nikk ...

, home prices in The Hamptons fell 19.3 per cent in the first quarter while the median sale price of a single family home was $860,000. The locals blamed Donald Trump's tax changes for deterring wealthy buyers in 2019.

History

The Hamptons' history as a dwelling place for the

wealthy Wealth is the abundance of valuable financial assets or physical possessions which can be converted into a form that can be used for transactions. This includes the core meaning as held in the originating Old English word , which is from an I ...

dates from the late nineteenth century when the community changed from a farming community with good potato ground to a popular destination. In 1893 ''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' wrote: As of 2015, commercial and point residential development has been ongoing, and the Hamptons continued to be a vacation spot for the wealthy. The Hamptons have also become a notable place for prominent members of the

LGBT community The LGBT community (also known as the LGBTQ+ community, GLBT community, gay community, or queer community) is a loosely defined grouping of lesbian, gay men, gay, bisexuality, bisexual, transgender, and other queer individuals united by a comm ...

. Beaches in the

Southeastern United States The Southeastern United States, also referred to as the American Southeast or simply the Southeast, is a geographical region of the United States. It is located broadly on the eastern portion of the southern United States and the southern por ...

have been referred to as "The Hamptons of the South", including

Figure Eight Island Figure Eight Island is a barrier island in the U.S. state of North Carolina, just north of Wrightsville Beach, widely known as an affluent summer colony and vacation destination. The island is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Area, and lies ...

in North Carolina,

Hilton Head Island Hilton Head Island, sometimes referred to as simply Hilton Head, is a South Carolina Lowcountry, Lowcountry resort town and barrier island in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. It is northeast of Savannah, Georgia, and southwest of C ...

and Kiawah Island in South Carolina, and South Walton in Florida.

Media

Dan's Papers ''Dan's Papers'' is a free weekly lifestyle publication in the Hamptons, Long Island, New York, USA, founded by Dan Rattiner.The first of the papers that would later collectively come to be known as ''Dan's Papers'' was the ''Montauk Pioneer'', ...

, which originally began as the ''Montauk Pioneer'' on July 1, 1960, is published by Schneps Media.

Transportation

The Hamptons are connected to New York City and the rest of Long Island by a series of roadways (most notable of which are Route 27A, also known as Montauk Highway, and Route 27, also known as Sunrise Highway), rail service, and bus service. There are also several small airports throughout the Hamptons which offer both private and commercial service on small aircraft and helicopters. The

provides limited rail service seven days per week via the

connecting towns and hamlets in the Hamptons to Montauk and New York City. Hampton Jitney and Hampton Luxury Liner coach bus services provide slightly more frequent passenger travel between New York City and the Hamptons, especially during summer months. Local Suffolk County buses also provide service to neighboring areas.

In popular culture

In films

* The 1975 documentary ''

Grey Gardens ''Grey Gardens'' is a 1975 American documentary film by Albert and David Maysles. The film depicts the everyday lives of two reclusive, upper-class women, a mother and daughter both named Edith Beale, who lived in poverty at Grey Gardens, a ...

'' follows the eccentric aunt and cousin of

Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy Jacqueline Lee Kennedy Onassis ( ; July 28, 1929 – May 19, 1994) was an American socialite, writer, photographer, and book editor who served as first lady of the United States from 1961 to 1963, as the wife of President John F. Kennedy. A pop ...

in a home in great disrepair located in East Hampton. * Characters in ''

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' (also simply known as ''Eternal Sunshine'') is a 2004 American romantic science fiction drama film written by Charlie Kaufman, directed by Michel Gondry, and starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet. P ...

'' visit Montauk in the subconscious. * Filmmaker

Woody Allen Heywood "Woody" Allen (born Allan Stewart Konigsberg; November 30, 1935) is an American film director, writer, actor, and comedian whose career spans more than six decades and multiple Academy Award-winning films. He began his career writing ...

depicts characters visiting the Hamptons for vacations in his films ''

Annie Hall ''Annie Hall'' is a 1977 American satirical romantic comedy-drama film directed by Woody Allen from a screenplay written by him and Marshall Brickman, and produced by Allen's manager, Charles H. Joffe. The film stars Allen as Alvy Singer, w ...

(''1977)'',

Interiors ''Interiors'' is a 1978 American drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. It stars Kristin Griffith, Mary Beth Hurt, Richard Jordan, Diane Keaton, E. G. Marshall, Geraldine Page, Maureen Stapleton, and Sam Waterston. Allen's first ful ...

'' (1978), and ''

Blue Jasmine ''Blue Jasmine'' is a 2013 American comedy-drama film written and directed by Woody Allen. The film tells the story of a rich Manhattan socialite ( Cate Blanchett) who falls on hard times and has to move into her working-class sister's (Sally Ha ...

'' (2013). * '' Something's Gotta Give,'' a 2003 romantic comedy by

Nancy Myers Nancy may refer to: Places France * Nancy, France, a city in the northeastern French department of Meurthe-et-Moselle and formerly the capital of the duchy of Lorraine ** Arrondissement of Nancy, surrounding and including the city of Nancy ...

depicts a couple finding love later in life at a Hamptons beach house. * In ''

Inside Job An insider threat is a malicious threat to an organization that comes from people within the organization, such as employees, former employees, contractors or business associates, who have inside information concerning the organization's security ...

'', a 2010

documentary film A documentary film or documentary is a non-fictional film, motion-picture intended to "document reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction, education or maintaining a Recorded history, historical record". Bill Nichols (film critic), Bil ...

about the

financial crisis of 2007–2010 Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fina ...

directed by Charles H. Ferguson, the film covers a

bird's eye view A bird's-eye view is an elevated view of an object or location from a very steep viewing angle, creating a perspective as if the observer were a bird in flight looking downwards. Bird's-eye views can be an aerial photograph, but also a dr ...

of the beaches and homes in the area.

In television

* Numerous episodes of ''

The Real Housewives of New York City ''The Real Housewives of New York City'' (abbreviated ''RHONY'') is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on March 4, 2008. Developed as the second installment of ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has aired thirteen ...

'' are filmed in and around the Hamptons, where the cast members participate in the East End social life and charitable events and several cast members own (or previously owned) eastern Long Island homes, e.g., Cindy Barshop,

Kelly Killoren Bensimon Kelly Jean Killoren Bensimon (born May 1, 1968) is an American real estate agent, author, the Editor of ''Elle Accessories'', and a former model. She appeared as a full-time cast member on the Bravo (U.S. TV network), Bravo television series ''Th ...

, LuAnn de Lesseps,

Ramona Singer Ramona Singer (née Mazur; born November 18, 1956) is an American television personality, businesswoman, and author. She is best known as a main cast member on the reality television series ''The Real Housewives of New York City'', in which she ha ...

, and

Jill Zarin ''The Real Housewives of New York City'' (abbreviated ''RHONY'') is an American reality television series that premiered on Bravo on March 4, 2008. Developed as the second installment of ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has aired thirteen ...

. (Exemplary

episodes Episodes may refer to: * Episode An episode is a narrative unit within a larger dramatic work or documentary production, such as a series intended for radio, television or streaming consumption. The noun ''episode'' is derived from the Gree ...

include 1.3 "The Hamptons"; 2.2 "Hamptons Retreat, No Surrender"; 2.3 "On Their High Horses"; and 4.4 "Ramona'd".) * In the show ''

Louie Louie may refer to: Arts and entertainment * ''Louie'' (American TV series), by comedian Louis C.K. * ''Louie'' (French TV series), animated series about a young rabbit who draws pictures which come to life * "Louie" (song), by Blood Raw * ''L ...

'', comedian

Louie CK Louis Alfred Székely (; born September 12, 1967), known professionally as Louis C.K. (), is an American stand-up comedian, screenwriter, actor, and filmmaker. C.K. won three Peabody Awards, three Grammy Awards, six Primetime Emmy Awards, an ...

performs a stand up comedy set at a private charity function in the Hamptons with comedian

Jerry Seinfeld Jerome Allen Seinfeld ( ; born April 29, 1954) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He is best known for playing a Jerry Seinfeld (character), semi-fictionalized version of himself in the sitcom ''Seinfeld'', which he ...

. * Reality stars

Khloé Kardashian Khloé Alexandra Kardashian (; born June 27, 1984) is an American media personality and socialite. Since 2007, she has starred with her family in the reality television series ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians''. Its success has led to the cre ...

Kourtney Kardashian Kourtney Mary Kardashian (born April 18, 1979) is an American media personality and socialite. In 2007, she and her family began starring in the reality television series ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians''. Its success led to the creation of ...

and

Scott Disick Scott Michael Disick (born May 26, 1983) is an American media personality and socialite. He is most famous for starring as a main cast member on ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'' and its spinoffs. Disick's popularity on ''Keeping Up with the ...

are the main cast of the show ''

Kourtney and Khloé take The Hamptons ''Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons'' is an American reality television series that premiered on E! on November 2, 2014. The series is the fourth spin-off show of ''Keeping Up with the Kardashians'', following ''Kourtney and Kim Take Miami'', ...

'', that begun airing in November 2014. The show is based on the family spending the summer at a house in the North Sea area of The Hamptons, and features guest appearances from other members of the famous family. *The ''

Castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

'' episode "Murder He Wrote" is mainly set in The Hamptons and the ocean front house

owns there. Castle and Beckett marry at the same house at the end of "The Time of Our Lives".

Other appearances in culture

* In

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

, an iteration of the

Golden State Warriors The Golden State Warriors are an American professional basketball team based in San Francisco. The Warriors compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA), as a member of the league's Western Conference Pacific Division. Founded in 194 ...

' so-called "

Death Lineup The Death Lineup was a lineup of basketball players on the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 2014 to 2019. Developed under head coach Steve Kerr, it began during their 2014–15 run that led to an NBA champio ...

", consisting of Stephen Curry,

Kevin Durant Kevin Wayne Durant ( ; born September 29, 1988), also known by his initials KD, is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one season of college basketball for t ...

Draymond Green Draymond Jamal Green Sr. (born March 4, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Green, who plays primarily at the power forward position, is a four-time N ...

Andre Iguodala Andre Tyler Iguodala ( ; born January 28, 1984) is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The swingman was an NBA All-Star in 2012 and has been named to t ...

, and

Klay Thompson Klay Alexander Thompson (born February 8, 1990) is an American professional basketball player for the Golden State Warriors of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A four-time NBA champion with the Warriors, he is a five-time NBA All-Star ...

, is more often called the "Hamptons Five". The term was coined by

San Francisco Bay Area The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...

journalist

Tim Kawakami Tim Kawakami is the editor-in-chief for the San Francisco Bay Area edition of ''The Athletic'', a subscription-based, sports journalism website. Previously, he was a sports columnist for the ''San Jose Mercury News''. In addition to his print column ...

in the 2016 NBA offseason after the Warriors signed Durant out of free agency. This played off the fact that the other four named players, all part of the original "Death Lineup", traveled with team officials to The Hamptons to meet with and recruit Durant.

References

External links

"Real Estate 101 in the Hamptons"
''The New York Times''.
"Studios by the Sea"
'' Vanity Fair'', August 2000.
"The Most Expensive Golf Courses in the Country"
''

Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also re ...

'' magazine.
“Ruffling A Few Feathers In One Of America’s Most Exclusive Retreats, The Hamptons”
Tayfun King, ''Fast Track'', BBC World News (2008-08-01)
"Hamptons Car services, Hamptons to NYC route"
Hamptonsvipride {{DEFAULTSORT:Hamptons Geography of Suffolk County, New York Tourist attractions in Suffolk County, New York Tourist attractions on Long Island