I’m always looking for great places to visit within driving distance, especially during the summer when there is so much to do in the Northeast.  This past weekend I took a trip to Montauk, which took us two and a half hours from NYC, leaving on Friday around 9pm and coming back Sunday around the same time.  We really lucked out and did not hit any traffic, so if you hate sitting in a parking lot, you may want to leave at those times.

We stayed at the moderately priced Ocean Colony Beach and Tennis Club, one of the Dunes properties, which was perfect for our weekend stay.  Our room was a studio suite with an efficiency kitchen, living and dining area, so you had all of the amenities of home if you wanted to cook your own food or bring home some leftovers. Each suite has a private terrace with chairs.   They also offer  larger suites for families or friends who want to getaway together.  We overlooked the pool which was a nice size for swimming laps or just hanging out and not feeling overcrowded.  The resort has two tennis courts, but probably the most appealing feature is its 400 foot private beach.  The waves were really high and there was a rip current, but we still enjoyed throwing the frisbee around and swimming for a little while.   

There are some great seafood restaurants in Montauk, overlooking the harbor or the ocean,  others in town, and if you prefer, there are fish markets like St. Peter’s Catch where you pick your fish, have them  cook it, and you can enjoy it on their picnic tables outside or bring it to the beach.  The food at St. Peter’s was delicious and they have a great lobster lunch special for $15.99.  Another great restaurant was the Fishbar, but the wait can be really long, so if you have a lot of time, you’ll appreciate the good food, but if you are not in the mood to wait for over an hour, there are other good restaurants as well.  Gosmans Dock is a popular one on the harbor, but we didn’t eat there.  In town, Shagwong has been a staple with locals and tourists for over 40 years and John’s Drive-In has great homemade ice cream!  Fudge n’  Stuff has 30 flavors of homemade fudge and fresh chocolates made daily on the premises, so of course, I had to sample some of their specialties as well.

You can see some spectacular sunsets in Montauk and a great spot facing west is the Montauket.  With it’s spectacular cliff side location overlooking Fort Pond Bay, the Montauket is a great place to get a drink and serves lunch and dinner. 

Depending on your interests, you can spend the day relaxing on the beach or you can rent non-motorized and motorized boats such a kayaks, canoes, sailboats, jet skis and waterski boats.  If you’re a kiteboarder, you’ll love Napeague Harbor, one of the most popular places in the northeast for kitesurfing, with 360 degrees of sandy, uncrowded shoreline, and miles of shallow, waist-deep water.  If you’ve always wanted to learn, there is usually someone there offering lessons.  Of course if you’re coming to Montauk, you must climb the Montauk Point Lighthouse, the oldest lighthouse in New York State, situated on the eastern most point of Long Island with views of Block Island.

If you’re looking for a fun, romantic, or family weekend getaway, Montauk is the perfect beach town with a mixture of great restaurants, excellent homemade fudge and ice cream!  After all, what else do you really need?  You may want to visit in the fall, as it’s still beautiful and the resort rates drop, so you can find yourself an excellent deal.