Historic beachfront community with seasonal living
Founded in 1648 as an English colonial farming village, East Hampton Village still has many historic buildings, but it has changed a lot over the centuries. Homes in the village are among the most expensive in the Greater East Hampton area, thanks in large part to the pristine white-sand beaches edging its coast. “The rich of the rich live here,” says Ed Gaetjens, a licensed real estate salesperson with Saunder’s & Associates who has sold in the area for about six years. “It has absolutely beautiful beaches. There’s amazing shopping, amazing restaurants. It’s just a gorgeous place.” Small local businesses share blocks with high-end brands that would look right at home on Madison Avenue.
Although there’s a core population that lives here year-round, a large portion of residents are here primarily during the warmer months. As a result, the village slows down in the winter, but Gaetjens says it stays active much longer than it used to. “The town doesn’t roll up after Labor Day, by no stretch of the imagination,” he says. “September has been a fantastic month for people to be out here. The beaches aren’t crowded, the water is still very, very swimmable, very warm. Then it kind of bleeds into October and November. People shut down their pools in September, but they’re not shutting down their homes until the first of the year. So January, February and March are kind of slow out here.”
Beaches on the Atlantic, hiking farther inland
For much of the year, East Hampton’s beaches are the place to be. “I love going to the beach,” says Joseph Van Asco, a licensed real estate salesperson at Douglas Elliman who lives in the Greater East Hampton area. “I drive my truck on the beach with a grill in the back and my kids and a board, and we hang out on the beach. I’d do that every day if I could. That’s the eventual goal for every day, is how close to the water can I get today? In the water, if you’re lucky.” East Hampton Main Beach is gorgeous, with soft sand, public restrooms, lifeguards and parking, though visitors will need a residential permit in summer. It’s a popular place to swim, go bodyboarding or just relax in the sun. There’s also a lifeguard on duty during summers at Two Mile Hollow Beach.
Behind Wiborg Beach, which is popular among beginner surfers, the literally named Highway Behind the Pond offers a great bike ride along Hook Pond to Main Street. East Hampton Duck Pond is a popular place to walk, and true to its name, it’s full of ducks — some say that lucky visitors could even spot the local beaver. “There are a lot more places to hike and bike in East Hampton,” says Kelly DiJorio, a local real estate agent with Daniel Gale Sotheby’s International. “There are lots of winding roads and hills closer to Sag Harbor.” Maidstone Club also offers members access to its golf course, tennis courts, swimming pool and a private section of beach. The East Hampton YMCA is a nice family-friendly destination for rainy days.
Most homes start around $5 million
A few modern-style homes are scattered along the periphery of the village, but most homes follow more traditional architectural styles, especially various types of colonials. Traditional colonials, Dutch Colonials and Colonial Revivals are all common, even among newly built homes, but there are also a few Cape Cods, ranch-style and saltbox houses. Many older and new homes alike have wood shingle siding. A three-bedroom townhouse in the village can occasionally sell for $2 million, but most houses start at $5 million. Depending on a home’s size, renovation status and proximity to the water, $10 million could net buyers a house with anywhere from six to 12 bedrooms, though $25 million isn’t an uncommon price either. “Things on the beach can be $150 million,” Gaetjens says. The CAP Index crime score is 3 out of 10. The national average is 4.
Summer concerts on the beach
“The Hamptons is really known for its great music scene in the summer,” says Michael Petersohn, a licensed real estate salesperson at Brown Harris Stevens who has lived and sold in the area for 25 years. “East Hamptons in general has free concerts on the ocean every Tuesday night from June to September. You can get a lobster roll, a glass of wine, hang out on the beach. It’s free, parking’s free.” Even after life quiets down for winter, Gaetjens says that there are a few events for locals, including a polar plunge on New Year’s that raises money for the East Hampton Food Pantry.
Dining and high-end shopping along Main Street
The shops and restaurants lining East Hampton’s little village center have a distinct colonial appearance on the outside, but inside they showcase the best the 21st century has to offer. Sam’s is a local, family-owned restaurant that has served pizza to residents for nearly 80 years. “That’s a place locals love to go to,” Gaetjens says. Across the street, Cittanuova is another popular choice, with outdoor seating when the weather is nice, and Hampton Chutney Co. offers Indian crêpes called dosas. It wouldn’t be the beach without ice cream and places like A La Mode Shoppe, which began on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. “The town itself has the most high-end shops of all the Hamptons,” DiJorio says. Boutiques like alice + olivia offer high-end summer clothing alongside name brand shops like lululemon, Ralph Lauren and Reformation. BookHampton is a popular bookstore, and surf shops like Khanh Sports cater to paddlers, bikers and wave riders. Regal UA East Hampton makes it easy to finish up an evening in town with a movie. An upscale Stop & Shop offers groceries close to home.
Extracurriculars at East Hampton High
Niche gives the East Hampton Union Free School District an A and lists it among the top 10 districts in Suffolk County. Children can attend John M. Marshall Elementary and East Hampton Middle School, which both ear A-minuses, before moving on to East Hampton High School. East Hampton High has an A and offers robotics, model UN and astronomy clubs.
Commuting on Montauk Highway, East Hampton LIRR
Montauk Highway, which is called Main Street in the primary part of the village, runs right through East Hampton. The East Hampton Long Island Rail Road station takes commuters to Penn Station in about three hours and to Montauk in about 25 minutes.
Photography Contributed By
Lia Jones
