The Hamptons

{{Short description|Seaside group of towns, villages and hamlets}} {{Other uses}} {{Use American English|date=May 2026}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}} {{Infobox settlement | name = The Hamptons | settlement_type = Region | mapframe = no | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = United States | subdivision_type1 = State | subdivision_name1 = New York | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Suffolk | subdivision_type3 = Towns | subdivision_name3 = Southampton<br/>East Hampton

| image_skyline = {{multiple image | border = infobox | total_width = 290 | perrow = 1/2/2 | caption_align = center | image1 = Locator map of the Hamptons.png | caption1 = Location on Long Island | image2 = Southampton, New York 04.JPG | caption2 = Southampton | image3 = East Hampton, New York.jpg | caption3 = East Hampton | image4 = Bridgehampton, NY.jpg | caption4 = Bridgehampton | image5 = Montauk Point Lighthouse 2008.jpeg | caption5 = Montauk Point Lighthouse }} }}

'''The Hamptons''' are a group of seaside communities on the East End of Long Island in Suffolk County, New York. The region consists of the towns of Southampton and East Hampton which form the South Fork of Long Island. The area developed from early agricultural and fishing settlements and became a well-known seaside resort and summer colony by the late nineteenth century.<ref>{{cite news |title=Southampton's Beauties; A Charming Region at Its Best in the Summer Months |work=The New York Times |date=May 27, 1893 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1893/05/27/archives/southamptons-beauties-a-charming-region-at-its-best-in-the-summer.html}}</ref>

The Hamptons extend eastward from Westhampton to Montauk. The Atlantic Ocean forms the southern coastline, while bays such as Shinnecock Bay and Gardiners Bay lie to the north. Communities in the Town of Southampton include Westhampton Beach, Quogue, Hampton Bays, Southampton Village, Bridgehampton, Sagaponack, and part of Sag Harbor. The Town of East Hampton includes East Hampton Village, Amagansett, Springs, Wainscott, and Montauk. The Shinnecock Reservation of the Shinnecock Indian Nation is located within the Town of Southampton.

Early settlement and trade linked the Hamptons closely to coastal New England, particularly Connecticut, and these connections influenced town layouts, which in some villages resemble those of New England coastal towns. The extension of direct rail service from New York City in the late nineteenth century led to rapid growth as a seasonal destination, especially in Southampton Village, while other communities developed more gradually.<ref>{{cite news |last=Rutenberg |first=Jim |title=The Battle for the Soul of the Hamptons |work=The New York Times |date=August 28, 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/30/fashion/the-battle-for-the-soul-of-the-hamptons.html}}</ref>

Artists have been associated with the Hamptons since the nineteenth century. Studios, schools, and seasonal artist communities formed in Southampton and Springs, and they remain part of the region’s cultural identity.<ref>{{cite news |last=Johnson |first=Ken |title=Elaine de Kooning and Andreas Gursky in Close-Up in the Hamptons |work=The New York Times |date=August 6, 2015 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/08/07/arts/design/elaine-de-kooning-and-andreas-gursky-in-close-up-in-the-hamptons.html}}</ref> The region also hosts recurring cultural events, including the Hamptons International Film Festival, held annually at venues across the South Fork.<ref>{{cite news |title=Hamptons International Film Festival Brings Hollywood East |work=The New York Times |date=October 11, 2013 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/13/movies/hamptons-international-film-festival-brings-hollywood-east.html}}</ref>

The Hamptons are home to several prominent sporting venues. Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton has hosted the U.S. Open Championship on multiple occasions, including in 1896, 1986, 1995, 2004, and 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=U.S. Open Championship Past Venues |publisher=United States Golf Association |url=https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/u-s--open/past-venues.html}}</ref> Polo and equestrian events are held seasonally, including matches organized by Bridgehampton Polo Club.

The Hamptons are also known for luxury real estate.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Clarke |first=Katherine |date=2025-10-30 |title=The Hamptons Luxury Housing Market Is Staging a Comeback for the Ages |url=https://www.wsj.com/real-estate/luxury-homes/hamptons-luxury-housing-market-comeback-05ddf690 |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=The Wall Street Journal |language=en-US}}</ref> This includes Dutch Colonial and modernist architecture, among other styles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Everly and Monet interior design for families in Washington DC |url=https://www.everlyandmonet.com/blog/hanging-in-the-hamptons |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Everly & Monet Interior Design, Bethesda, MD & Atlanta, GA |language=en-US}}</ref> Michael Haverland, Norman Jaffe, and Blaze Makoid have been recognized as prominent architects in the region.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kellogg |first=Craig |last2=Sinha |first2=Ashok |date=2024-05-23 |title=Sand, Sea and Soul: These Architects Follow Nature |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2024/05/23/realestate/hamptons-beach-house-architecture.html |access-date=2026-02-26 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=pliadmin |date=2024-08-07 |title=Saving Modern Architecture in the Hamptons |url=https://preservationlongisland.org/saving-modern-architecture-in-the-hamptons/ |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Preservation Long Island |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mirando |first=Kelsey |date=2018-04-13 |title=An Inspiring Contemporary Home in the Hamptons with Nothing to Hide |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/blaze-makoid-sag-harbor-contemporary |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Architectural Digest |language=en-US}}</ref>

Although known as a resort area, the Hamptons retain active farms and vineyards. The population increases sharply during the summer months and declines in winter, giving the region a strongly seasonal character.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Taylor |first=Elise |date=2025-07-02 |title=The Bougie Farmstands and Markets of the Hamptons, Explained |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/the-bougie-farm-stands-and-markets-of-the-hamptons-explained |access-date=2026-02-26 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Transportation== The Hamptons are connected to New York City and the rest of Long Island by road, rail, and bus service. Major roadways include Montauk Highway and Sunrise Highway. Passenger rail service is provided by the Long Island Rail Road via the Montauk Branch, with limited year-round service and expanded seasonal schedules.<ref>{{cite web |title=Montauk Branch Timetables |publisher=Long Island Rail Road |url=https://new.mta.info/schedules}}</ref>

Private coach bus operators, including Hampton Jitney and Hampton Luxury Liner, provide frequent service between New York City and communities throughout the Hamptons. Local bus routes operated by Suffolk County serve connections within the region.

==In popular culture== ===Media=== Hamptons, founded in 1978, serves as the region's flagship luxury lifestyle print publication, covering the East End communities from Westhampton to Montauk.

===Film=== The Hamptons have frequently been depicted in film as a setting associated with wealth, leisure, and social exclusivity.

* The 1975 documentary ''Grey Gardens'' portrays the reclusive relatives of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis living in a decaying East Hampton mansion, becoming one of the most influential American documentaries. * Several films by Woody Allen, including ''Annie Hall'' (1977), ''Interiors'' (1978), and ''Blue Jasmine'' (2013), feature the Hamptons as a vacation destination for affluent New Yorkers. * The black comedy thriller ''Deathtrap'' (1982), based on the play by Ira Levin, is largely set in a house in East Hampton. * ''Something’s Gotta Give'' (2003) depicts a late-life romance unfolding at a Hamptons beach house. * Several films have used Montauk as a setting, including ''Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind'' (2004) and ''No Hard Feelings'' (2023). * The apocalyptic thriller ''Leave the World Behind'' (2023) is set primarily in the Hamptons.

===Television=== Television series have frequently portrayed the Hamptons as a seasonal retreat for elite or socially prominent characters. * The sitcom ''Seinfeld'' featured the Hamptons prominently in the episode "The Hamptons". * The medical comedy-drama ''Royal Pains'' (2009–2016) is set almost entirely in the Hamptons. * The drama series ''Revenge'' centers on events unfolding among wealthy families in the Hamptons. * Multiple episodes of ''The Affair'' were set and filmed in Montauk and East Hampton. * Reality television series including ''The Real Housewives of New York City'', ''Summer House'' and ''Kourtney and Khloé Take The Hamptons'' have featured the Hamptons as a seasonal backdrop. * "The Summer Palace" episode of ''Succession'' features a family house in the Hamptons.

== References == {{Reflist}}

==External links== {{commons category}} * [https://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/18/nyregion/real-estate-101-in-the-hamptons.html "Real Estate 101 in the Hamptons"], ''The New York Times''. * [http://www.vanityfair.com/culture/features/2000/08/studios200008?printable=true&currentPage=all/ "Studios by the Sea"], ''Vanity Fair'', August 2000. * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090803212747/http://www.forbestraveler.com/golf/expensive-golf-clubs-story.html "The Most Expensive Golf Courses in the Country"], ''Forbes'' magazine. *[https://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_7530000/newsid_7537200/7537282.stm "Ruffling A Few Feathers In One Of America's Most Exclusive Retreats, The Hamptons"] Tayfun King, ''Fast Track'', BBC World News (2008-08-01)

{{Long Island region}} {{New York metropolitan area}} {{Authority control}} {{Coord|40|53|5.752|N|72|30|3.82|W|type:city(12543)_region:US_source:nlwiki|display=title}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hamptons}} Category:The Hamptons, New York Category:Geography of Suffolk County, New York Category:Tourist attractions in Suffolk County, New York Category:Tourist attractions on Long Island