During the summer and fall, farmstands galore display their bountiful harvests. There are also tennis, golf and horseback riding for those seeking recreation, as well as local beaches and some of Long Island's finest wineries.
History buffs are drawn to the simple workings of Long Island's oldest operating water mill in a community ap-propriately called Water Mill. The mill, ever the focal point of the community, was built in 1644, and was initially used to grind grain into flour for the settlers and feed for the livestock. Later it was used to spin yarn, weave cloth and manufacture paper. At other points in its history it was an ice cream factory, a tea room, a post office and an outlet shop. Today, visitors to the Old Water Mill Museum can work the lathe and learn the art of quilting and weaving at the fully operational mill.
Major Attractions
Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church. Montauk Highway. Built in 1670, the church still holds Sunday morning worship. ( 631- 537-0863)
Bridgehampton Polo Club. Hayground Road. On six consecutive Saturdays in July and August, thousands of sophisticated spectators congregate to watch some of the world's most prestigious and celebrated polo teams compete in a distinctive social and sporting event. (212-421-1367)
Bridge Hampton Historical Society. The Historical Society manages a number of historical buildings in the village. The Corwith House is a two-story home built in 1775 and furnished with items from the Victorian era. Nearby are two barns with turn-of-the-century steam engines, and a building with a blacksmith shop. The complex also features a 1902 jailhouse. Open June-Labor Day. ( 631- 537-1088)
Children's Museum of the East End. Last October, the East End's newest museum was founded on 12 acres donated by Alan and Arlene Alda. Children can explore the history, beauty and treasures of the East End of Long Island. The museum includes a tree house room and an entire village, fire engine and sailing ship; farm stand, fishing and wind science experiments; a "potato birth to potato chip" exhibit, workshops and programs. Open year round. (631-537-8250)
Water Mill Museum. Old Mill Road, Water Mill. Long Island's oldest operating water mill dating back to 1644. The museum features early grain-grinding tools, Colonial crafts, special exhibits, art gallery and craft shop. Open from Memorial Day to mid-September. (631-726-4625)
Parks & Recreation
Mecox Beach. Jobs Lane, Bridgehampton. Southampton Town Beach. 250 feet of beach on the Atlantic Ocean. Lifeguards, showers and restrooms, food stand, volleyball courts, sun deck, overlook platform. Seasonal and daily permit holders. ( 631- 283-6011)
Flying Point Beach. Flying Point Road, Water Mill. Southampton Town Beach. 250 feet of beach on Atlantic Ocean. Seasonal permit-holders only. No daily parking. Lifeguards, showers and restrooms, food stand, volleyball courts. ( 631- 283-6011)
Poxabogue County Park. Poxabogue Lane, off Montauk Highway, east of Bridgehampton. 26 acres, with a half-mile nature walk. ( 631- 854-4949)
Poxabogue Golf Course. Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton. ( 631- 537-0025)
John E. Berwind Memorial Park. Ocean Road, Bridgehampton. Features Beebe Windmill, built in 1800.
Sagg Swamp Preserve. Sagg Road. About a mile of hiking trails maintained by the Nature Conservancy. ( 631- 329-7689)
Foster Memorial Beach (Long Beach). Long Beach Road, Noyac. Southampton Town beach. One-mile beachfront on Peconic Bay. Lifeguards, showers, restrooms, benches, food stand, overlook platform, sand chair (beach wheelchair). ( 631- 283-6011)
Sagg Main Beach. Sagaponack on Sagg Main Road. Southampton Town beach. 1,500 feet of ocean beach. Lifeguards, showers, restrooms, overlook platform, food stand, sand chair (beach wheelchair), picnic tables, volleyball courts. ( 631- 283-6011)
Wineries
There are three wineries located in the Hamptons region, all in the Bridgehampton vicinity. They include Channing Daughters Winery, Duck Walk Vineyards and Wölffer Estate.
For 24-hour information, call the Southampton Chamber of Commerce at 631-283-0402 or www.southamptonchamber.com
Bridgehampton is one of the quieter Hamptons communities. Antique shops, art galleries and restaurants dot the quaint village, named for the bridge built by Ezekiel Sandford in 1686 that connected Sagaponack with Mecox.
ANTIQUE SHOPS
While the South Fork attracts many for its white, sandy beaches, chic villages, restaurants and nightlife, it also bustles with more than 70 antique shops from Eastport to Montauk.
A haven for bric-a-brac, Eastport features over a dozen antique shops on Montauk Highway (Route 27A). Many offer mahogany furniture from the early 1900s, costume jewelry, lamps, artwork and knick-knacks at reasonable prices.
Heading east into Southampton Village and Bridgehampton, more than 20 antique shops display estate furnishings such as period collectibles, rugs, furniture, paintings and jewelry, as well as Victorian toys. Southampton's stores dot the village's Main Street and Jobs Lane, while most of Bridgehampton's shops are found within its mile-long shopping strip.
A left onto the Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton takes you up to the seafaring village of Sag Harbor. This village's whaling history begins at the wharf and leads up through Main Street, with boutiques offering vintage clothing, country collectibles, English furniture, costume jewelry and fine art. Furthest east, Montauk's shops offer similar wares, including furniture, art, quilts, dolls, china, Tiffany lamps and other memorabilia.
For more information, write to the Hamptons Antique Tour at P.O. Box 310, Sag Harbor, NY 11963, or call the Southampton Chamber of Commerce at 631-283-0402.
PICK YOUR OWN PRODUCE
The following list comprises The Hampton's pick-your-own farms. Be sure to phone ahead before making the trip, to check on the hours open, availability and variety of produce.
Hank Kraszewski Farms Route 39 (strawberries), Southampton Bypass, Southampton, and Route 27 (pumpkins), Water Mill, 631-726-4964 - Summer 631-726-5140 - Fall
John Halsey (The Milk Pail) Farms Montauk Highway (apples, pumpkins), Water Mill, 631-537-2565
Listings supplied by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.
History buffs are drawn to the simple workings of Long Island's oldest operating water mill in a community ap-propriately called Water Mill. The mill, ever the focal point of the community, was built in 1644, and was initially used to grind grain into flour for the settlers and feed for the livestock. Later it was used to spin yarn, weave cloth and manufacture paper. At other points in its history it was an ice cream factory, a tea room, a post office and an outlet shop. Today, visitors to the Old Water Mill Museum can work the lathe and learn the art of quilting and weaving at the fully operational mill.
Major Attractions
Bridgehampton Presbyterian Church. Montauk Highway. Built in 1670, the church still holds Sunday morning worship. ( 631- 537-0863)
Bridgehampton Polo Club. Hayground Road. On six consecutive Saturdays in July and August, thousands of sophisticated spectators congregate to watch some of the world's most prestigious and celebrated polo teams compete in a distinctive social and sporting event. (212-421-1367)
Bridge Hampton Historical Society. The Historical Society manages a number of historical buildings in the village. The Corwith House is a two-story home built in 1775 and furnished with items from the Victorian era. Nearby are two barns with turn-of-the-century steam engines, and a building with a blacksmith shop. The complex also features a 1902 jailhouse. Open June-Labor Day. ( 631- 537-1088)
Children's Museum of the East End. Last October, the East End's newest museum was founded on 12 acres donated by Alan and Arlene Alda. Children can explore the history, beauty and treasures of the East End of Long Island. The museum includes a tree house room and an entire village, fire engine and sailing ship; farm stand, fishing and wind science experiments; a "potato birth to potato chip" exhibit, workshops and programs. Open year round. (631-537-8250)
Water Mill Museum. Old Mill Road, Water Mill. Long Island's oldest operating water mill dating back to 1644. The museum features early grain-grinding tools, Colonial crafts, special exhibits, art gallery and craft shop. Open from Memorial Day to mid-September. (631-726-4625)
Parks & Recreation
Mecox Beach. Jobs Lane, Bridgehampton. Southampton Town Beach. 250 feet of beach on the Atlantic Ocean. Lifeguards, showers and restrooms, food stand, volleyball courts, sun deck, overlook platform. Seasonal and daily permit holders. ( 631- 283-6011)
Flying Point Beach. Flying Point Road, Water Mill. Southampton Town Beach. 250 feet of beach on Atlantic Ocean. Seasonal permit-holders only. No daily parking. Lifeguards, showers and restrooms, food stand, volleyball courts. ( 631- 283-6011)
Poxabogue County Park. Poxabogue Lane, off Montauk Highway, east of Bridgehampton. 26 acres, with a half-mile nature walk. ( 631- 854-4949)
Poxabogue Golf Course. Montauk Highway, Bridgehampton. ( 631- 537-0025)
John E. Berwind Memorial Park. Ocean Road, Bridgehampton. Features Beebe Windmill, built in 1800.
Sagg Swamp Preserve. Sagg Road. About a mile of hiking trails maintained by the Nature Conservancy. ( 631- 329-7689)
Foster Memorial Beach (Long Beach). Long Beach Road, Noyac. Southampton Town beach. One-mile beachfront on Peconic Bay. Lifeguards, showers, restrooms, benches, food stand, overlook platform, sand chair (beach wheelchair). ( 631- 283-6011)
Sagg Main Beach. Sagaponack on Sagg Main Road. Southampton Town beach. 1,500 feet of ocean beach. Lifeguards, showers, restrooms, overlook platform, food stand, sand chair (beach wheelchair), picnic tables, volleyball courts. ( 631- 283-6011)
Wineries
There are three wineries located in the Hamptons region, all in the Bridgehampton vicinity. They include Channing Daughters Winery, Duck Walk Vineyards and Wölffer Estate.
For 24-hour information, call the Southampton Chamber of Commerce at 631-283-0402 or www.southamptonchamber.com
Bridgehampton is one of the quieter Hamptons communities. Antique shops, art galleries and restaurants dot the quaint village, named for the bridge built by Ezekiel Sandford in 1686 that connected Sagaponack with Mecox.
ANTIQUE SHOPS
While the South Fork attracts many for its white, sandy beaches, chic villages, restaurants and nightlife, it also bustles with more than 70 antique shops from Eastport to Montauk.
A haven for bric-a-brac, Eastport features over a dozen antique shops on Montauk Highway (Route 27A). Many offer mahogany furniture from the early 1900s, costume jewelry, lamps, artwork and knick-knacks at reasonable prices.
Heading east into Southampton Village and Bridgehampton, more than 20 antique shops display estate furnishings such as period collectibles, rugs, furniture, paintings and jewelry, as well as Victorian toys. Southampton's stores dot the village's Main Street and Jobs Lane, while most of Bridgehampton's shops are found within its mile-long shopping strip.
A left onto the Sag Harbor Turnpike in Bridgehampton takes you up to the seafaring village of Sag Harbor. This village's whaling history begins at the wharf and leads up through Main Street, with boutiques offering vintage clothing, country collectibles, English furniture, costume jewelry and fine art. Furthest east, Montauk's shops offer similar wares, including furniture, art, quilts, dolls, china, Tiffany lamps and other memorabilia.
For more information, write to the Hamptons Antique Tour at P.O. Box 310, Sag Harbor, NY 11963, or call the Southampton Chamber of Commerce at 631-283-0402.
PICK YOUR OWN PRODUCE
The following list comprises The Hampton's pick-your-own farms. Be sure to phone ahead before making the trip, to check on the hours open, availability and variety of produce.
Hank Kraszewski Farms Route 39 (strawberries), Southampton Bypass, Southampton, and Route 27 (pumpkins), Water Mill, 631-726-4964 - Summer 631-726-5140 - Fall
John Halsey (The Milk Pail) Farms Montauk Highway (apples, pumpkins), Water Mill, 631-537-2565
Listings supplied by the Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County.