While we were in New York, my cousin invited us to join her and her family in the Hamptons for a day. We decided to go for a quick trip to East Hampton (leaving on the Sunday and returning to the city on Monday) so we would have enough time to catch our flight back home. After a whirlwind trip in the city, we were happy to spend some family time away from the hustle and bustle.

How to get to East Hampton from NYC

We took the subway to Penn Station and got tickets on the Long Island Railroad (LIRR). Our tickets were $20.50 each (one way). We told the agent we wanted the 9:45 a.m. train to East Hampton. The agent gave us tickets to Freeport, with instructions to get off at the Jamaica stop, then take the train heading to Montauk and get off at the East Hampton stop.

Once you get your tickets, stand in the waiting area, pay attention to the board and look out for your track number. For example, if taking the train to Freeport, pay attention until your track number is displayed beside Freeport (it’s pretty easy). The track numbers are not displayed until right before departure time. Make sure you hold on to your ticket for your connection in Jamaica.

The train ride is three hours and was quite pleasant with beautiful scenery along the way. Our connecting Montauk train from Jamaica to East Hampton was very crowded as it was Memorial weekend. Once we got to East Hampton, our cousin picked us up from the train station.

Side note: you can also rent a car and drive to the Hamptons.

Relax on Main Beach

We did a quick change of clothes and headed to Main beach for a relaxing day.

We had lunch on the beautiful beach. Even though the weather was wonderful, the water was too cold to go in the sea. So we relaxed on the beach while the children built sandcastles.

Drive through East Hampton Village

After spending the entire day on the beach, we drove through East Hampton Village. East Hampton is a quaint little village, with lots of cute stores and restaurants. This village has a lot of character. I regret not having enough time to explore it more. Next time, we will take a proper stroll through the village.

After our lovely drive, we headed home and ended the day with a wonderful barbecue dinner and quality family time. We spent the night and then took the train back to the city the following day.

If you are in New York, and you have time, I highly recommend taking a quick trip to the Hamptons like we did. The train makes it really easy to get there. There is quite a selection of guesthouses, bed and breakfasts, and hotels for accommodations. Also, keep in mind that there are many other parts in the Hamptons, such as Westhampton, South Hampton, Bridgehampton, Hampton Bays, and Montauk, so do your research and take your pick!

We will definitely return to East Hampton to check out other beaches and spend more time in this quaint and charismatic village.

Check out my post on 2 Days in New York – What to do in NYC!