The Hamptons aren't just for the rich and famous -- discover the best activities and accommodations in this Long Island, New York vacation spot. The Hamptons aren't just for the rich and famous -- discover the best activities and accommodations in this Long Island, New York vacation spot.

The weather forecast calls for 98°F and high humidity for the fifth day in a row. Your kids are cranky and you're tired of hiding inside near the air conditioner. A day at the beach sounds delightful, but is one day ever enough? Why not turn a trip to the shore into a mini vacation? "The Hamptons," a series of towns along the South Fork of Long Island, is close to New York City by car or railroad and is connected to Connecticut and Block Island via ferry boat.

The pricey Hamptons are widely known as a playground for the rich and famous, but the variety of recreational activities and sights make it a really great destination for a family splurge, as well.

A Family-Friendly Southampton Inn

The Southampton Inn (800/832-6500 or 631/283-6500) situated in the heart of Southampton Village at 91 Hill Street, Southampton NY 11968, is a wonderful base for your family weekend getaway. Once a sophisticated couples getaway, it was renovated with families in mind as a combination of country inn and beach resort, with facilities and activities for children and their parents.

The 90 spacious rooms, complete with mini-fridges, are very comfortable and are decorated with charming quilts and pillows. Roll-away beds and cribs are available upon request, and superior rooms with stereos, CD players and sofabeds can be reserved. Be sure to ask about the non-smoking and 14 pet-designated rooms so that puppy or kitty can come along too.

On-site activities and facilities include a swimming pool, volleyball, croquet, shuffleboard, a Cardio Room and tennis courts (lessons from a resident professional can be arranged). A wonderful facility is the children's Gameroom, which attracts toddlers to teens. My 13-year-old son was very happy to find a large-screen TV, a chess board and a billiard table, and have a chance to chat with kids his age.

After hanging out for awhile, they made plans to meet at the pool the next morning. The younger set played happily with stuffed animals, board games, an art table, Little Tykes and Legos. It's really great to have a place to get the kids out of the sun (or a passing shower) for awhile. All in all, a genuinely family-friendly place but please note that a  two-night minimum stay is required on weekends. Children under 13 stay free in their parent's rooms. Babysitters are available upon request.

Exploring Southampton & the Beaches with the Kids

Take a short stroll from the inn and you will find Southampton's pleasant playground with the local duckpond, overlooking Mecox Bay. Note that there's a shop, Rotations (631/283-2890) which rents bicycles. Your young and inexperienced riders may be intimidated by the traffic and Ferraris racing by these quiet lanes, but older kids can certainly bike to the beach with no problem. There are also Rollerblade and surfboard rentals, as well as instructors for hire if you ask. Across the way is the old-fashioned, two-screen Southampton Cinema.

Families with younger kids who plan to stay awhile will want to drop by World Travelers, a fun indoor playspace for ages 3-6. They meet at the local Methodist Church at 160 Main Street; it's a great rainy day option.

Opportunities to go fishing, sailing, surfing, jetskiing, kayaking and sailboarding abound, and the knowledgeable staff can provide information and coordinate trips, tours and lessons and dinner reservations.  Perhaps the biggest attraction is the Hampton's sand and surf, and the Inn provides a convenient shuttle to and from pristine Cooper's Beach, just one mile from the village. The broad, gold sand beach has lifeguards to monitor the potentially rough Atlantic Ocean, restrooms, chair and umbrella rentals and a snack bar.

If you're traveling with infants and toddlers, you'll appreciate the calm, gentle and yes, warm, surf at Flying Point Beach, in the adjoining community of Watermill. This beach is a favorite of locals because it has the Hampton's famous broad gold sand and Atlantic surf, but also is bordered on its eastern end by the calm, warm Mecox Bay. Parents can sunbathe while wathing little ones chase sandcrabs and wade in to the water with no danger. Cars need parking permits so you'll probably want to take a cab there and arrange for it to pick you up later. 

There are many other local beaches to explore, but they do require permits for parking (which can be purchased at the beach or through the Parks and Recreation Department at (631/283-6011).

Main Beach (631/537-2716) on Monauk Highway in Wainscot offers a variety of items such as bodyboards, wakeboards and waterskis, pedal boats, canoes and kayaks for rent. In addition, they offer lessons in surfing, kayaking, kite surfing and wakeboarding.

Babysitting is available through the Inn so you can enjoy a quiet dinner, round of tennis or antique shopping. Also, the area is home to several wineries, such as Duck Walk Vineyards (631/726-7555) on Montauk Highway  open for tours and tastings.

East End Activities Beyond the Beach

In the event of a rainy day or too much sun, there are plenty of non-beach ways to enjoy the "East End." In the nearby village of Bridgehampton is the the Children's Museum of the East End (631/537-8250) at 376 Bridgehampton/Sag Harbor Turnpike, Bridgehampton, NY 11932. Here, your kids will enjoy the variety of hands-on, interactive exhibits. Nearby, Lynch Links (631/283-0049) is a great place for miniature golf for the whole family.

Nearby Quogue is home to the Old Schoolhouse Museum (631/653-4224), open July 1st to September 1st, which dates from 1822 and displays toys, utensils, farm equipment and other interesting memorabilia.

The area's oldest operating water mill, dating from 1644, is displayed in the hamlet for which it is named, at the Water Mill Museum (631/726-4625) where, in addition, there are demonstrations of colonial crafts.

The Sag Harbor Whaling Museum (631/725-0770) honors Long Island's whaling heritage with displays of whale jaw bones, harpoons and other historical artifacts.

The charming Sag Harbor village is one of Suffolk County's most historic and picturesque. Allow several hours to stroll the Main Street, visit the Firehouse Museum with little ones, have a fish sandwich at the pier, or admire the multi-million dollar sailing yachts which moor at this chic port. From Sag Harbor, car ferries leave frequently for Shelter Island (little to see for non-residents) and from there to Greenport on Long Island's North Fork.

For exciting performances and performing arts activities, check out the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, housed in a beautiful Art Deco-era, 425 seat theatre. Since 1998, the center has been showcasing top-tier music and dance performances and world-class cinema, and for families there is a full program of children's theatre, as well as acrobat, puppetry, ventriloquist and musical performances. Alos for kids, they offer week-long day camps featuring circus perfomance arts, ballet, Shakespeare and musical theatre.

Not too far afield, Riverhead, which is the "fork in the road" between the North Shore and the South Shore, is home of Atlantis Marine World (631/208-9200), Long Island's newest and largest aquarium. Based on the lost continent of Atlantis, its focus is on education and entertainment with over 80 exhibits, some featuring nurse sharks and tiger sharks in a huge tank, as well as many other exotic fish and sea life.

While you're in town, if your kids haven't had their fill of waterplay, visit nearby Splish Splash (631/727-3600), a 96-acre water park featuring a Lazy River tube ride, wave pool, several water slides plus three kiddie pools with gentle slides.

At the easternmost tip of Long Island in Montauk Point State Park stands Montauk Point Lighthouse (631/668-2544). Climb 137 spiral steps to the top of the still-operational, 80-foot-tall, oldest lighthouse in New York. Also in Montauk is the 3,000-acre Deep Hollow Ranch (631/668-2744) America's oldest (since 1658) working cattle ranch, which arranges horseback excursions on trails or along the beach, and horse-drawn wagon tours with Texas-style barbeques and singing cowboys.

If the weather is nice, the young at heart will enjoy Montauk's scenic mini golf course, and an extended visit to Gosman's Dock. Tour the many souvenir shops and ice cream stands on this colorful, touristy pier, while you wait for your name to be called for a table at the ever-popular Gosman's Dock Restaurant. One-hour waits are not uncommon for large portions of their tasty but expensive seafood platters.

With so much to see and do, maybe a weekend getaway on Long Island will become an annual tradition!

The Hamptons' Family-Friendly Motels & Inns

With two- and three-bedroom summer homes renting for over $3,000/week and way up from there, short term visitors should consider a local motel or inn. Reservations for weekends between late May and early September should be made at least eight weeks in advance.

The Ocean View Terrace Motel, Hampton Bays
631/728-4036
Rents "efficiency" apartments with fridges starting at $100/N weekdays, $180/N weekends (2 night minimum, exlcuding holiday weekends). Larger 2 bedroom suites with full kitchens are also available.

The Dune Deck Hotel, Westhampton
631/288-3876
Rooms contain a queen bed and double pullout sofabed. Large, air conditioned rooms with minifridges rent starting at $200/N.

The Beachcomber Resort, Montauk
631/668-2894
Luxury rooms with kitchens and private balconies, all facing the ocean, rent for $215-520/N with a 2 night minimum most weekends during low and mid-season.

Gurney's Inn, Montauk
631/668-2345
Established in 1926, this is the oldest resort in the Hamptons. 109 beautiful accommodations, all with ocean views, begin at $255/N for studio doubles, $265/N for double suites, and $755 for cottages and suites, MAP.

The Inn at Baron's Cove, Sag Harbor
631/725-2100
Within walking distance to the historic area, large rooms with double or queen beds rent starting at $145/N during the week and $255 and up on weekends, with some discount rates for multiple nights; rates increase during the months of July and August.

For more accommodation ideas, see Best Hotels in Long Island.