{"id":93,"date":"2025-05-20T17:04:07","date_gmt":"2025-05-20T17:04:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/caracurated.com\/?p=93"},"modified":"2025-05-21T15:06:33","modified_gmt":"2025-05-21T15:06:33","slug":"montauk-travel-guide","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/caracurated.com\/?p=93","title":{"rendered":"Montauk Travel Guide: Summer in Coastal New York"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Montauk
Montauk Travel Guide: Duryea’s Montauk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Montauk might not be the first place that comes to mind for Midwesterners planning a beach escape. But after visiting, it\u2019s now one of our favorite vacation spots. With its laid-back surf town vibe, stylish hotels, and stunning coastline, Montauk offers that rare mix of cool and cozy<\/em>\u2014like a small-town summer weekend with a coastal upgrade. In this Montauk travel guide, I\u2019m sharing our favorite places to stay, eat, and explore, plus a few travel tips we learned along the way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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HOW TO GET THERE<\/strong> AND GET AROUND<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

We flew into LaGuardia Airport in New York City, rented a car, and made the scenic (and sometimes chaotic) drive out to Montauk, which took about three hours. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip: <\/strong>Plan your arrival carefully! Traffic can be brutal on summer weekends, especially with the surge of people heading to the Hamptons. If you’re arriving on a Friday afternoon, build in buffer time or stop for a long lunch en route. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another option is taking the Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) <\/strong>to Montauk, though you’ll have less flexibility once you’re there without a car. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having a car (and parking!) is key in Montauk. Staying downtown can make the area a lot more walkable, but if you’re planning to explore, see the light house, or enjoy a night at Surf Lodge, it’s best to have your own car on hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

WHERE WE STAYED<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n
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\"Montauk
Montauk Beach House<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

My husband and I love a good hotel situation\u2014give us great design, thoughtful amenities, and walkability to food and drinks, and we\u2019re sold.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We stayed at Montauk Beach House<\/a><\/strong>, a recently renovated boutique hotel right in town\u2014just two blocks away from the beach and walkable to coffee shops, shopping, and restaurants. Our room opened onto a private patio by the pool, and we were greeted with a bottle of ros\u00e9 in celebration of our mini-moon!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pool area felt straight out of a Bachelor in Paradise<\/em> set, and we loved biking around town on the hotel\u2019s complimentary branded bikes (and even took them to Surf Lodge one night!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip: <\/strong>Dining in Montauk can get expensive quickly. If you’re staying more than a night or two, consider an AirBnb or house rental<\/a> <\/strong>with a kitchen. Even just having breakfast and snacks at home can help offset the cost of going out!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WHERE WE ATE (AND DRANK)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The Clam Bar at Napeague<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Our first meal in New York was at this roadside seafood shack, where we had our first (and arguably best?) lobster rolls of the trip, along with sweet potato fries, chowder, and slaw that we’re still talking about.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Montauk
The Clam Bar at Napeague<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The Montauket<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Known for its sunset views, this casual, divey spot is a must for pre-dinner drinks. We grabbed beers and ros\u00e9 while watching the sun dip below the horizon\u2014no frills, just vibes.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Montauk
The Montauket<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Sel Rrose<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This spot is undeniably pretty, but service was slow when we visited. If you go, sit at the bar for a cocktail and oysters before hitting another spot for dinner.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Montauk
Sel Rrose<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Left Hand Coffee<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

This became our go-to coffee spot, just a five-minute walk from our hotel. We loved it so much we went back three times. A must-visit if you\u2019re staying nearby.<\/p>\n\n\n

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Left Hand Coffee<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Goldberg\u2019s Bagels<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

I was so excited to try the iconic Spicy Hobo<\/strong> bagel sandwich\u2014egg, bacon, hot sauce, pepper jack cheese, and a crispy hash brown patty all inside a bagel. It did not disappoint!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Duryea\u2019s<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Montauk’s most scenic lunch? This was it. No reservations, so we got lucky and were seated immediately and enjoyed oysters, crab claws, and champagne with waterfront views that felt like a Greek island vacation.<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Montauk
Duryea’s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Surf Lodge<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A Montauk icon! We booked a 6 PM dinner to catch live music, and the vibe was unnmatched. Highly recommend booking an early reservation if you want to stay for the music (and trust us, you do!)<\/p>\n\n\n

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Surf Lodge<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Wave Crave Food Truck<\/a><\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

We met the owner, Steve, at Surf Lodge, and he invited us to his beachfront food truck the next morning. It ended up being one of our favorite meals\u2014breakfast wraps, whale watching, and great conversation. Bonus: Steve was on Hell\u2019s Kitchen<\/em>!<\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Montauk
Wave Crave<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n
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WHAT TO DO IN MONTAUK<\/h2>\n\n\n\n