From chic retreats to delish restaurants, Long Island’s famed beach towns make it fun to be well.
Though known for its boldface-name regulars and impossible-to-get reservations, the Hamptons has become so much more. A staple escape for affluent New Yorkers and a draw for discerning beachgoers everywhere, the East End of Long Island also offers up a lifestyle that emphasizes looking good and feeling good, making it the ultimate wellness destination in the tri-state area.
Read more about the latest travel destinations
and experiences in The Agency Magazine.
Stay
Renting a house, or even doing a “share house,” is commonplace in the Hamptons and can often be the best way to go. (Contact The Agency’s Hamptons office if you’d rather take over a residence than walk through a lobby every time you head out on the town.) If a hotel is your jam, a handful of wellness-focused retreats have new additions or renovations. Shou Sugi Ban House, in Water Mill, opened with just 13 studio rooms, but now the five-acre hideaway has added a five-bedroom bed-and-breakfast, plus two plush residences for longer stays.
In Bridgehampton, Topping Rose House is set inside a 19th-century Greek Revival mansion, which has a working farm on-site, and has been welcoming a rotating roster of wellness brands and experts.
The first full season of the Pridwin Hotel and Cottages, in Shelter Island, began in April 2023, after longtime owners and locals the Petrys opted to refresh the almost eight-acre property on this sleepy island that’s only accessible by ferry. There are now 16 new cottages sprinkled across the Adirondack-camp-style retreat’s grounds. Find inner solace while relaxing on the private beach or meditating on the manicured lawn that overlooks the sailboats tacking to and fro.
Eat/Drink
The newest of the high-end Japanese omakase-inspired Kissaki restaurants, in Water Mill, presents elegant sushi in an unfussy space that will make you feel good. Seafood with a healthful Mediterranean spin is the focus at Sag Harbor Kitchen, the latest from chef Melissa O’Donnell, winner of five Michelin Bib Gourmand awards for beloved (RIP) New York spots including Thelma on Clinton, Stella, Salt, and Lil’ Gem.
Like your Greek with a side of French? Find it at Talya, in the Ruschmeyers Hotel, where chef Geoffrey Lechantoux composes fresh dishes using mostly local ingredients. Having worked with the likes of Alain Ducasse and Gordon Ramsay, Lechantoux elevates the simple to the sublime in dishes like beef tartare dolmades, butterflied branzino with tabbouleh, and orzo and crab with fava beans, oyster mushrooms, and lobster bisque. Never heavy, always memorable, and just steps from the sand.
Do
Fitness guru Tracy Anderson opened her latest studio in a Sag Harbor barn in 2022, and it’s still as hot as ever—literally. The room is set to 95 degrees with 75% humidity, which is said to encourage the body to release toxins and improve tone. Also good for you is learning something new, so why not climb onto an eFoil and learn to “surf” in the glassy waters off Sag Harbor with Hamptons Lift Foils, or get an equestrian education at The Hampton Classic. When it’s time to unwind, Gurney’s Montauk Resort, favored for its beachfront location and chill vibe, has the Seawater Spa. The recently renovated 30,000-square-foot facility includes an ocean-fed saltwater pool, a caldarium and thermal baths, and indoor-outdoor therapy rooms that look onto the Atlantic. —Heidi Mitchell
