Guide to the Perfect Day Trip to the Hamptons from NYC (Without a Car)

One of the best escapes from the city is doing a day trip to the Hamptons! This popular getaway for city folks is especially famous in the summer months when its prime beach weather as Long Island offers some of the best beaches on the East Coast and have attracted some of the most elite CEOs and celebrities who have their vacation mansions on this thin strip of land just outside of NYC.

This guide to Hamptons day trips can be used by anyone, but we made it convenient even for those who do not have a car by offering a selection of day trips to the Hamptons that is accessible via train and bus from the city.

While having a car in the city is rare, if you do have one, you have a little more flexibility with stops and places you can visit. However, if you plan on going to the beach in the summer, you must be aware that there are often very competitive and pricey parking fees for almost all the beaches in the area. By taking a Hamptons day trip from Manhattan or anywhere in NYC via train and/or bus (Hampton Jitney) you don’t have to worry about parking! YAY!

Another few things to consider, the Hamptons do offer a different experience each season, but summer is the most popular time to take a day trip to the Hamptons because of the beaches. You will want to plan your trip around peak times, the weekends are hectic getting out of the city, so if you have flexibility, a weekday requires a little less planning ahead of time. If you want to go on the weekend, just plan ahead and be sure to get your tickets in advance and arrive early.

Last, if you do end up taking a day trip to Montauk since this is the furthest point on the Hamptons and it’s the longest commute, you may want to look into spending the night if you don’t want to feel rushed. Plan for a 2-3.5 hour commute depending on where you want to take your Hamptons day trip.

This is also one of the most popular weekend trips from NYC too! So whether you’re planning a day trip to the Hamptons to enjoy some of the best New York beaches or you’re planning a staycation, this guide will help you plan your visit.

Getting to the Hamptons

All of these day trips to the Hamptons are places where the LIRR (Long Island Rail Road) stop in Long Island meaning these are the most easily accessible places from NYC to the Hamptons to visit for a day trip. The LIRR stations in the city you’ll be using are either Penn Station in Midtown Manhattan or Atlantic Avenue in Downtown Brooklyn.

There are also some options for Hamptons day trips to use the Hampton Jitney, which is a bus service that is more comfortable than your average commuter bus with wifi and bathrooms onboard. You will want to check their current schedule of routes to plan your route/tickets and day trip to the Hamptons.

The furthest trip is going to be NYC to Montauk as this is the furthest tip of Long Island and will take anywhere from 3-4 hours depending on your route. Check the Jitney schedules for the most accurate departures.

If you have a car or can rent a car, you will have the most flexibility with your day trip and you won’t be as limited to stay within the distance of the train or Jitney station. You will just want to plan around peak traffic times so you don’t spend your entire day trip to the Hamptons in the car sitting in gridlock traffic!

7 Hamptons Day Trips

Day Trip to Westhampton

A great day trip to the Hamptons if you’re looking for a great beach day is to Westhampton and Westhampton Beach. Westhampton is accessible from the city by both the LIRR and Jitney in just a few hours. Once you get to Westhampton you will most likely want to call an Uber to get to the beach.

If you need a bite to eat, directly from the Westhampton Train station you can walk around 15-20 minutes or grab a Uber to get to restaurants along Old Riverhead Road and Montauk Highway. There are also some great options in Westhampton Beach that will require you to get a ride in a car.

Some great Hamptons beaches to hit up around here include the white sandy shores of Rogers Beach, Pike’s Beach, or Lashleys Beach at Jetty 4.

Another option for what to do on a day trip to Westhampton would be to make a visit to Quogue Wildlife Refugee which is under a 10 minute Uber/Lyft ride from the train station.

LIRR to Westhampton

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to Westhampton Station on Station Road and Depot Road in Westhampton.

Jitney to Westhampton

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to Westhampton using the Westhampton line by 11 am and then you can leave as late as 8-9 pm depending on where on the Westhampton Line you depart from to get back in the city by 10:30 pm the same day.

Day Trip Hampton Bays

Hampton Bays makes a great day trip to the Hamptons from NYC with both LIRR and Jitney options for transportation if you don’t have a car. Hamptons Bays makes for another great beach day from the city, grabbing fresh seafood from one of the many restaurants, or some fun watersports!

You can rent bikes in the Hampton Bays, there are multiple places to do so to make it easy getting around for the day or you are able to grab a rideshare like Uber or Lyft to get you from where you want to eat to where you want to bask in the sun all day on the beach.

If you’re looking to be more active at the beach, check out Adventure Paddleboards & Kayak for paddleboard and kayak rentals given in the name.

There are two really great and popular beaches here, Ponquogue Beach on the Shinnecock Inlet offers stretches of white sandy beaches great for swimming.

Meschutt Beach offers a beautiful shoreline with sweeping views of the Peconic Bay plus facilities and restaurant options with waterfront views.

LIRR to Hampton Bays

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to Hampton Bays Station which is located just steps away from the Montauk Highway.

Jitney to Westhampton

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to Hampton Bays using the Westhampton line before noon and then you can leave as late as 8-9 pm depending on where on the Westhampton Line you depart from to get back in the city by 10:30 pm the same day, this stop is close to the LIRR station too on the Montauk Highway.

Day Trip to Southampton

Southampton is one of the most ‘elite’ places in the Hamptons and home to “Billionaire’s Lane.” If you want to hang spend a day in the life of the 1%, this is a great day trip to the Hamptons from Manhattan and NYC. 

The best part of taking the LIRR to Southampton is it drops you off less than a 10-minute walk to the famous Tate’s Bakeshop where you can pick up their world-famous, thin cookies and other tasty baked goodies along with a coffee at their cafe.

The village of Southampton is about a .5 mile walk from the LIRR stop, so depending on your time and what you want to fit in on this Hamptons day trip you can easily walk it or grab a rideshare like Uber or Lyft to get there quickly. In the heart of the village, mostly along Main Street you can find luxury boutique shops and designer labels along with some beachy stores from more clothing stores to home decor.

You can also find a few options of places to eat here if you’re looking for a bite to eat.

If you’re looking for a great, white sandy beach to hang out on for part of your day trip, head to Cooper’s Beach along Meadow Lane, aka Billionaires Lane where some of the richest CEOS and celebrities have their giant, beachfront vacation mansions.

This is one of the most popular beaches to visit and parking can be pricey and a chore, so this is one of those ones that’s great to visit on a day trip to the Hamptons because you can get dropped off by your Uber/Lyft without having to worry about the parking situation. 

LIRR to Southampton

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to Southampton Station which is located just outside of the heart of the village and a short 10-minute walk to the famous Tate’s Bakeshop. A fun fact, this train stop is on the National Register of Historic Places!

Jitney to Southampton

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to Southampton using the Montauk line by 10:30 am and then you can leave as late as 7:30 pm returning to Manhattan by 10:30 pm.

Day Trip to Bridgehampton

As far as day trips to the Hamptons go, Bridgehampton is a great choice that has many options for what to do from browsing galleries, finding treasures at antique stores, visiting more art and cultural institutions, dining, wine tasting in Long Island’s award-winning wine country, and even great beach options!

Head to the heart of the village for great dining options like Golden Pear Cafe and pick up a classic ice cream cone from the old school Bridgehampton Candy Kitchen. From here you’re within walking distance to many gorgeous galleries like The White Room Gallery and Chase Edwards Gallery.

Other museums and cultural institutions nearby to hit upon your Hamptons day trip range from the South Fork Natural History Museum, Children’s Museum of the East End, and the Dan Flavin Art Institute to name a few.

Better yet, call a rideshare like Lyft or Uber and hit up the local award-winning wineries like Channing Daughters Winery or Wölffer Estate Vineyard who also has AMAZING cider you need to try, especially the rosé cider.

Last but not least, another huge draw as to picking Bridgehampton as your day trip to the Hamptons from Manhattan and NYC is that you can plan a relaxing beach day at the gorgeous Mecox Beach, which you’ll need a lift via car to get to and from.

LIRR to Bridgehampton

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to Bridgehampton Station which is located a short walk from the Montauk Highway where you can find dining options.

Jitney to Bridgehampton

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to Bridgehampton using the Montauk line by 10:30 am and then you can leave as late as 7:30 pm returning to Manhattan by 10:30 pm.

Day Trip to East Hampton

East Hampton is another great day trip to the Hamptons from Manhattan and NYC if you’re an art lover or want to hit up the beach. There are also boutiques and great options for shopping on Main Street if you’re looking for that kind of Hamptons day trip too!

For the art lovers, check out the Pollock Krasner House and Study Center where artists Jackson Pollock and Lee Krasner lived in the Hamptons and created some of their most famous creations.

Or head to LongHouse Reserve and explore the grounds where you can find outdoor art installations and a sculpture park.

If you’re interested in history, you can tour the historic Old Hook Mill, one of eleven historic windmills from the earliest days of Dutch colonizers and settlement in the area.

And if you prefer to spend your Hamptons day trip at the beach you have some wonderful, white sandy stretches of shoreline to choose from like Main Beach and Two Mile Hollow Beach, which you’ll need to use a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft to get to and from.

LIRR to East Hampton

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to East Hampton Station which is located a short walk from a few dining options if you get off the train hungry. A fun fact, this train stop is on the National Register of Historic Places!

Jitney to East Hampton

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to East Hampton using the Montauk line by noon and then you can leave as late as 7:30 pm returning to Manhattan by 10:30 pm.

Day Trip to Amagansett

Amagansett is one of the smaller villages and destinations in the Hamptons, but don’t let that fool you as this makes a great destination for a day trip to the Hamptons, especially if you’re hoping to lazy on the beach.

If you want to find some great dining and shopping, check out the options around Amagansett Square. There are luxury boutique shops, restaurants, cafes, and even a cool record store called Intersleeve Records. This is perfect for hitting up as soon as you start your Hamptons day trip and then head to the beach.

You can grab an Uber/Lyft and head to Atlantic Avenue Beach or Indian Wells Beach, both of which offer great sandy stretches. of shoreline perfect for relaxing all day at the beach.

LIRR to Amagansett

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to East Hampton Station which is located a short walk from a few dining options if you get off the train hungry. A fun fact, this train stop was used in a failed mission by Nazis in WWII called Operation Pastorius where saboteurs were caught trying to target American economic targets like the NYC subway and Hellgate Bridge.

Jitney to Amagansett

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to Amagansett using the Montauk line by 10 to 11 am and then you can leave as late as 7:30 pm returning to Manhattan by 10:30 pm.

Day Trip to Montauk

One of my favorite day trips to the Hamptons from the city is Montauk. I will warn you, this is the eastern most point of Long Island and the furthest away, so if you do plan on enjoying a day trip to Montauk you will want to plan wisely as you will have the least amount of time at the destination since this will be the longest commute. This is one you really might want to consider doing an overnight trip to because there is so much to do here!

For starters, you’ll want to get a Lyft or Uber ride to Montauk Point Lighthouse, aka End of the World. You can tour the gorgeous light station and property set amount dramatic cliffs after you can walk around the beaches below the lighthouse or head to Camp Hero State Park for more breathtaking coastal views from afar.

Head to the village of Montauk for food options or to grab a beer at Montauk Brewing Co., or grab a ride to the famous surf beach at Ditch Plains. This is one of those beaches that’s hard to get parking at so it’s perfect for day trippers who can get dropped off and picked up.

LIRR to Montauk

You can take the LIRR Montauk Branch to Montauk Station which is located on Fort Pond and right by the famous Surf Lodge. This is the easternmost train stop on the Montauk Branch and the furthest point you can go on your Hamptons day trip. This trip will be the longest since it’s the last station.

Jitney to Montauk

The Jitney has several departures in Manhattan in the am that get you to Montauk using the Montauk line by noonish and then you can leave as late as 7:30 pm returning to Manhattan by 10:30 pm.

Day Trip to Hamptons Tour

Maybe doing a DIY day trip to the Hamptons feels overwhelming to you, if that’s the case you can join a shopping day trip to Sag Harbor, one of the most charming villages in the Hamptons and the Tanger Outlets where you can shop until you drop.

This Hamptons day trip also stops at Riverhead for breakfast and Southampton with a total of four stops you can pack in quite a bit worry-free while you sit back and relax as the organizers take you around. Book this shopping Hamptons day trip from Manhattan here.

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