Sixty-Something: Top Five East Hampton Beaches To Take Walks At

There is something powerful about taking a beach walk. I have always felt wide open spaces with big skies does something wonderful for the mind, body and soul. Over the last two decades I have my favorite beach walks. I suppose this started when I had my dog and I wanted some variety in our walks. However, in the end the variety was really for me and my dog gleefully went along.

My favorite beach walk is easily the walk from Sammy’s Beach to Cedar Island Lighthouse. It is accessible via Sammy’s Beach Road and Old House Landing Beach (East Hampton) for GPS users. This long stretch of easily walkable beach along Gardiner’s Bay is phenomenal at sunsets. In the distance you see Gardiner’s Island, Plum Island, Orient Point, Orient Harbor towards Greenport, Shelter Island, and Cedar Point. Doing the walk round trip is a full 4 miles. Of course you can stop to make it your desired distance. Many times my wife and I drop in by sailboat, swim ashore/walk and then take a stroll to stretch our legs and have a little adventure.

Another favorite beach walk is located in the Montauk State Park region, starting at the Montauk Lighthouse walking northwest away from the lighthouse and towards the entrance of Montauk Lake Harbor. This is a rugged rocky (good walking shoes suggested) type of trek along the Block Island Sound, with a 3 to 7 mile round trip walk that can take up to 3 to 4 hours round trip. Often you may see seals, folks on horseback, amazing fishing boats and on a clear day, Block Island, Rhode Island, and Connecticut.

Not everybody knows about the magic of Louse Point in the Springs (East Hampton). Those who do, sometimes set up lovey picnic situations, wine included and then do wonderful sunsets strolls. This round-trip walk is just less than 2 miles and takes about 45 minutes but again what peaceful vistas! The western walk encompasses timeless views of little known “East Harbor,” along with famous and historic Acabonack Harbor and then the eastern walk is along Gardiner’s Bay, with views of Gardiner’s Island, Napeaque, and Montauk’s western shoreline. It is at the end of Louse Point Road, off Old Stone Highway in Amagansett.

Then there is that stroll back in time along the Napeague Harbor shores of Lazy Point where late 19-century cottages dot the shoreline and the goulash development of the wealthy has yet to supersize this jewel of the Hamptons. It has a Nova Scotia feel. It is unlike any other Hamptons location. The walk is so interesting you will be gazing at a certain type of beauty that arrest’s your eyes. You can trek up to 5 miles here. The best way to reach Lazy Point is Cranberry Road (off Route 27 in Amagansett) and then onto Lazy Point Road.

Number 5 on my list is the only actual all Atlantic Ocean Beach walk. I find these walks tougher because of the unpredictable nature of the sand that can be like quicksand to walk over on certain afternoons. However, the walk of beach between Atlantic Beach (Amagansett) and Georgica Beach (East Hampton Village) is a whole different type of stroll. On one side are the homes of the rich and famous, and on the other side is the Atlantic Ocean. In between there are lots of people. This is definitely a people watchers walk. You will pass lots of people. People with dogs, families, occasional celebrities, neighbors, and yes always folks who have never been to the ocean before. Along this walk there are the famous East Hampton Town beach facilities spaced out every few miles with restrooms, snack bars and souvenirs shops. Even so, I do this walk once a year, usually midweek. It is a show, and who doesn’t like a good show every now and then. There is public parking at Atlantic Beach.

At sixty-something years of age I find these beach walks healthy and reflective. I miss walking beaches with my kids who would collect shells and ask all those questions about anything and everything. Yet they are still with me, frozen in my mind’s memory at that perfect age of innocence with their many joys of youth. There is something about a good beach walk, in all types of weather all year round. You do great thinking, planning and also find a certain inner peace all while a huge body of water hugs the walk Image nearby. It is the reason I have stayed around this area these last twenty years.