Montauk & the Hamptons Day Trip from New York
The end of Long Island: a lighthouse, a working harbour and Atlantic beach
New York City from New York: 236 mi round trip, about 6h 56m behind the wheel, planned hour by hour.
The end of Long Island: a lighthouse, a working harbour and Atlantic beach. It's a day out of New York: 236 mi of driving in total, about 6h 56m behind the wheel, and the rest of the day on your feet.
The plan below is paced so the driving doesn't eat the day: leave after breakfast, be back for the evening. Every stop can be swapped for one of three alternatives if it isn't your kind of thing.
You chase the island east to its lighthouse and bunkers, then eat lobster on the docks before turning back for the city.
Push to the very end of the island first, then work your way back through Montauk's sights.
Montauk Point Lighthouse Museum · Montauk
The oldest lighthouse in New York State, perched on dramatic bluffs at the easternmost tip of Long Island.
💡 Climb the tower for ocean views if open; parking lot fills by midday in summer.
Montauk Point State Park, 2000 Montauk Hwy, Montauk
Just a few minutes back toward town from the lighthouse grounds.
Camp Hero State Park · Montauk
Wind-bent pines, WWII bunkers, and coastal bluffs make this an atmospheric, easy walk near the lighthouse.
💡 Flat gravel paths — no hiking gear needed, just good shoes.
Camp Hero State Park, 1898 Montauk Hwy, Montauk
Head into Montauk harbor for a lobster lunch by the water.
Duryea's Lobster Deck · Montauk
A dockside Montauk institution for lobster and seafood right on the harbor.
💡 Book ahead — waterfront tables go fast, especially at sunset.
65 Tuthill Rd, Montauk
Steps from Duryea's — an easy stroll along the docks.
Montauk Harborside Resort Motel · Montauk
Working fishing harbor with a relaxed, salty charm — a nice place to walk after lunch.
💡 Watch boats unload the day's catch in the afternoon.
371 W Lake Dr, Montauk
- Book Duryea's Lobster Deck in advance, especially for a water-view table
- Montauk Point parking lot fills early on weekends — arrive before 11am
- LIE and Route 27 both see heavy Sunday-evening traffic returning to NYC
- No need for a car pass into Manhattan, but expect tolls on the way back via the Queens-Midtown or Midtown tunnels
- Sag Harbor+16 mi
Charming old whaling village with a walkable main street, worth a stop if you have spare time on the way back.
- Amagansett+6 mi
Quiet beach town with a great farm stand and low-key surf vibe, a nice pause between Montauk and the Hamptons.
- Shelter Island+19 mi
A short ferry ride away, this quiet island has preserves and beaches away from the Hamptons crowds.
Make this trip your own
Plan your own road trip →This route was drafted with AI. Please double-check roads, opening hours and local conditions before you go.
Made with Roadanza
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Work it out for this route →Questions, answered
- Is it worth renting a car for a day trip from NYC?
- For the Hudson Valley towns on the Metro-North line, no: the train is easier and you skip parking. For the Catskills, the Delaware Water Gap, Litchfield County or the beaches, yes: those need a car, and a rental from an outer-borough branch usually costs less than one in Manhattan.
- What's the closest good day trip from New York?
- Cold Spring and Beacon, about an hour north: a walkable main street, a mountain trail and a major contemporary art museum within a few miles of each other. Both are on the train line, which is what makes them the easy answer.
- When should I leave the city to avoid traffic?
- Before eight in the morning or after ten, and never on a Friday afternoon in summer: the eastbound crawl toward Long Island and the northbound one toward the Catskills both start early. Coming back, aim to be past the bridges before four on a Sunday.
- How do bridge and tunnel tolls work?
- They're cashless: cameras read your plate or an E-ZPass transponder. Rental companies pass the toll on with an administration fee per day of use, which adds up: ask at the desk, and consider bringing your own transponder if you have one.
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