Why the Hamptons Are Still Cool

There are many reasons to be anti-Hamptons. The hype, the snobbery, and the prevalance of cheesy white parties, for one. The long drive, or worse yet, the reserved cars on the LIRR carrying hordes of sun-starved New Yorkers east that somehow always has too few seats. The train ride is long, cramped, and filled with familiar faces, sure, but that shouldn't stop you from saying yes to that beach share for the weekend. From local wine and beer haunts to picturesque ocean views, here are 10 reasons the Hamptons are still worth the haul.

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Address: 927 Scuttle Hole Rd.
Website: Channingdaughters.com

Some of Long Island's finest wines are made at Channing Daughters in Bridgehampton. Taste your way through them all -including vivid orange wine Ramato and signature red blend Sculpture Garden-out in the sunshine on the patio, where vineyards and large reclaimed wood sculptures crafted by the winery's founder create a striking backdrop.

Address: 279 Montauk Hwy.
Website: parrishart.com

Post-beach, a cultural break beckons at the Parrish Art Museum's sleek new barnlike home in Water Mill. Wander through the seven minimalist sky-lit galleries devoted to heady Eastern Long Island-inspired artwork from such legends as Roy Lichtenstein, Willem de Kooning, and Jackson Pollock.

Address: 1 Long Wharf.
Website: dockhouseny.com

While surrounded by water, a visit to a kitschy seafood shack is a must-all the better when like homey Sag Harbor favorite the Dockhouse it allows you to perch on an outdoor picnic table and shovel in fresh New England clam chowder and fried shrimp.

Address: 82 Sagg Main St.
Website: pikefarms.com

In these farmstand-clogged parts, Pike Farms in Sagaponack stands out for its colorful mounds of just-picked corn, basil, heirloom tomatoes, and muskmelons rustically strewn on an old-timey wagon.

Address: 495 Montauk Hwy.
Website: sonnysprimemeats.com

When the urge strikes for a simple steak thrown on the rental's grill, skip the generic grocery store run for a whirl through this family-owned East Quogue butcher shop that also showcases from-scratch mozzarella and pasta, and an array of olive oils and cookies. Nicknamed Sonny's Prime Meats, it's an old-school slice of euphoria, where friendly staff churn out homemade sausages and custom cuts of prime-aged beef.

Address: 412 Montauk Hwy.
Website: stationeq.com

Chef Lucia Soria is behind two beloved eateries in Uruguay, Jacinto and Restaurant Lucifer. Now, with the opening of Station in East Quogue, her South American cuisine is making waves with tanned Hamptonites. At this convivial beach house, eat a braised local duck paired with kale, golden shallots, and Asian pear on a plant-filled patio. Then, fortified by a tequila cocktail with rosemary syrup, lime juice, red bell pepper, and a splash of smoky Ardbeg, hit the backgammon board.

Address: 3312 Montauk Hwy.
Website: wolffer.com

Claim a shaded table or patch of grass for your own, and leaving the Wine Stand in Sagaponack becomes the most daunting of tasks. At this casual, sprawling alfresco hangout from the folks at Wölffer Estate Vineyard, conversation takes place over bottles of the winery's own lively Trebbiano and cheese plates while musicians croon in the background. Stick around for sunset when those vineyard views are at their most intoxicating.

Address: Gibson Ln.
Website: N/A

Rockaway's surfers and Coney Island's Wonder Wheel make any day prime for a local beach excursion. However, the peace that comes from lying stretched out on the sand at an upscale hideaway like Sagaponack's Gibson Beach, where the locals unwind incognito against wild dunes and Atlantic waves, is incomparable.

Address: 1 Bridgehampton-Sag Harbor Tpke.
Website: toppingrosehouse.com

Sure, it would be swell to hit the pillow in one of the 22 airy guestrooms at this revamped circa-1842 Greek Revival Mansion in Bridgeport, but if a sleepover isn't in the cards, feasting on the likes of black truffle and leek-laced sweet corn agnolotti and wild striped bass with snap peas, summer beans, and preserved lemon at the restaurant-created by NYC chef Tom Colicchio with produce from the hotel's own farm-is a luxurious consolation prize.

Address: 234 Carpenter St.
Website: harborbrewing.com

Two brief, peaceful ferry rides later, arrive on the more relaxed North Fork, where it's a short walk from the terminal to Greenport Harbor Brewing Company. On the sunny (typically packed to the gills) second floor tasting room of this former firehouse, join fellow beer geeks for tastes of locally made craft brews like the orange blossom-infused Summer Ale and the malty Black Duck Porter. Spring for a growler, and the suds theme will go strong all weekend long.