Hamptons myths

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As another summer approaches, scores of city-dwellers will head out east to the Hamptons. Sure, it's annoying that your boss won't stop talking about her house in Montauk (or is it a time-share now? blah blah "in this economy") and your other boss skips out to his bungalow on Fire Island every Friday afternoon. But the fact is, you don't have to be boss—or even a lowly associate editor—to summer in the Hamptons. (But please, don't ever say that phrase out loud.) Here are five commonly held misperceptions about the area:

The Hamptons are only for rich people
Wrong. For starters, forget hotels. Instead, try motels, such as the Enclave Inns (various locations, including Bridgehampton, starting at $99 per night). There are delis and pizza places for grub, as well as the Princess Diner (Southampton) and Coast Grill (Southampton), with its reasonably priced seafood. Shoppers looking for standard-issue beach wear should try the Bridgehampton Commons, featuring reliable big-box clothiers Gap, Banana Republic and K-Mart. And finally, those who want to party on the cheap can check out bands at Stephen’s Talkhouse (Amagansett), chill at Rowdy Hall (East Hampton) or club at the fairly reasonable ($20 cover) Stereo By The Shore (Southampton), which features many of NYC’s big DJs.

Fire Island is only for the gay elite
Hardly. While the hamlets of Cherry Grove and Fire Island Pines are still gay favorites loaded with hotels (Grove Hotel, The Belvedere), clubs (Ice Palace, Cherry's Pit, The Tides) and restaurants (Burger Queen, Top of the Bay, David's Grill and Martini Bar, The Island Breeze), most communities go from middle-class (Fair Harbor, Davis Park, Atlantique) to wealthy (Fire Island Summer Club, Dunewood, Corneille Estates, Saltaire, Kismet), and are populated by low-key families who either summer here or live year-round. Ocean Beach, considered the main attraction, is a popular seasonal town with several watering holes that receive frequent ferries full of festive partygoers from the docks of Bay Shore every weekend.

The Hamptons are overcrowded
No question about it, the East End is packed during the summer, but there are plenty of respites. Try the enormous Camp Hero or Hither Hills State Parks in Montauk ($6 per car for parking), with huge beaches and loads of facilities. There’s also the mellower but equally beautiful North Fork, with its fruit stands, vineyards, beaches and fishing excursions. Also check out the bustling town of Greenport, featuring the area’s famed dock with Claudio’s Restaurant and Marina. Shelter Island is another alternative, too, with several hotels and other activities a quick ferry ride away.

The Jitney is the only way to get to The Hamptons
As you depart the highway, most roads leading to the East End are only two lanes wide, meaning traffic can be horrendous. Nonetheless, with limited local bus service, a car is your best bet to get around. There are always ride shares (which can be found easily on Craigslist or erideshare.com), but the easiest way to go, however, is the LIRR, which directly reaches every major East End village. And if the idea of making all local stops from Penn Station to Montauk (approximately 4 hours) is a little much, the Cannonball express train will get you there in half the time.

The Hamptons is only about the beach and booze
No way! Even before Jackson Pollock started splashing canvases in Springs, there was a vibrant art community here. Today there are dozens of galleries, such as Guild Hall (East Hampton), the Elaine Benson and Goodman James galleries (Bridgehampton), Bill Durham (Amagansett) and the Bill Durham (Sag Harbor), among others. Also seek out Nova’s Ark Sculptural Park (Water Mill) for contemporary pieces that stand out against the neighboring farmland.

For film fans, the large theatres in East Hampton and Southampton offer standard blockbuster fare, while the one-screen-only throwback Sag Harbor Cinema plays indie-leaning flicks. For the true cinephile, every year the Hamptons International Film Festival debuts movies starring top names and is helmed by major directors. The stage also gets top action, with Broadway-quality shows and A-list comedians performing at Sag Harbor’s Bay St. Theatre and the celebrity-driven Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center, located west of the Shinnecock Canal in Westhampton.