Getting there

These towns on the South Fork of Long Island cover a lot of distance; we show you how to Hampton-hop in style.

Planes

The nearest airport is Islip MacArthur (+1 631 467 3210; www.macarthurairport.com), 50 miles from East Hampton; JFK (www.kennedyairport.com) and LaGuardia are both around 80 miles away. If you’re feeling fancy, arrive at East Hampton Airport (+1 631 537 1130) by seaplane or helicopter delivering you from Wall Street and back with Sound Aircraft Services (+1 631 537 2202). Catch a flight from The Standard NY on their seaplane shuttle StndAIR with tickets starting at US$29 for off-peak trips(+1 855 786 3247).

Boats

Shelter Island is linked to the South Fork by the South Ferry (www.southferry.com) and Greenport by the North Ferry (www.northferry.com). Boat-owning seafarers can take the Long Island Sound and moor up somewhere in Peconic Bay or Gardiners Bay, depending on which Hampton they are visiting.

Trains

Long Island Rail Road’s Montauk line (+1 631 231 5477; www.mta.info) is likely to get you there the quickest and cheapest – it makes five daily trips and takes two hours and 40 minutes to reach Southampton from New York City. It takes about three hours to reach Montauk, at the end of the line. The Cannonball Express, departing on Fridays from Penn Station in Manhattan, is even faster.

Automobiles

You could try to persuade a cab driver to take you beyond the city limits but it’ll probably cost you over $350. Bus options along the Long Island Expressway include Hampton Luxury Liner (www.hamptonluxuryliner.com) and Hampton Jitney (www.hamptonjitney.com). Taking your car or hiring one is a good idea – you’ll need it once you’re there as the towns are spread out.