But where in the world is Main Street Westhampton Beach, NY?

First of all, let’s get this out of the way. Westhampton Beach is a part of the Hamptons community of villages and hamlets. No question about that.

There are those that like to try to change that reality by saying the Hamptons don’t begin until after the Shinnecock Canal. But just saying it, doesn’t make it so! If you don’t want to take my word for it, how about the NY times, Wikipedia, Business Insider, USA Today, Foder’s, and a Google map of “The Hamptons.”

Not being confrontational, just setting the record straight. You can quote me.

And where is”The Hamptons”?

All kidding aside, a funny article in the local Dan’s Paper asserts that actually there really isn’t an official area named “The Hamptons,” and they’re right. It’s very confusing when out-of-towners try to locate the area by GPS or maps.

True story:

When I had an Airbnb, one renter coming out via NYC, but from France, texted that they were arriving shortly by train at the Westhampton station. I had offered to give them a lift back to our place.

After arriving at the Westhampton station, I received a text. They said they were nearing the Southampton train station. Now, this would be a 30-minute drive on a quiet day in the winter. But now, it’s more like 50 minutes on the weekend in the summer. If I’m lucky.

The area is confusing.

So I told them I’d be there as soon as possible. I set out to take on the bumper-to-bumper drive. And then I arrived at the Southampton station. So I texted them to find out where they were waiting. And they said they were in Westhampton Beach.

What???

I actually thought I might be on an episode of What would you do?, or maybe Ashton Kutcher returned with Punk’d or, going way back, The Candid Camera Show.

But they were victims of the”the Hamptons”quirky definition problem and I’m sure they weren’t the first. The “Hamptons” are not all in one nice compact defined place.

So I told them it would probably be quicker to take a taxi to my house and I would arrive later. And my son was able to let them in before I got home. Phew!

Then they came over with a bottle of wine. So, a sweet and happy ending after all.

Let’s put a pin in it… a pin on the map, that is, in Westhampton Beach, NY

So, specifically, Westhampton Beach is a village within the Town of Southampton. There is also a Southampton village within the Town of Southampton.

And there are two Towns in”The Hamptons.” The Town of Southampton and the Town of East Hampton. There is also an East Hampton village within the Town of East Hampton.

So many other villages and hamlets (Quogue, East Quogue, Hampton Bays, Watermill, Amagansett, Sagaponack, etc.) coexist within the Town of Southampton and the Town of East Hampton. Both Towns are within Suffolk County. Suffolk County is part of the East End of Long Island, NY.

Still with me?

Westhampton is also not the same as Westhampton Beach. It has a different zip code and a different post office. But it, too, is part of The Hamptons, as are its neighbors to the west, Speonk, and Remsenburg.

It’s all good. But if you hear a snarky remark from someone about Westhampton Beach not being considered part of “the Hamptons”, you know the real deal.

Now that we’ve cleared the logistics, let’s stroll down Main Street Westhampton Beach!

A walk down Main Street Westhampton Beach.

If you want a village that has all the feel of a bygone era but possesses a current, trendy sense, you’ve come to the right place.

First, our walk down Main Street Westhampton Beach begins at the village gazebo. Concerts are held on the lawn on Thursday evenings throughout the summer. This is the meeting ground central for high school prom pictures, wedding pictures, the annual Easter egg hunt, and the Christmas tree/Menorah lighting.

Now, cross the street past a drug store and a restaurant and you come to Library Avenue. Here, you will notice to your left, the new and improved, state-of-the-art, Westhampton Beach Free Library.

It is here that the Hamptons Vegan sponsored several vegan potluck dinners and a movie to connect with other like-minded souls. Good people, good food, and good times!

The journey continues.

A little further down Main Street, past gift shops, real estate, and clothing shops, you will soon come to Ben and Jerry’s ice cream shop. Three cheers for their growing choice of non-dairy desserts. They can make non-dairy milkshakes, too! The joys of summer.

One of the very coolest shops ever, not just for Westhampton Beach, but anywhere, is Hope around the World. This awesome store sells charity-related merchandise. Vegan, fair trade, and incredible charities.

They have Mat and Nat bags (I’m saving for mine!), 4ocean bracelets (I’ve got mine!), Conscious Step socks, Pura Vida bracelets, and a lot more.

I shouldn’t pick favorites with the Main Street Westhampton Beach Merchants, but I must. This is my favorite store. You can buy quality items and your purchases help others. What’s not to love about that?

Getting hungry?

Stop in at Mambo Cafe and feel the Aloha spirit! Have lunch with their hummus avocado wrap. You won’t go away hungry.

So you want dinner or a cocktail? No problem! Stop at Margarita Grille for their Boca burger, guacamole, and chips, or ask them to hold the meat and cheese in a fajita, burrito, or taco! Also, you must have their margarita, too!

Feeling more like a little sushi? Then stop in to eat at Tony’s Fusion West just off Main Street on Sunset Avenue.

Time for water activities!

A couple of steps more along Sunset Avenue is a must-stop at Island Surf. The owner is super cool and will take care of all your surfing needs They have boards, wetsuits, apparel, sunscreen, and other gear you don’t even know you need yet! He’s got it or can get it! And he can hook you up with surfing lessons and board rentals too!

 Rest stop

Now head back to Main Street Westhampton Beach, make a left from Sunset Avenue, and go past the PAC otherwise known as the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center. Unless there’s a show going on. Then you should stop in, for sure!

Then keep heading left, back towards the gazebo, until you get to the Beach Bakery. This is an all-vegetarian restaurant and bakery. So close, but not vegan. You can still enjoy some of their bagels. And their coffee with non-dairy creamers or their oatmeal and breakfast sides.

This is a great place to stop, relax, people-watch, read the paper, or meet up with friends. You can begin and end your day on Main Street Westhampton Beach.

That day went by fast!

Guess it’s time to head home until the next tour of the Hamptons. We haven’t even scratched the surface yet!

“There’s so much to do and only so little time in a day!”-Billy Joel was right!-

And I still want to see him in concert! Clearly, I’m breaking a sacred law that every card-carrying Long Islander is required to attend a Billy Joel concert or risk the consequences. I’m working on it, I’m working on it!!

Anyway, Main Street Westhampton Beach still has plenty more places to explore. So we’ll be back again. Until then, rest up and let us know where you’d like to see the next Hamptons Vegan tour take place!

Finally, sign up with your email for our upcoming posts and you won’t miss a thing. No FOMO for you!

’til then,

Peace and Love

P.S. How about making one of these great recipes until next time?!

Make these bakery-quality cookies if Beach Bakery doesn’t satisfy your sweet tooth! – Happy half-moon cookies

Or how about a filling casserole like Lovely, luscious vegan lasagna after riding the waves on your Island Surf surfboard?

Experiencing queso envy after a stop at Margarita Grille? We can fix that with our Quicky Quality Queso dip! It’s quintessential 🙂

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