A DAY TRIP TO MONTAUK, NEW YORK

Montauk is known by most Long Island residents as "The End” or “the end of the world”, since it’s the furthest east point on Long Island and the entire New York State! Living on Long Island has given us the opportunity to visit multiple times and allows me to gather all the super fun activities there is to do in one blog post!

Montauk is a super popular place to visit during the summer months so this guide will come in handy when visiting year-round. I hope this mini guide to visiting Montauk helps you visit without breaking the bank and instead have a relaxed weekend at a very low-budget cost! Here is how you can have an amazing weekend of relaxation!

Montauk General Store, 669 Montauk Hwy

This a great place for artisan cheeses, pies and pastries! You can find some really unique treats you can only find in Montauk, like their spicy garlic jalapeños. Not to mention anything you might need for charcuterie boards. You can find old-fashion soda and candy! Just the other day Eric and I were talking about candy cigarettes and how we hadn't seen them in forever so they must be discontinued, but we saw some here! Any knickknacks and souvenirs you’d like to pick up from Montauk you can find some really neat gifts here!

Kirk Park Beach, 95 S Emerson Ave

Right off Montauk Highway is Kirk Park Beach, Montauk’s free main public beach. This is one of the most beautiful white-sand beaches on Long Island and a must when visiting Montauk! There is no parking permits needed, the parking is free at this beach. There are lifeguards on duty during the summer season from 10am - 5pm. There are public restrooms in parking lot. Conveniently located downtown you’ll have anything you might need for the perfect day at the beach. There are restaurants and stores within walking distancing of the parking lot and a IGA supermarket and 7-Eleven across the street too!

From the beach stairs we saw a little seal out in the distance and used zoom lenses for a closer look! At first we thought it might need help but after further research we read that seals come to shore to relax and enjoy their food, which is super cute!

Kirk Park, Montauk, NY

Also, just across the street from Kirk Park Beach is Kirk Park, a super small but relaxing park! If you are looking for a secluded park to just relax for a bit and maybe see some wildlife I suggest coming by here.

We happened to see some deer enjoying some grass! There wasn’t anyone at this park too, it’s just off the road with no parking. You’d have to park in at the Kirk Park Beach Parking Lot and walk over.

Gazebo At The Plaza, 742 Montauk Hwy

The gazebo at the plaza is a super cute place to sit and relax before you continue exploring Main Street. Besides the main gazebo and the benches inside, there are eight benches and plenty of lawn space to sit and people watch. There are a few shops that are conveniently located near the gazebo too. Just across the street is Whites of Montauk, 95 The Plaza, the perfect place to grab all of your Montauk souvenirs! I got a few postcards here and while browsing around the department store I noticed that if you happen to forget anything on your trip you probably find it here. If you are in the mood for fudge or something sweet, just down the street is Fudge N Stuff, 41 Carl Fisher Plaza, our go-to fudge flavor is mint chocolate every time!

Vintage Pink, 787 B Montauk Hwy

If you’d like to continue shopping along Montauk’s main street, stop by Vintage Pink for some amazing candles! Plus, if you need any workout outfits you’ll definitely find some here!

The Market | Montauk Harbor, 463 W Lake Dr

This grocery store is located in Montauk Harbor in the north side of the island. When you are driving through Main Street in Montauk you might think that is all there is but there is a whole other part of Montauk, the north Montauk Harbor. Just a few restaurant places to check out if you drive up to the North Harbor is TTs Montauk, 466 W Lake Dr, they have some awesome tacos and their street corn appetizer is delicious! Frozen Anchor, 478 W Lake Dr is the perfect place to grab some ice cream on a hot summer day, check out their menu ahead of time since they have different types of cold treats like frozen key lime pies, ice cream cake, ice lattes, milkshakes, mochi, and ice cream sandwiches! They have so many flavors and toppings for every frozen treat that you’ll probably want to know ahead of time what you are going to order, especially since ice cream shops get busy!

Sunset Beach, 469-493 County Rd 77

Sunset Beach is my favorite place to watch the sunset! We’ve stopped by this beach a few times now and it’s high on my list of places to watch the sunset. Just park your car in the free parking lot and enjoy the ocean waves as the sun goes down! The past few times we’ve visited it was crazy windy so just parking in our car was good enough for us! But there are benches where you can sit and enjoy the view, or maybe sit on the beach and watch the waves.

There is a public parking lot and a public restroom at 479 County Rd 77

Camp Hero State Park, 1898 Montauk Hwy

The Camp Hero State Park was first built in 1942 and was used as a military base and is now a historic site. It’s a wonderful place to go for a hike and just walk around, plus after you are done exploring get some breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean by the cliffs.

Fun fact: There are a lot of conspiracy theories circulating Camp Hero and that Stranger Things from Netflix is actually based off Camp Hero.

There is an $8 admission fee per vehicle, free parking, and dog friendly.

Montauk Lighthouse Museum, 2000 Montauk Hwy

You can’t visit Montauk without stopping by the Montauk Lighthouse! Walk around the rocks and get breathtaking views of the Lighthouse and of the Atlantic Ocean. The inside of the lighthouse is actually a museum that has numerous historical documents and photographs from the early years the museum was open as well as an 1860 keeper’s house. Did I mention that there’s a gift shop? Overall, it’s an awesome place to stop on your visit!

Fun fact: The Montauk Lighthouse is the oldest lighthouse in all of New York and the fourth oldest active lighthouse in the US! It was first built in 1796!