Montauk in June

April 24, 2009 11:23 PM

My wife and I are thinking about going to Montauk on the first week of June, taking our bikes on the LIRR. I've never been to the beaches in Long Island so I have no idea what to expect on this time of the year.

1) Taking the bikes on the LIRR: How much of a hassle is it?

2) Biking around the city and the region while I'm there - is it bike-friendly? I'm a very leisure oriented biker (i.e. I hate hills and I ride slow:-) )

3) Any recommendations of places to stay or things to do? I'm all ears. I saw this link on another AskMeFi thread, sounds like a nice place to stay.

4) How crowded is it going to be in the first week of June? Is it unbearable? Should I wait for the next winter? :-)

posted by falameufilho to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

The beaches are great, though the water is going to be cold-ish. I know many folks who won't go in until the 4th of July. Montauk is small, biking will work well around town, though you'll want to take the bus or hitch to get to any place else like East Hampton.

It's all really flat in Long Island, though you might have a low long hill going out to the light house from the village.

The East End is crowded year round now it seems, though early June will probably be more lively than over crowded. Lot's of great hiking nearby, go whale watching (though not sure how many would be around in June), the light house, brunch at Gurney's, just hang out on the beach at night, the movie theater will likely be open again soon.
posted by bottlebrushtree at 12:08 AM on April 25

Confirming what bottlebrushtree has said.

1) I've never tried taking a bike on the LIRR - if you're going at a peak time (eg, Friday afternoon/evening), it might be a real pain. You may be better off renting bikes out there if that's an affordable option. (It also looks like you need a bike permit from the MTA.) You may be better off renting bikes out there, if you can afford the additional expense. This is also a good hedge in case the weather turns bad - you aren't stuck lugging bikes.

Note that you can also take bikes on the Hampton Jitney. I have seen people do this many times, and there is also someone to help you load and unload your bikes. There is an additional fee for bringing a bike, and you need to tell them you're taking one when you make a reservation. The Jitney is more expensive than the train, but it might be more convenient depending upon where you live, and I think it's a lot more comfortable.

2) There are some hilly parts here and there, but probably nothing too bad (I say that as a very leisurely biker myself). Even if you don't rent, you might check in with a bike store to get some suggestions about flat terrain. If you don't plan out your itinerary, you are bound to hit a hill or two somewhere, though. :)

3) Partway between Montauk and East Hampton is a great, super-casual but extremely delicious seafood restaurant called Lobster Roll, also know just as "Lunch" (they serve dinner, too). It's a Hamptons institution, though there are invariably people who think it's not very good, it's overpriced, it's gone downhill, etc. Me, I've always loved it. It might be a bit far from Montauk without a car, though - but you'd work up a good appetite.

In Montauk itself, there's a fun place called Gosman's Dock - I suppose a mini-South Street Seaport. I haven't been to the restaurant in many years but recall it being pretty skippable. Others might have different opinions.

Oh, and of course the famous Montauk lighthouse.

The water in the ocean will be pretty chilly, but on a warm day the beaches will certainly be lovely. I've never been to a beach out there that wasn't very clean.

4) Memorial Day weekend itself will be quite crowded, but the first week in June should be fine. If you are planning on going during the week, even better.
posted by DavidNYC at 12:26 AM on April 25

I did this! I had to get a permit for my bike, which I was able to purchase at the train station in Queens. From the drop-off station in Montauk it was just a short ride to the strip where all the hotels and shops are.

My sister rented a bike when we were there, and it was affordable, but it's one of those things where they want a really huge deposit or a large amount secured by credit card just in case, and that caught us by surprise (I think it was $500). But everything went fine and we got it back.

The beaches were beautiful and clean, the water was cold but I got in anyway. I was surprised by how much it cooled off in the evenings, but the daytime was really warm. The biking out there is lovely, everything is so green and there are lots of little winding roads.

All of my info from late May, before the season officially started, hence there weren't many people around and the hotels were cheaper. Don't know what it's like on-season.
posted by hermitosis at 8:48 AM on April 25

1) You definitely need a bike permit for the LIRR (I think they're $5). I have one, and have brought my bike on the train several times, and never gotten hassled. But better safe than sorry.

2) What DavidNYC said about crowds. It should be OK when you're planning to go. I've done a few LI bike tours that go into/around Montauk. It's a fairly bike-friendly area.
posted by ObscureReferenceMan at 10:22 AM on April 27