Photo: Todd Cohen via Google
The Best Beach Clubs
in The Hamptons
Private member clubs west, the open Montauk scene out east.
The verdict
- Best forAn open beach club day you can actually book, found out east in Montauk rather than in the private member clubs of Southampton and East Hampton
- Single best spotThe Beach Club at Gurney's Montauk for day access daybeds and cabanas on a long private ocean beach, with dining on the sand and a summer music series
- One thing to knowMost classic Hamptons beach clubs are private membership clubs closed to visitors, so the accessible scene is Montauk, and any day fee or minimum is to be confirmed
Published 9 April 2026. Last reviewed 25 April 2026
Read the Hamptons honestly and the phrase beach club means two very different things here, and knowing which is which is the whole game. Along Southampton and East Hampton in the middle of the South Fork sit the historic private beach clubs, membership institutions with long waiting lists that a visitor cannot simply book, however famous the name. Out east in Montauk, the end of the line, the scene opens up, with a resort beach club that sells day access, a casual harbour restaurant and a day to night party spot that anyone can walk into. For most travellers the useful Hamptons beach club map points east.
Every venue below is a real, established place described by where it sits and how you actually get in. Gurney's sells daybed and cabana access by the day at a fee that climbs in peak summer, while Navy Beach and the Surf Lodge charge only what you order plus the premium season prices, so we mark any minimum or day fee as to be confirmed. Send a date and a party size and we will help you plan the right Montauk room and confirm any cost for your group.
Every club, by how you get in
Real, established venues, with the open Montauk scene first and the private member clubs flagged honestly. Any day fee or minimum is to be confirmed.
| Venue | Where | Vibe | Access or minimum | Booking note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Beach Club at Gurney's Montauk | Montauk | Private ocean beach, daybeds, dining, music series | Day fee, to be confirmed | The one true open beach club out here, a long private ocean beach with daybed and cabana rentals open to day visitors as well as hotel guests, on sand dining and a summer music series of DJ sets. The pick for a polished beach day you can actually book, with a livelier evening as the season builds. |
| Navy Beach | Montauk | Beachfront dining, relaxed, family friendly, sunset | To be confirmed | A relaxed beachfront restaurant on the harbour side, serving simple seafood and coastal plates with chairs out on the sand and a laid back, family friendly feel. The choice for an easy lunch or a sunset dinner by the water rather than a club scene, open to anyone who books a table. |
| The Surf Lodge | Montauk | Day to night party, DJs, live bands, young scene | To be confirmed | The famous Montauk scene, a pondside spot with a sand floor that runs an all day session into live bands and DJs after sunset, one of the busiest places to party in summer. The pick for the loud, young end of the Hamptons, best booked ahead as it fills fast on weekends. |
| Private member beach clubs | Southampton and East Hampton | Historic, exclusive, members and guests only | Members only, to be confirmed | The classic Hamptons beach clubs along the central villages are private membership institutions, often with long waiting lists, and are not open to casual visitors. Access generally means membership or a member's invitation, so we list them honestly rather than as something a traveller can book. |
When the clubs are best in the Hamptons
The season runs from Memorial Day at the end of May to Labor Day in early September, with July and August the warm, crowded, expensive peak when every Montauk table and daybed is in demand and worth booking well ahead. June and early September are the sweet spots, with warm enough water, smaller crowds and softer prices either side of the rush. Outside the summer the beach clubs largely close, so a Hamptons beach club trip is firmly a warm weather plan built around the long summer days.
Getting in, the honest way
The honest plan for a visitor is to base yourself in Montauk and book ahead, because the open venues fill fast in peak summer and the private member clubs further west are simply not an option without a connection. Reserve a daybed or cabana at Gurney's for the polished beach day, a table at Navy Beach for a relaxed harbour dinner, or a spot at the Surf Lodge if you want the scene, and do it early for July and August weekends. Arriving without a booking on a peak Saturday is the one reliable way to be disappointed.
Match the venue to the day you want. Gurney's for a private ocean beach you can book, Navy Beach for a calm family friendly meal, the Surf Lodge for the day to night party. Send your date and party size through the form below and we will help you plan the right Montauk room and confirm any day fee or minimum, at no cost to you.
Book a beach club in the Hamptons
Before you go
Which is the best beach club in the Hamptons?
For an open club you can actually book, the Beach Club at Gurney's Montauk is the answer, a long private ocean beach with daybed and cabana rentals, dining on the sand and a summer music series, available to day visitors as well as hotel guests. Many of the historic Hamptons beach clubs further west are private membership clubs that visitors cannot simply book, so Gurney's is the reliable best pick.
Are Hamptons beach clubs open to the public?
Mostly not. The classic Southampton and East Hampton beach clubs are private membership clubs, often with long waiting lists, and are not open to casual visitors. The open exception is Montauk, where Gurney's sells daybed and cabana access by the day and where Navy Beach and the Surf Lodge welcome anyone, so the accessible scene sits at the eastern end.
How much does a Hamptons beach club day cost?
At Gurney's a daybed or cabana carries a rental fee that rises sharply in the July and August peak and often comes with a food and drink minimum, while Navy Beach and the Surf Lodge cost only what you order plus the premium summer prices. Because the figures move with the day and the season, we mark them as to be confirmed and suggest booking ahead for your date.
Where are the Hamptons beach clubs?
They run along the South Fork of Long Island. The private membership clubs cluster around Southampton and East Hampton in the middle of the Hamptons, while the open, bookable scene sits out east in Montauk, where Gurney's, Navy Beach and the Surf Lodge face the ocean and the harbour. Montauk is the end of the line and the easiest base for a visitor.
Is the Hamptons better for a scene or for families?
Both, if you pick the right room. The Surf Lodge is the day to night scene with DJs and a young crowd, Gurney's pairs a polished beach day with a livelier evening, and Navy Beach is the relaxed, family friendly choice for simple seafood by the water. Match the venue to your group and the Hamptons covers a quiet beach day or a buzzy night equally well.