Coopers Beach
Best for. Day trippers without a permit who want one of the best beaches in America, a wide white Atlantic strand in Southampton with daily parking, a concession and lifeguards, the accessible jewel of the Hamptons.
Best spot. An early arrival to beat the parking rush, a rented chair and umbrella near the concession, then a long lunch in Southampton village.
Know this. The daily parking fee is steep in peak season and the lot fills early, so come in the morning, and the Atlantic is cold and lively, so swim near the flags.
Coopers Beach is the rare Hamptons beach that lives up to the hype and lets you in. It has been named the best beach in America by Dr. Beach, and the sand earns it, a wide, pale, immaculate sweep backed by rolling dunes and the great hedged estates of Southampton, with the Atlantic breaking clean and blue in front. What sets it apart from the equally beautiful but locked away village beaches of East Hampton is one practical, decisive thing: you can park here. Coopers sells daily parking to visitors through the summer, so a day tripper without a resident permit can simply drive up, pay and walk onto a top tier beach, which in the Hamptons is close to a miracle.
The honest catches are real but small against that gift. The daily fee is steep in the July and August peak, the lot fills early on a hot weekend, and the beach is busy precisely because it is the accessible one, so the trick is to arrive in the cool of the morning before the rush. The water is the open Atlantic, cold and lively with the chance of strong currents, well lifeguarded in season but demanding respect, so swim near the flags and keep children in the shallows. None of this dims the appeal. For the vast majority of visitors who do not hold a permit, Coopers is simply the best beach in the Hamptons they can actually reach, and it happens to be a genuinely world class one.
For a traveller who treats the beach as part of a wider day, Coopers slots in beautifully. Take the sand and the surf in the morning, snack at the beachfront concession without breaking the spell, and as the heat climbs drive the short way into Southampton village for a proper lunch, an ice cream and a wander, with the farm stands of the surrounding lanes ready to fill a bag with corn and tomatoes for later. The food and culture wanderer's verdict is warm and unhesitating: this is the one to choose when you want a great Hamptons beach day without the permit puzzle, a morning on famous sand and a long, slow Southampton afternoon. Go early, respect the cold Atlantic, and enjoy the rare luxury of a top beach you can simply park at.
A public beach, not a club row
Coopers is a public Southampton beach with a concession and rentals, not a daybed club, and the historic Southampton clubs nearby are private members only. The bookable beach club day in the Hamptons sits out east in Montauk. We name what is real and mark anything we cannot verify as to be confirmed. To plan a club day, start with the Hamptons clubs guide.
Photo: Jacqueline Vita via GoogleThe Coopers Beach concession and rentals
The beachfront concession, with food, drink, restrooms and chair and umbrella rental, is the closest thing here to an on sand club, and it is exactly what a great day trip beach needs. It is a public amenity rather than a members club, and any seasonal hours and rental rates are set by the village and are to be confirmed for your date.
Lunch in Southampton village
The real table after the sand waits a short drive behind in Southampton village, with its cafes, restaurants, ice cream and the farm stands of the surrounding lanes. It turns a morning swim into a proper day. Which places are open and their hours change with the season and are to be confirmed.
A beach club day out in Montauk
For a beach club you can actually book, the Hamptons scene sits out east in Montauk, where a resort beach club sells daybed and cabana access by the day and casual spots welcome anyone for seafood by the water. The historic clubs near Southampton are private members only, so we route the bookable day east. Any day fee or minimum is to be confirmed.
Southampton, New York
Coopers Beach sits at the end of Coopers Beach Road in Southampton Village, around two hours from New York by car in light traffic, or by the Long Island Rail Road or the Hampton Jitney to Southampton and a short ride from there. Its big practical advantage is the daily paid parking at the beach, which the permit only beaches further east do not offer, so it is the natural choice for a day trip without a permit.
Bring sun cover and water, rent a chair and umbrella at the beach if you like, and swim near the lifeguard flags, as the Atlantic is cold and the currents can be strong. Come in the heart of summer for the warmest sea and the full season, or June and just after Labor Day for fewer crowds and a lower fee, and arrive early on hot weekends before the lot fills. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed, and the parking and lifeguard rules change by season, so check before you set out.
Photo: Jacqueline Vita via GoogleNot ready to book?
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Common questions about Coopers Beach
Can anyone park at Coopers Beach in Southampton?
Yes, and that is exactly what makes it special. Coopers Beach sells daily parking to visitors through the summer, so unlike the permit only village beaches of East Hampton a day tripper can simply drive up and pay to get on. The fee is steep in peak season, but it buys access to a top rated beach without a resident permit, which is rare in the Hamptons. The daily rate changes by season and is to be confirmed, so check before you go and arrive early on a peak weekend.
Why is Coopers Beach famous?
Coopers Beach has been named the best beach in America by Dr. Beach, a wide, pale, immaculate sweep of Atlantic sand backed by dunes and the grand hedged estates of Southampton. Beyond the quality of the sand and the surf, it stands out for being one of the few truly top tier Hamptons beaches a visitor can reach with daily paid parking, a concession, lifeguards and chair and umbrella rental. It is the accessible jewel of the South Fork.
Is Coopers Beach good for families?
Very, by Hamptons standards. The daily parking, the concession, the restrooms, the chair and umbrella rental and the lifeguards in season make it one of the easiest beaches to bring children to without a permit. The water is the open Atlantic, cold and lively with possible currents, so keep small children in the shallows near the lifeguard flags and treat conditions as typical and never guaranteed. For a family day on a great beach you can actually park at, it is the obvious pick.
What is there to eat at Coopers Beach?
Coopers Beach has a beachfront concession for a casual bite and a cold drink without leaving the sand, which is more than most Hamptons beaches offer. For a proper meal, Southampton village a short drive behind holds the cafes, restaurants and ice cream, and the farm stands of the surrounding lanes are heavy with corn, tomatoes and fruit in season. Take the beach in the morning, snack at the concession, then head into the village for a long lunch. Hours and prices are to be confirmed.
How do you get to Coopers Beach from New York?
Coopers Beach sits at the end of Coopers Beach Road in Southampton Village, reachable from New York by car in around two hours in light traffic, or by the Long Island Rail Road or the Hampton Jitney to Southampton and a short taxi or ride from there. The daily paid parking at the beach is the big practical advantage over the permit only beaches further east. Arrive early on summer weekends, as the lot fills and the traffic builds.
When is the best time to visit Coopers Beach?
The heart of summer for swimming, with July through early September giving the warmest ocean and the lifeguards and concession running, and June and just after Labor Day as the calmer, cheaper shoulders. Early mornings beat the parking rush and the crowds. Spring and autumn are beautiful for a walk but too cold for most swimmers. See our Hamptons season guide for the month by month picture and the parking and crowd notes.
