Flying Point Beach
Best for. Families and surfers who want a relaxed, genuine community ocean beach over a scene, lifeguarded in season, with the farm stands and wineries of Water Mill and Southampton close behind.
Best spot. A morning swim or surf near the flags, then a farm stand haul and a long lunch in Water Mill or Southampton village inland.
Know this. Summer parking is permit only with limited spaces, so sort it or arrive early, and the Atlantic is cold and lively, so swim near the flags.
Flying Point is the Hamptons beach that locals around Water Mill and Southampton quietly count as their own. It is a wide, open Atlantic strand behind the dunes, lifeguarded through the season, with a loyal following of families on the sand and surfers in the lineup and none of the velvet rope feeling of the grander village fronts. The setting is pure South Fork, the open ocean running close to the bay and pond system inland and the farm country and wineries spreading out behind, so a day here feels rooted in the working landscape rather than the glossy one. It is not the most famous beach in the Hamptons, but it is one of the most genuinely likeable, a real community beach rather than a scene.
The honest read keeps the parking front and center, because here as everywhere on this coast it is the thing that makes or breaks the day. The lot off Flying Point Road is regulated through the summer, typically needing a Southampton Town permit, with limited spaces that fill early on warm weekends, and the exact rules and any fee change by year and are to be confirmed, so check the current Southampton Town position before you go. Without a permit, the smart plays are to arrive very early, to cycle in, or to choose Coopers Beach in Southampton village, which sells daily parking to anyone. And the sea is the open Atlantic, cold well into summer and lively with rideable surf and possible strong currents, so swim near the flags, keep small children in the shallows, surf within your ability, and treat conditions as typical and never guaranteed.
For a traveller who treats the beach as part of a wider day, Flying Point sits in some of the most rewarding country in the Hamptons for exactly that. The move is to swim or surf in the cooler morning, then turn inland for the larder of Water Mill and Southampton, the farm stands heavy with corn, tomatoes and peaches, the bakeries and cafes, the long lunch in the village, and the North Fork wineries within reach for an unhurried afternoon. The food and culture wanderer's verdict is fond and clear eyed: come to Flying Point for a relaxed, real ocean beach with surf for those who want it and family ease for those who do not, sort the parking before you set out, and let the farm country and the village behind it turn a good swim into a full and generous South Fork day.
A local beach, the clubs are elsewhere
There is no bookable beach club on Flying Point itself, and the historic Southampton clubs nearby are private members only. The bookable Hamptons club day 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.
Lunch in Water Mill and Southampton
With modest food on the sand, the table after the swim waits a short drive inland in Water Mill and Southampton village, with cafes, bakeries, restaurants and the polished shops of Southampton. It turns a morning swim into a proper day in some of the best country on the South Fork. Which places are open and their hours change with the season and are to be confirmed.
Farm stands and a winery afternoon
The country behind Flying Point is the real reward, with the farm stands of the Water Mill and Bridgehampton lanes heavy with corn, tomatoes and peaches in season and the North Fork wineries within reach for an unhurried afternoon. Picnic on the sand, then graze the farm country inland. Which stands and wineries are trading and their hours change by 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 Southampton clubs near Flying Point are private members only, so we route the bookable day east. Any day fee or minimum is to be confirmed.
Water Mill, Southampton, New York
Flying Point Beach sits on the ocean near Water Mill in the town of Southampton, reached by Flying Point Road through the farm country toward the dunes, on the South Fork of Long Island, around two and a half hours from New York by car in light traffic, or by the Long Island Rail Road or the Hampton Jitney to Southampton or Bridgehampton and a local ride from there. The lot is permit only in summer with limited spaces, so sort the permit, arrive early, or choose Coopers Beach in Southampton village, which sells daily parking to anyone.
Bring your own water, shade and a picnic, as facilities are modest, then take great care in the water, as the Atlantic is cold and lively with rideable surf and possible strong currents, swimming near the flags when the lifeguard is on. Come in the heart of summer for the warmest sea and lifeguard cover, or June and early September for more quiet, and aim for the morning for parking and the calmest sea. Conditions are typical and never guaranteed, and the parking rules change by season, so check before you set out.
Photo: Andrew Siden via GoogleNot ready to book?
Keep the good shorelines coming. Shore Notes is our occasional letter on the best beaches and the clubs worth your day, sent straight to your inbox. One field, unsubscribe any time.
Book a beach club
Tell us your dates and party size and we will help line up the bookable Hamptons beach club scene out in Montauk for your trip. We reply by email.
Independent and honest · 1,340 beaches ranked across 103 destinations · We answer to no resort
We are an independent editorial resource. Booking requests are passed to clubs and operators, and some may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices, availability and opening status are set by the venue and are to be confirmed at the time of booking.
Common questions about Flying Point Beach
Do you need a permit to park at Flying Point Beach?
Flying Point has a lot off Flying Point Road, and like most South Fork ocean beaches it is regulated through the summer, typically needing a Southampton Town resident or seasonal non resident permit, with limited spaces that fill early on warm weekends. The exact permit rules and any fee change by year and are to be confirmed, so check the current Southampton Town position before you go. Without a permit, arriving very early or cycling in is the safer plan, or choose Coopers Beach in Southampton village, which sells daily parking to anyone.
What is Flying Point Beach known for?
Flying Point is the cheerful local ocean beach of the Water Mill and Southampton area, a wide Atlantic strand with a loyal following of families and surfers, lifeguards in season and a relaxed, unflashy feel. It is loved for being a genuine community beach rather than a scene, set where the open ocean runs behind the dunes and the bay and pond system, with the farm country and wineries of the area close behind. It is a classic South Fork beach day.
Is there food near Flying Point Beach?
There may be a seasonal snack option at the beach, which is to be confirmed by year, but the real larder is behind it. Water Mill and Southampton village a short drive away hold the farm stands, bakeries, cafes and restaurants, and the North Fork wineries are within reach for an afternoon. Bring a picnic and water for the sand, then drift inland for a long lunch or a farm stand haul of corn and tomatoes. Opening hours change with the season and are to be confirmed.
Does Flying Point Beach have a lifeguard?
Yes, Flying Point is generally lifeguarded in the summer season, which is part of why it suits families and a sociable beach day. Cover is seasonal and hours change by year, so treat it as typical and never guaranteed and check the current schedule. The water is the open Atlantic, cold and lively with rideable surf and the chance of strong currents, so swim near the flags, keep children in the shallows, and surf within your ability.
Where is Flying Point Beach?
Flying Point Beach sits on the ocean near Water Mill in the town of Southampton, reached by Flying Point Road through the farm country toward the dunes, on the South Fork of Long Island. It is around two and a half hours from New York by car in light traffic, or by the Long Island Rail Road or the Hampton Jitney to Southampton or Bridgehampton and a local ride from there. The lot is regulated in summer, so sort the permit or arrive early.
When is the best time to visit Flying Point Beach?
Summer for the warmest ocean and lifeguard cover, with July and August the peak and June and early September the quieter, kinder shoulders. The Atlantic is cold in spring and only really warms by midsummer, so the swimming window is the heart of summer. Mornings are easiest for parking and the calmest sea, and the surf is often best with the right swell, so check conditions. See our Hamptons season guide for the month by month picture.
