The ultimate East End trip—from a winter getaway to planning for next summer or any time of year—starts with the newly reimagined Canoe Place. The legendary hotel reopened in August after more than two decades. Home to art, culture, and culinary scenes itself, it makes an ideal jumping-off point for exploring the Southampton hamlet of Hampton Bays. This coastal destination nearby NYC appeals to avid beachgoers who dream of sun and surf in between kayaking and enjoying fresh lobster, plus it offers year-round activities for every type of traveler, with intimate boutique shopping, self-guided art walks, outdoor adventures, and opportunities to learn about the local Indigenous past.
History also plays an important role in the long-awaited reopening and renovation of Canoe Place, which pays tribute to Southampton’s bygone eras and its own backstory as America’s oldest inn. Today, the 300 year-old property continues to shine as a place for culture seekers and fans of good food to gather, clink champagne glasses, and unwind in style like the icons that made it so popular for so many decades.
A cultural crossroads steeped in history
Not the least of the reasons behind the effortless charm and elegance of what’s known as the first stop out East—more serene, with fewer crowds, and more waterfront than its counterparts further East in the Hamptons—is one of America’s greatest treasures: Canoe Place. With the same grandeur and understated style that’s long helped define the Hampton Bays and the surrounding Southampton area, the well-designed accommodations include 13 guest rooms, seven suites, and five guest cottages. Beyond the modern lodging, public spaces invite guests to enrich their trip with culture and history woven throughout the immaculately groomed six-acre property.
Guest rooms incorporate modern design with many of the building’s original architectural details remaining intact.
Photo credit: Matthew Williams
Much of the original architecture, including fireplaces, vaulted ceilings, and chimneys, is still in place, all restored by award-winning design team Workstead. Art complements these historic details and contemporary furnishing in past, courtesy of a collection curated by the Rechlers that celebrates both local and internationally acclaimed artists. You’ll see works by Doug Aiken, Yoan Capote, and Tony Tasset, in addition to Jeffrey Gibson’s painting in homage to the region’s Native American traditions.
Culture, art, and Indigenous heritage
No visit to Hampton Bays would be complete without visiting the Southampton History Museum which tells the story of Southampton’s bygone era and offers immersive events like the Long Island Indigenous Perspective Paddle Tour, A Night at the Rogers Mansion and Insider’s View. Art fans can also find themselves happily lost in the many galleries found in the area with The Watermill Center and the Parrish Art Museum serving as good places to start.
Guests can enjoy local artworks like those found in the light-filled lobby of Canoe Place.
Photo credit: Matthew Williams
Sun, spa days, and soaking it in
All Hamptons’ beaches, with their long stretches of sand and low-lying dunes, are well worth exploring. And as a guest of Canoe Place, you have easy access to Meschutt Beach, a lesser-inhabited spot that’s a short walk from the hotel and favored by locals for its calm water where kayaks are available for hire during the warmer months. Or opt for Ponquogue Beach, a destination for year-round surfing. Pro tip: fall is the most reliable season for consistent clean waves with a rideable swell and offshore winds.
Canoe Place offers its own slice of onsite paradise with an exclusive spa experience created by ONDA Beauty. Cofounded by Larissa Thomson, Naomi Watts, and Sarah Bryden-Brown, ONDA Beauty’s expert-led facials, massages, and other holistic treatments featuring body and energy work using high-quality products and innovative techniques including LED lights, CBD and wild-crafted essential oils, and volcanic clay. Other ways to relax include bocce on the back lawn, drinks on the terrace, and taking a dip in the outdoor pool.
When you feel like exploring the area, you can shop small and support independent designers at Hampton Bays boutiques. Aerin on Southampton’s main street, Aerin Lauder’s eponymous concept store, features interiors by Jacques Grange and beauty items, clothing, and accessories. Also in Southampton, visit Homenature to bring a bit of the Hamptons lifestyle back home, and find Indian prints and more casual clothing at Roller Rabbit and a curated selection of labels at Fivestory. Head to Joey Wölffer in Sag Harbor for chunky jewelry and vintage pieces that can’t be found on 5th Avenue. Or check out Bridgehampton for Malia Mills swimwear, coverups, and more that are as stylish as they are functional.
Locavore living
Across the island, you’ll find working farms and wine producers who’ve harnessed European winemaking skills while using the terroir of North Fork to produce fruity and bold red wines, as well as distinct complex whites like Sauvignon Blanc. Visiting these agricultural wonderlands, vineyards, and fishing ports make for ideal culinary day trips. For oenophiles, we recommend touring the region’s wineries by bike. While there are too many East End wineries and distilleries to be explored on one trip, Canoe Place’s “little black book” of vineyards can guide guests to exclusive tastings in award-winning cellars.
If getting out on the water is a must, the hotel also has tailormade experiences including a full day out at sea to score tuna, swordfish, and shark, as well as opportunities to cruise the bays for local bass and fluke. In winter, local Hampton Bays anglers take guests out whale-watching and seal-spotting and in summer guests can take a kayak tour in the bays or a captained picnic boat for clamming and crabbing near hidden coves and sand bars.
Wind down after a delicious meal at Good Ground Tavern with a crafted cocktail in Canoe Place’s speakeasy-style study.
Photo credit: Chris Sanders
Explore Long Island’s culinary bounty on property with Canoe Place’s dining options featuring local, sustainable, and organic products that support the region’s farms. Good Ground Tavern, under Chef Ülfet Ralph, highlights seasonal ingredients sourced nearby with Mediterranean-infused dishes in a menu that focuses on open-fire cooking, house-made pastas and pizzas, and craft cocktails. Signature dishes include CP Clams Casino, Wood-Fired Montauk Bass, Sausage and Pepperoncini Pizza, and Herb Olive Oil Cake with Fennel and Orange. Toast your trip with a nightcap in the intimate speakeasy housed in a private study featuring an original brick fireplace. Cheers!
