Grace Stetson is a NYC-based writer. Follow her on Twitter here.
Traveling during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic increases your risk and the risk of those around you. Please be mindful and observe local restrictions, wash your hands, and WEAR A MASK.
As the pandemic continues toward the one-year mark, Americans across the country are searching for safe ways to get away and escape the day-to-day. For 8.5 million New Yorkers and other Tri-State residents looking beyond the Catksills & Hudson Valley, the sleepy beach town of Montauk offers beautiful beaches, ample art galleries, and some of the region's best surf (and horseback riding?!). Not to mention a wealth of cute cottage and contemporary cabins straight out of a Wes Anderson film. All just over two-and-a-half hours from Manhattan.
Located on the east end of the South Fork peninsula of Long Island, Montauk exists just beyond the glitz and the glamour of the highly-frequented Hamptons and laid-back bayside town of Sag Harbor. But it’s so much more than just a summer getaway. The hamlet of just over 3,600 residents offers its visitors a great deal, including six state parks, recreational and commercial fishing, and of course, beautiful beaches.
Over the decade, the secluded nature of Montauk has earned it a well-known locale for notable residents, many of whom utilized the town to influence their art. In the 1970's Andy Warhol owned one of the more notorious estates-recently listed for sale at $65 million-known for hosting guests including Mick Jagger, Jackie Onassis, and John Lennon. Photographer Peter Beard—prior to his disappearance last spring—contrasted his world-renowned images of Kenya's wilderness and national parks with his six acres basecamp estate overlooking the Atlantic Ocean (which be also bought in 1972 for $135,000). And years later, the foundation of playwright Edward Albee funded the William Flanagan Memorial Creative Persons Center as a residence for writers and visual artists.
More recently, Montauk has seen its influence reflected in more popular culture, from music to literature to television. Perhaps most notably, however, is its use as a plot-point of Charlie Kaufman’s 2004 film “Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.” Countless surf books and architectural hardcovers include the area at land's end, as well.
If you’re interested in garnering some of the genius artistic energy, looking for a public beach worth splaying out on, or keen to learn to surf, we at Field Mag have found a slew of delightful Montauk rentals to visit and enjoy, regardless of season. Montauk is modestly-sized as well so park the rental car at your cottage and spend the rest of your visit on foot. Each one of the following 14 Airbnb beach houses, VRBO bungalows, and rental cabins offers a change to your WFH routine or a true holiday away from your cramped apartment, and could inspire your creative work even further.
