Living in New York City, I quickly learned that there’s a set of go-to relaxing weekend trips within a certain distance—the places New Yorkers head to escape the city for a change of pace. Of course, we all know the Hamptons, and Hudson or Beacon upstate; they’re common knowledge. Even the Poconos in Pennsylvania, or Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, the Cape, or the Berkshires in Massachusetts. But when I first moved here years ago, I hadn’t yet heard of the under-the-radar destinations on the North Fork of Long Island.
While the Hamptons are on the South Fork, made up of East Hampton and part of Southampton, the North Fork is a 30-mile-long peninsula with a collection of quaint towns, including the charming seaside village of Greenport. With influencers flocking to Surf Lodge in Montauk, the North Fork is almost like the sleepier, underrated alternative.
If you’re planning a getaway from the city, here’s my Greenport guide, including my favorite places to eat and shop, plus what to pack.
Greenport’s Chicest Hotel
As I planned my trip, I knew there was one place I wanted to stay: The Sound View. The waterfront hotel has a private beach, which was my very first stop after checking in and dropping off my bags. I’ve never been to the French Riviera (though it’s high on my list), but I imagined this is what it feels like—an intimate, blissful pebble beach. I fell asleep quickly to the sound of the waves, waking up completely relaxed.
The property has everything you need on-site: a pool, a restaurant and bar, complimentary bikes, and a thoughtfully curated gift shop with things like Only Hearts pajamas, Flamingo Estate candles, and Garrett Leight sunglasses.
From the hotel, it’s a short drive into a very walkable downtown area with a cluster of shops and restaurants all within one square mile, as well as the lovely 67 Steps Beach. Whether you want a trip of total downtime spent entirely at the hotel without having to leave at all or prefer to bop around, you can do either.
To get there, I took the Hampton Jitney from Midtown, which took less than three hours, but you could also take the Long Island Rail Road or drive. I went without a car and got around just fine using Ubers.
Dining in Greenport
My favorite meal of the trip was dinner at The Halyard, the hotel’s restaurant. I got the chicken and trout, and both were incredible. I also loved the chocolate cake and cookies for dessert. Between The Halyard (which recently added a brunch on Saturdays and Sundays), poolside options at Jack’s Shack, and room service, you could easily spend your entire trip eating there.
If you do want to venture out, for breakfast and lunch, there’s Pip’s Café & Provisions, Nookies, and Bruce & Son. For dinner, Noah’s, Ellen’s on Front, 1943 Pizza Bar, or American Beech. If you love raw bars, Little Creek Oyster Farm & Market is really popular, Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices of Greenport has my favorite ice cream, and the Greenport Farmers Market is on Saturdays.
In the neighboring towns, I’d recommend North Fork Table & Inn, which also runs a weekend food truck that has smash burgers and lobster rolls, as well as Southold Social for farm-to-table dining. For casual, fresh seafood, go to Braun Seafood Co. and Southold Fish Market. Other noteworthy options include North Fork Roasting Co., Country Corner Cafe, and Little Fish.
For a day trip, you can also easily take the ferry to Shelter Island. Get breakfast at Stars Cafe, or relax in an Adirondack chair with a gorgeous view at The Pridwin hotel and eat at its restaurant called The Terrace. Across the street, it’s quite the scene at the bar at Sunset Beach Hotel in front of Crescent Beach. And Marie Eiffel Market is a French-inspired café, bakery, and market where you can grab snacks for the beach or eat-in on the dockside.
Greenport Packing Tips
In theory, a two-night trip doesn’t require much packing, but I somehow always manage to overpack. If I had to whittle my suitcase down to just a few things for a weekend beach getaway, I’d choose my Cou Cou Intimates dresses. For swimwear, I’ve been loving my jewel-toned green Baserange one-piece paired with a Fella Swim sarong. Los Angeles Apparel jelly flats were my go-to shoes since they’re easy to wear both on and off the beach, and I always make sure I bring a claw clip to put by hair up and a hat for shade.
As for bags, my nylon one from the Parisian brand Kabas makes the perfect summer tote since it’s waterproof. In the evening, I wore my baguette bag from the Los Angeles label Are Studio. And although I have a large collection of sunglasses, I only brought one pair this trip: my sold-out, oversize Giada frames from Chimi.
For beauty, I packed my Leatherology croc-effect travel case with Sofie Pavitt cleanser and gel moisturizer, EltaMD face sunscreen, Vacation body sunscreen, Ciele tinted serum foundation, a Kate McLeod mini body stone, and Rōz leave-in conditioner and hair oil. For my lip combo, I brought the cult-favorite MAC Whirl lip liner and Crème in Your Coffee lipstick.
And I couldn’t forget my Kindle to read Lena Dunham’s Famesick. If you’re looking for another recommendation of personal essays from 2026 for a beach read, I loved Delusions by Cazzie David.
Shop Chic Items for Greenport
