East Hampton Beach Surf Guide

Surf spot guide

Ideal Surf Conditions

Swell Direction

SE, SSE, S

Wind

NW to NNW

Surf Height

Waist high-well overhead

Tide

Mid

East Hampton Beach Surf Guide

The area from West Hampton to Amagansett is known as the Hamptons. This area is world-renowned for its vineyards, beaches, nightlife and resident celebrities. The Hamptons come alive (tourism-wise, not wave-wise) in summer (between Memorial Day and Labor Day), when it's not uncommon to be seated at a restaurant next to Alec Baldwin, Billy Joel or Steven Spielberg. Prices are high and crowds are thick, but it's a unique and exciting scene.

The beaches all around The Hamptons pick up plenty of swell, and consistently have excellent sand banks. Hollow, grinding tubes are common. And, more precisely, quite often those grinding tubes can be found at Main Beach. The waves have board-breaking power, without serious crowding or localism. If you want barrels, left or right depending on swell, Main Beach is the call.

Unfortunately, many of the beaches around The Hamptons are barricaded with multimillion-dollar homes and beach clubs, so access to the ocean is difficult in most places, year-round. Parking permits are required and strictly enforced in summer.

Ability Level

Beginner - Intermediate

BegIntAdv

Normally better for newbies but depends on the swell.

Local Vibe

Doable

WelcomingIntimidating

Moderate.

Crowd Factor

Mellow

MellowHeavy

Mellow.

Spot Rating

Fun

PoorPerfect

Usually not the best spot around but can get fun.

Shoulder Burn

Medium

LightExhausting

Doable, but can be tough on bigger swells.

Water Quality

Clean

CleanDirty

Pretty clean overall.

Hazards

Rip currents.

Bring Your

Shortboard, Fish, Funboard, Longboard, Bodyboard

Access

Limited

Bottom

Sand

Best Season

September through March

Do you have local knowledge about East Hampton Beach?

If you have any insights or information to add to this spot guide, drop us a note at [email protected]