Blade in or brave the Friday afternoon traffic? It’s Memorial Day Weekend — cue the annual debate over the best way to beat the summer crowds out east. As the New York social scene prepares to decamp for the warmer months ahead, here’s a look at what’s new — and what not to miss — in the Hamptons this summer.

Where to Stay…

Out in Montauk, LDV Hospitality is opening Barlume Beach Montauk, following the opening of LDV at The Maidstone in 2024. Overlooking Montauk Harbor, Barlume Beach offers 19 guest rooms, a beach club, marina and restaurant, and a new location of its flagship Manhattan Mediterranean restaurant. Nearby, the former Sunset Montauk has been reimagined as Hotel Corduroy, a 29-room boutique hotel designed to reflect the area’s surf scene. The hotel will also offer guests private beach access to the nearby Sunset Beach. 

Moving north, Baron’s Cove has been transformed as Faraway Sag Harbor. Opening in June, the waterfront hotel features 67 rooms and suites, a pool and signature restaurant Zagara, inspired by the Amalfi Coast. Later this summer in the North Fork, the former Greenporter hotel will reopen as Oyster Estate in Greenport Village. The 34-room hotel will feature a pool and Fortune Favors, a cocktail bar and restaurant.

The expansive Montauk Yacht Club is introducing new wellness options for the summer season, from a floating wellness cabana in collaboration with Elemis to a partnership with Jamie O’Brien Surf Experience. The property has also just introduced a new Italian restaurant, Alba Spiaggia, overlooking the waterfront.

…And Where to Dine

After a previous run in Montauk, Maison Close is bringing its Parisian-inspired dining to the Capri Southampton this year. The menu will feature seafood-forward dishes alongside French staples like steak au poivre and shareable cote de boeuf.

Further out, Lion’s Nook will make its debut in East Hampton in time for the summer season. The English pub-style restaurant is the second project by Parioli Hospitality, which also runs Springs Tavern and Grill. After popping up last summer in East Hampton, Camp Rubirosa — an outpost of the SoHo Italian eatery — returns to 31 Race Lane, putting down roots for the long haul. Nourish, led by executive chef Dewa Wijaya and beverage director Takuma Watanabe, has opened at The Roundtree in Bridgehampton with a Balinese-inspired menu rooted in locally sourced ingredients.

In Sag Harbor, Babe’s Diner opens on Division Street as a nostalgic 14-seat setting for elevated breakfast and lunch fare. Nearby, longtime residents Michael Nolan and Helen Gifford have debuted Miracle as a year-round New American restaurant serving lunch and dinner on Main Street.

What to See and Do

The summer social calendar offers plenty of opportunities to get dressed up and mingle for a cause. Kicking things off on June 27, the LongHouse Reserve will honor Sean Scully and Bruce Horten during its Beautopia summer benefit. The event is held within the 16-acre gardens, an opportunity to check out new exhibition “Things That Look Like Magic: Cheryl R. Riley and Wharton Esherick.”

On July 18, the Parrish will host its annual Midsummer gala. It’s also an opportunity to check out the museum’s summer exhibitions, which include a solo exhibition of work by Sanford Biggers, and the first comprehensive survey for Puerto Rican artist Tony Bechara. 

The following weekend, the Watermill Center hosts its annual Summer Festival, presented by Van Cleef & Arpels, on July 24 and July 25. The weekend kicks off with an Artists Dinner, during which guests are invited to explore experimental installations and performances across the Watermill Campus. This year’s theme is “Limitless Time,” and marks the first summer since founder Robert Wilson’s death last year. That same weekend in Water Mill, the Hetrick-Martin Institute is hosting its School’s Out fundraiser on July 25, in support of LGBTQIA+ youth.

The scene continues into August with the Guild Hall summer gala on Aug. 7 in East Hampton. The event will honor Guild Hall executive director Andrea Grover, and also celebrate the exhibition opening of “Ross Bleckner: Never the Less and Eric Freeman: The Volume of Color.”

Other art to check out this summer includes a site-specific work by Alan Ruiz at Dia Bridgehampton and group exhibition “This Land: Considering the American Landscape” at The Church in Sag Harbor, which opens June 21. The show will feature contemporary artists alongside paintings and works on paper associated with the Hudson River School.

The Hampton Classic Horse Show in Bridgehampton always marks the impending end of summer out east. This year’s equestrian show, sponsored by Longines, takes place Aug. 23 to 30.

And is it even summer without a visit to the Surf Lodge? The Montauk haunt is officially back in business for the season, and this year is leaning into live bands along with its usual DJ scene. On the lineup this summer are performances by Sheryl Crow, St. Lucia, Matt Quinn of Mt. Joy, Grace Bowers, with Teddy Swims booked to close out the party on Labor Day weekend.