- Shelter Island is a secluded, 8,000-acre island a five-minute ride from the Hamptons, the ritzy vacation destination of choice for wealthy New Yorkers.
- I spent a day on the island and it was immediately clear why it's known as the "un-Hamptons."
- The island was quiet, charming, and serene, with a laid-back vibe and a conspicuous lack of entertainment and nightlife.
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The Hamptons has long been the vacation destination of choice for New York City's wealthy elite.
But just a five-minute ferry ride away is a secluded, 8,000-acre island that's been called the "un-Hamptons" for its tranquility, uncomplicated lifestyle, and lack of Hamptons crowds.
Peter Humphrey, a Douglas Elliman real-estate agent who lives on the island, said Shelter Island has a completely different environment from the Hamptons, noting that it's more "mellow" and "relaxed." And he doesn't think the island will become Hamptons 2.0 anytime soon.
"This place will be slow to change," Humphrey told me.
The island only has about 2,500 full-time residents, a number that swells to around 15,000 in the summer. About three quarters of the homes on the island are vacation homes, Humphrey said.
I spent a day on Shelter Island, and I immediately understood why it's called the "un-Hamptons." Here's what it was like.