I visited the Long Island beach town that real estate agents are calling the 'new Hamptons' and found it was nothing like the real thing
Talia Lakritz
- A New York Post article proclaimed that Long Island's Atlantic Beach is becoming the "new Hamptons."
- I visited the beach town and found a couple of restaurants and a small boardwalk, not much else.
In July, The New York Post published an article in which New York real estate agents proclaimed that Atlantic Beach, a village in Long Island, is becoming the "new Hamptons."
The Hamptons, an area on the east end of Long Island about 100 miles from New York City, has long been a popular and luxurious summer getaway comprised of about 20 beach towns and quaint villages.
Thomas Tripodi of Douglas Elliman Real Estate told The New York Post that Atlantic Beach, located about 28 miles from the city, is "the Hamptons without the commute."
The publication then shared a second story in which Atlantic Beach residents refuted this claim with the headline, "Atlantic Beach locals tell Wall Street this isn't the 'new Hamptons:' 'We're a small town.'"
Tripodi told Insider that residents likely wanted to quash the "new Hamptons" buzz in order to preserve the exclusivity of the town.
"My feeling would be yes everybody wants to keep it a secret," he said. "They don't want everybody in the world coming down there. I didn't come up with the article about how all these Wall Streeters are coming here, but it happens to be a fact. A lot of them are now heading out of the city, and they have to go in five days a week, and you can't do that from the Hamptons."
Tripodi said that he's sold twice as many homes in Atlantic Beach to Manhattan residents in recent years. The New York Post reported in July that there were 15 homes for sale in the area, including its most expensive yet — a home listed at $11.5 million.
While Tripodi acknowledged to Insider the small town is not a destination with lots of attractions like the Hamptons, the two locations can offer similar amenities to residents, he said.
"If you want the parties and restaurants in that specific town, then it is not the same as the Hamptons," Tripodi said of Atlantic Beach. "If you want the quiet and beautiful houses and to live on the bay and walk to the beach, it's right there, both of them. And if you want restaurants, it's literally five minutes away, just like if you were in the Hamptons and you were getting in the car."
Representatives of the Village of Atlantic Beach did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.
I visited Atlantic Beach in late July to see what it was like and if it was appropriate to call it the "new Hamptons."
Atlantic Beach is just over one square mile in area with a population of 1,707, according to 2020 census data.
It took about an hour and a half to drive to Atlantic Beach from upper Manhattan on a Sunday afternoon.
After paying a $3 cash toll, we began driving down Park Street, Atlantic Beach's main drag. It looked like an average suburb.
Unlike mansions in the Hamptons surrounded by hedges or large yards, the houses in Atlantic Beach were all very close to each other.
Some homes stood out for their unique architecture, such as this castle-like structure.
Others featured eye-catching landscaping with walkways of colorful flowers.
On the main street, I counted three restaurants, three delis, two bars, and a surf shop. That's it.
The Hamptons feature a seemingly endless number of beer gardens, seafood joints, and fine-dining restaurants. To me, Atlantic Beach's offerings couldn't compare.
While it can be difficult to find parking in the Hamptons, there was no public parking in Atlantic Beach at all.
The Atlantic Beach boardwalk was about a mile long. The views were stunning, but there weren't any other shops or attractions.
Various members-only beach clubs lined the boardwalk, with prices starting around $2,000 for a shared locker and up to $22,000 for private cabanas.
Some clubs had beachside event and dining spaces set up along the water.
The beach was open to residents and club members only.
Due to the village's proximity to John F. Kennedy International Airport, planes flew overhead every few minutes, drowning out the sound of the waves.
As we continued driving, I was encouraged when we reached a livelier stretch of shops and restaurants ... until I realized that we had actually crossed into the neighboring town of Long Beach.
While Atlantic Beach offered beautiful ocean views, I don't think it featured enough attractions or square mileage to make it a real Hamptons competitor.
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