If you are planning to have a memorable yet cheap beach holidays, you should definitely consider visiting this tourist destination! Westhampton Beach was incorporated in 1928. The village is located in the Town of Southampton, on the South Fork of Long Island, about 78 miles East of New York City.
Westhampton Beach is on Long Island’s southern shore and part of the eastern fringe of Suffolk. Westhampton Beach has its own police department, and maintains its local streets. Its fire district is comprised of volunteers. Basically residential in character with a sizeable seasonal population, most residences are single family homes, although there are several large cooperative and condominium complexes located within the Village. Commercial development is concentrated in the central business district. Westhampton Beach Union Free School District provides educational facilities for the Village and surrounding areas.
It is about 80 miles distant from Manhattan by direct line on a map. This proximity is a major advantage for people with business in the Metro who desire a life by the beach. The surface commute between Westhampton Beach and New York City is about 90 minutes. Gabreski Airport is an option to driving as it is just outside town. It would appear that the permanent resident numbers of less than 2 thousand people are set to grow. The town limits are within less than 3 square miles, but all of it is exquisitely laid out and can serve even those who live in neighboring areas. Westhampton Beach authorities have a clear strategy of combining the best of the resort and business worlds.
Rogers and Lashley Beaches are the main stretches of sand in town. Permanent residents can use the beaches for a single annual fee. Visitors can purchase passes and guests are welcome as well. Lashley Beach has showers, a lifeguard and ample parking. It is relatively secluded and loved by regulars. Rogers Beach has spots where people can enjoy a meal and the Mayor can permit a party as well. Alcohol, glass items and any show of violence are prohibited, so vulnerable age groups can enjoy themselves in relative calm and safety.
Ethnic Asian and European cuisine compete with steak and other American fare as dining choices on Westhampton Beach. There is plenty of choice to pick up a quick snack or to sit back and enjoy a leisurely full-service meal. Waterfront views are a common but always welcome attraction. There are a number of pubs and bars as well. The Marina has comprehensive facilities for mooring and boats can be hooked up for electric power. This is a valuable facility for people sailing along the waters off the southern shore of Long Island. It is also a pleasant way of making a visit to Westhampton Beach itself.
Westhampton Beach has all the trappings of a town though many know it as just a resort. The Hampton Synagogue accompanies 4 Churches of various denominations to provide worship facilities and religious services for the faithful. More than fifteen hundred children are enrolled in the Elementary, Middle and High Schools of the District. The Performing Arts Center attracts everyone from students and children to professional artists.
There is a free Library in town that residents can enjoy. It has a bank of computers for the Internet and a room for lectures and presentations. Set amongst generous greenery, the Library building sets the perfect tone for reading, concentration and thought. The collection of various materials is designed to cater to all age groups and all kinds of reading preferences.
The Tuthill House Museum has an extensive collection of photographs, starting with the 1920s when Westhampton Beach was first established as a municipality. A vintage peanut roasting machine used in a local store is also on display. Though the room interiors have been preserved with care, the building itself has been upgraded and houses a historian’s office on the upper storey. The Museum makes for an interesting interlude during a day at the beach.
Accommodation in Westhampton Beach has traditionally been in the form of houses for individual families. Condominiums and apartment blocks have also been developed of late, perhaps to cater to those who have cause to spend major time outside the town.
The local administration has ambitious plans for the development of Westhampton Beach. It has acquired the ground and property of the erstwhile Six Corners School and hope to construct a modern complex in place if the old School building of early 1900s vintage. While this will mean a sad loss of some tangible Westhampton Beach history, it will put the town on the future map of Suffolk and indeed of Long Island as a whole.