2. Montauk, New York

A former fishing town in east Long Island, Montauk nowadays is a bustling hive of activity for surfers. Being only 120 miles from New York City, there’s a good mixed crowd in Montauk of creative types, and wealthy Manhattan folk.
While the beaches aren’t as beautiful as what you’ll find on the west coast, they’re still pretty damn nice during the summer months. And the surfing – the surfing is pure excellent for everyone. There’s constant swells from south, west, and east so there’s no shortage of amazing locations, but the beloved Ditch Plains is where the real action goes down. Lots of surf schools for some lessons, too!

It’s best to fly to Long Island MacArthur Airport (ISP) or JFK (in NYC) – ISP is 66 miles away, and JFK is over 100. It might be a good idea to rent a car. For a place to stay in Montauk you have a choice of many inns, resorts, and hotels. There’s some amazing views from oceanfront hotels. You’ll also find a wonderful selection of spas, restaurants (checkout The Hideaway), and bars.