The Most Expensive Vacation Spot In New York Isn't New York City

When you think of expensive New York vacations, Broadway shows, shopping sprees, and fancy hotels might come to mind. Even the price of a pizza slice and cab fare might make a New York tourist's dream feel like a budgeter's nightmare. However, the pricey lights of the big city have nothing on New York's real big-ticket travel destination: the beach.

One of New York's most expensive travel destinations is technically "the last resort" in the Hamptons; Montauk (in East Hampton) is a beach-resort hamlet that sits all the way at the eastern end of Long Island, just a few hours' drive from New York City. Montauk's majestic shores jut into the Block Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, providing panoramic coastal views as well as a sight that will delight the nautically enthused tourist: the old Montauk Point Lighthouse.

The picturesque Montauk is known for its unspoiled coastline, rugged natural beauty, and being an escape from congestion and concrete. It's also known for its extreme costs. A 2024 study from travel blog Optimos Travel ranked Montauk as the fourth-most expensive vacation spot in the United States, with daily traveler costs of $618 per day. While $600 or so can pay for plenty of pizza slices in New York City, let's take a look at what tourists are spending it on in Montauk.

The Hamptons aren't exactly known for cheap eats, and Montauk is no different. It may be technically inexpensive to see the beautiful beachfront sights of this Long Island hamlet, but food and lodging around such natural beauty can cost a pretty penny.

For example, on a frugal vacationer's budget, $500 could go a long way, but in Montauk, it may only score you a cowboy steak meal for four at a waterfront restaurant. That said, if you're feeling more surf than turf, you may be able to snag a famous lobster Cobb salad at Duryea's Montauk for $97 — while eliminating 20% of your food budget at the same time, though. Or, you could go with the lobster roll at the same eatery for $42 (prices are as of 2022, per Business Insider). For a thrifty alternative altogether, you could buy in bulk. One Montauk deli sells lobster salad for $120 per pound. (See how much of your income you should be spending on a vacation.)

If these prices leave you hungry for other options, it might be worth checking out Montauk's 7-Eleven for some beach supplies, along with some cheap snacks. Located at 653 Montauk Highway, it's known as one of the busiest 7-Elevens in the world (dating back to 2014, via Convenience Store News).

Even if you manage to survive a visit to Montauk on nothing but leftover bits of lobster roll alone, the lodging costs will set you back. As a longtime hideaway for celebrities and the ultra-rich, Montauk is lined with resorts and looming summer mansions; it's even home to a beachside trailer park with a "Billionaire's Corner." Whether these top-dollar travelers come to Montauk for a peaceful beach retreat or to party hearty, they certainly set a high cost of living.

Budget Your Trip, a website that helps travelers build their travel budgets, finds the average price of a night in Montauk is $434, with the average "budget" nightly stay at an eye-popping $247. Lodging for a weeklong stay for a family of four can easily cost around $10,000 if seeking luxury accommodation. On Fourth of July weekend, meanwhile, a room with an ocean view at the glamorous Gurney's Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa starts at $1,750 a night, with a three-night minimum stay.

Montauk may not be one of the best U.S. vacation destinations to travel to on a budget, but there are some ways to get the taste of lobster for the price of crab. For one, booking a "shoulder season" trip can potentially save you money while traveling in Montauk, as well as heading up to the hamlet in deep winter (even as many Montauk businesses close in the off-season). Year-round mid-range and even luxury resorts see a price drop during colder months, especially for weekday stays. A random long weekend in February may be the perfect time to tell your fellow travelers to "meet me in Montauk."