The Hamptons — a favorite vacation destination of the rich and famous as well as New York's 'it' crowd — is actually composed of roughly 20 different villages, each one with its own unique flavor.
For this list, we ranked each destination on their quality of beaches, restaurants, shopping, nightlife, and real estate, as well as how many celebrities live in the area. We know some people go to the Hamptons to escape nightlife and the celebrity scene, but we included them in this ranking because they have a big impact on local tourism.
We assigned each category a score between 1 and 10, meaning the highest total score any Hamptons town could get was 60.
Without further ado, here are the nine best hamlets in the Hamptons.
9. Sagaponack
This tiny village is renowned for its rural beauty, with some of the most scenic beaches in the area.
The major downside of Sagaponack is that its too small for any theaters or shopping — for those, you would need to travel to nearby Southampton or East Hampton.
Well-known faces who have homes in Sagaponack include “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon and Goldman Sachs Chairman Lloyd Blankfein.
Beaches: 9
Restaurants: 5
Shopping: 4
Celebrity Sightings: 5
Nightlife: 4
Real Estate: 7.5
TOTAL: 34.5
8.Greenport
Often overshadowed by trendier hamlets, Greenport has both Noah's and The Frisky Oyster, easily two of the best restaurants in the Hamptons.
But don't expect to see any celebs while you're here — despite gorgeous real estate, Greenport is still dominated by locals.
Beaches: 5
Restaurants: 10
Shopping: 6
Celebrity Sightings: 5
Nightlife: 6
Real Estate: 7
TOTAL: 39
7. Amagansett
Technically within the town of East Hampton, Amagansett has its own special style with low-key, delicious restaurants and really nice, sandy beaches.
Though it's rare that you'll see a celebrity in these parts, Alec Baldwin has been known to make an appearance here.
Beaches: 8
Restaurants: 10
Shopping: 6
Celebrity Sightings: 6
Nightlife: 7
Real Estate: 7
TOTAL: 44
6. Bridgehampton
Bridgehampton has fantastic and unique boutiques and restaurants, such as Maison 24 and Candy Kitchen.
Though it currently isn't known for celebrity sightings, that could be changing soon now that Donna Karan has opened a boutique hotel in the neighborhood.
Beaches: 8
Restaurants: 9
Shopping: 9
Celebrity Sightings: 7
Nightlife: 5
Real Estate: 6.5
TOTAL: 44.5
5. Westhampton Beach
Westhampton Beach has clean, beautiful beaches.
It's also great for people watching: Not only do celebs like Anderson Cooper live here, but the restaurant Starr Boggs becomes quite the scene at night when the fabulous and wealthy mingle in the converted historic home.
Beaches: 10
Restaurants: 8
Shopping: 6
Celebrity Sightings: 7
Nightlife: 6
Real Estate: 7
TOTAL: 44
4. Sag Harbor
Known for being an artist haven, Sag Harbor is one of the prettiest villages with its cute storefronts and old-school Hamptons appeal.
It also has fantastic real estate that draws celebrities like Christy Brinkley. And if you want to see the celebs out and about, check out Italian resto Tutto Il Giorno (Donna Karan’s daughter Gabby is a partner).
Beaches: 7
Restaurants: 9
Shopping: 6
Celebrity Sightings: 7
Nightlife: 6
Real Estate: 10
TOTAL: 45
3. Montauk
During the day, surfers flock to Montauk's Ditch Plains Beach for the best waves on Long Island.
Then at night, the pubs take over with a nightlife scene that draws both hipster and local crowds to this fisherman's village.
Plus, Montauk has some of the most succulent seafood in the Hamptons at restaurants like Dave's Grill and Harvest on Fort Pond.
Beaches: 10
Restaurants: 9
Shopping: 7
Celebrity Sightings: 8
Nightlife: 10
Real Estate: 6
TOTAL: 50
2. East Hampton
When it comes to nightlife, East Hampton has you covered with raging dance clubs like SL East and the Pink Elephant.
It also has stellar beaches, tons of shopping, top-notch restaurants, and plenty of celeb spottings. Essentially, East Hampton has everything.
Beaches: 9
Restaurants: 8
Shopping: 9
Celebrity Sightings: 9
Nightlife: 8
Real Estate: 8
TOTAL: 51
1. Southampton
Southampton puts all other villages to shame when it comes to three things: Shopping, celebrities, and real estate.
Southampton is packed with any kind of men's, women's, children's, home goods, or artsy store you could possibly name.
It's also a favorite spot among the rich and famous — mainly because the epic, multi-million dollar mansions that line the ocean are only affordable if you have deep pockets.
Beaches: 7
Restaurants: 9
Shopping: 10
Celebrity Sightings: 10
Nightlife: 6
Real Estate: 10
TOTAL: 52