New Yorkers know that they didn’t sign on for a life of sun and sand – that can be L.A.’s consolation prize. But for the old city salts whose hearts warm with a glimpse of the sea, a romantic waterfront affair is possible without a ticket out west or down south.
From the tip of Long Island to the coolest strip down the shore, the perfect waterfront wedding location outside of New York – plus one just a quick motor from Manhattan – is in The MICHELIN Guide. Read on for our selection.
The Menhaden (One MICHELIN Key)
Greenport, New YorkRide the Long Island Rail Road as far as it will go on Long Island’s North Fork and you’ll hit Greenport, a quaint former whaling village that exemplifies this sleepier and humbler part of the New York beach region. The Menhaden is the principal luxury lodging right on the harbor, between the bagel shop and the carousel. The hotel’s roof deck – the highest point in town – is perfect for gatherings, with sunset views that extend to nearby Shelter Island.
Inspector Notes: The Menhaden is a stylish and self-assured 16-room boutique hotel, set right on Front Street, at one end of Greenport’s compact main drag. The look is almost totally monochrome, with a bit of hardwood and some carefully curated plant life serving as accents.
The Shoals Suites & Slips
Southold, New YorkFancy a glide through the sound before a walk down the aisle? The Shoals Suites & Slips, also on the North Fork, has 20 spots in its marina to moor a boat (plus 20 suites with plush furniture and Frette bedding). The property’s lawns have ample space to pop up a tent and its lounges are glass-enclosed, with sweeping views of the bay. An oyster raw bar for your guests here is pretty much a must.
Inspector Notes: Danish-born architect Thomas Juul-Hansen’s design lends the Shoals a unique personality, full not only of Northeastern maritime character but a European modernist influence as well. The materials are warm and organic above all else, starting with the traditional cedar shingles that adorn the building’s exterior.
Collective Governors Island
New York, New YorkThe best view of New York City might just be from the Collective Governors Island hotel, with its perch a short ferry ride south of Manhattan. This is the place for the couple who wants a pastoral, water-lapped wedding, but doesn’t want their guests to have to work for it. The hotel’s great lawn, with the Statue of Liberty as a close-up backdrop, can fit 175 people.
Inspector Notes: Collective Governors Island offers the sort of grown-up summer-camp experience you’d ordinarily drive to the Catskills to find, accompanied by live entertainment and cocktails on the Sunset Terrace. Tents feature air conditioning, en suite bathrooms, Frette robes, and high-end bath products, and the top-end Outlook Shelter is a cabin-like structure with an indoor soaking tub facing the Statue of Liberty.
Gurney's Montauk
Montauk, New YorkGurney’s dates back nearly a century, to the earliest days of Montauk’s turn as a city resort at the farthest end of Long Island’s South Fork, where you’ll find most of the Hamptons. And you’ll still find a salty charm in the air here among the light wood sided structures, even as the area goes the way of the FiDi bro. But Gurney’s stands apart most for its coastal edge: 2,000 feet of private access Atlantic, an unparalleled stretch of wedding weekend setting.
Inspector Notes: The Beach Club on the premises makes it easy to relax, with king-sized daybeds, beach chairs, and all the warm-weather cocktails you need. And if you prefer to swim in a pool instead of an ocean, Gurney’s indoor pool — the only one of its kind on the continent — uses local seawater that’s sand-filtered and warmed to the perfect temperature.
Montauk Yacht Club
Montauk, New YorkThe nearly 100-year-old yacht club is the uber-exclusive Hamptons enclave made modern, refreshed thrice in the past decade for the new gilded set arriving by train. Ballrooms, great lawns, and a pier that reaches into the tranquil Lake Montauk are all on the table for a wedding at the far end of luxury.
Inspector Notes: The Lake Montauk setting feels splendidly private, and the rooms, though luxe, are unpretentiously clad in whitewashed timber. And the facilities are comprehensive: two pools, a beach club, a marina, as well as fitness classes, tennis lessons, and a pair of restaurants, a wood-fired pizzeria and a seafood-focused fine-dining venue.
Asbury Ocean Club Hotel (One MICHELIN Key)
Asbury Park, New JerseyAsbury Park, one of the northernmost points of the Jersey Shore, has burnished a reputation as the cool kid part of this flashy region, with a dining scene and stretch of boardwalk that’s more AMC than MTV. The Asbury Ocean Club Hotel, one of just two properties down the shore with a MICHELIN Key, is its hospitality headquarters, with Scandinavian design and beachfront views, plus a rooftop pool and bar that would make for a killer cocktail party locale.
Inspector Notes: The clearest departure from the Asbury Park of old is in the aesthetics; this ultra-modern structure wouldn’t look out of place in a major metropolitan area. Meanwhile the accommodations themselves come decked out in a style that mixes elements of laid-back seaside shacks and glossy urban loft living. They’re light-filled and full of boutique-hotel comforts, and more stylish than just about anything else in town.
Hero image: Gurney's Montauk
