The Hamptons

Concierge.com's insider take:

The Atlantic beaches of the Hamptons are some of the prettiest the country has to offer: clean, wide, often completely uncrowded—even on summer weekends—and set off by patchy wild dunes with no hulking pink resort hotels to ruin the idyllic views. Finding a beautiful beach is as easy as turning down any of the small, zigzaggy lanes that run off Route 27 and following it until you find some sandy parking spots off a dead-end road. Beware the limits on that choice roadside real estate, though: Parking permits are required for most of the better beaches, and only residents can get them. That means your options often come down to risking a ticket, walking, or stashing your car a good distance from the beach. Our favorite sandy strips follow, from west to east.

Mecox Beach is a nice spot in Bridgehampton down Jobs Lane; it offers $15 daily parking (arrive early), as well as lifeguards. To the east of Mecox, Sagg Main Beach in Sagaponack is a popular social spot for a younger crowd and also offers $15 daily parking rates. Farther down the coast is Gibson Beach, a nice, small stretch with a low-key, upper-crust vibe—if the upper crust can reliably be said to have vibes—and where, supposedly, women's tops are optional (parking by permit only). Georgica Beach has an exclusive reputation and a prestigious location close to the mansions of Lily Pond Lane and Georgica Pond (parking permit only). East Hampton's Main Beach is the center of the action, with crowds and concession stands (a draw for some, a turnoff for others) and a see-and-be-seen energy (ditto); it's also the only beach in East Hampton with daily parking ($15), but only on summer weekdays. Close to the divide between East Hampton and Amagansett, Two Mile Hollow has a reputation as a gay-friendly beach. Past Amagansett, where the Old Montauk Highway breaks from Route 27, Hither Hills State Park offers camping and fishing, a long beach, and the "walking" dunes of Napeague Harbor (entrance fee is $8 per car). Youthful, fun Ditch Plains is the surfers' beach of choice in Montauk. While not quite as postcard-perfect as some East Hampton beaches, it has free parking, the Ditch Witch (a snack stand where everyone hangs out), and surfers to stare at as you while away another summer day.