Coopers Beach — Attraction in Town of Southampton

Consistently voted one of the best beaches, a visit here, you too will surely see why. The good news is for most of the months this beach is open and free to enjoy. The bad news is during peak season if you are not a resident here it will cost you $50 a day to park your car. There is no fee after 5 PM, and you still can get food till 6 PM. So best to visit before May 15 and after September 15th weekends. Of course, you can bike and walk in too during the summer, and one can rent both beach chairs and umbrellas. As you round the slight hill up to the water the teak wood and azure umbrellas dot the waters edge strikingly. There is also a place for ordering breakfast, lunch or an early dinner. Weekly movie night delights the kids as they all love sitting in their cars to watch a great movie. A unique feature everyone enjoys in the off seasons is the fact one can drive slowly up the hill and park to observe the views. Whether you are drawn to the rolling of waves, seeing folks stroll along the water's edge or catching a glimpse of the famed mansions that hug the coastline here, it is always beautiful. Winter time can create some unique sandbanks and skies. And a beach walk can help you discover shells and even evidence of dolphins and whales — just a perfect way to spend any part of your day or night. At night time, the moon rises above the glistening water and is prominent among the multitude of stars and planets. Using your cell phone and a good app, you can quickly identify the constellations and planets. So do add Coopers Beach to the top ten places on Long...

Good for sunbathing & family time with unconnected humanity around. Beautiful, clean beach with near-white sand. We've come across genteel groups of people on all visits. Not crowded. Lifeguards are vigilant on lookout platform throughout active hours. Beach Cafe is the lone food-for-purchase option. It's a limited menu, hence carrying your beach-day fare is preferred option. Comfortable lounge chairs and umbrellas are available in abundance and the smart young lads insist on delivery & pickup of these foldable furniture at your beach spot. Uniformity of "Coopers' Blue" furniture setup adds to visual charm. Worth noting that the chairs are low and anyone with knee trouble should bring their own furniture arrangement. Rip current warning is always in force; not an adventure swimming-surfing destination.

Not cool aspects: No change rooms provisioned in this self-styled #1 beach of the country. Doesn't rise up to Hamptons (or New York) standards. Parking for non-residents is advertised at $50 but $55 are charged on spot. Likewise, lounge chairs are advertised at $15 but $16 charged, Same for cash in either case. The beach is pet free but, on a recent weekend, one super patron had their golden retriever prancing around, unleashed (well behaved but definitely wasn't on guide duty). During this same visit, a couple were smoking blunts, unchecked; shifting the responsibility of 50' perimeter on other beach goers (and, Southampton beaches are...

Clean, relatively quiet beach, very busy on weekends with a nice crowd that doesn’t play loud music or throw trash around, or arrive in large crowds, like at some other places. Casual yet upscale, with an old-school, understated vibe, looks like the ocean beaches we grew up with. Not a “scene,” despite being in Southampton Village. More of a family place, but still great for people-watching. Daily parking fee for non-residents. Get there early for a good spot. Concierge service for lounge chairs and umbrellas. Lovely, deep white sand, relatively gentle slope into the ocean, so the waves are usually not huge by regional standards. Breaks very close to shore. Suitable for good swimmers. The waves that come up onto the sand are nice to splash in but little kids could get knocked over. Pricy cafe with decent food and small selection of wine and beer. New, clean picnic tables on the deck and a few on the sand. Clean, basic restrooms. Outdoor shower for rinsing. One of those runners that provides a firm surface extends down towards the beach far enough for the mobility impaired to get close enough to sit and enjoy. The beach extends for miles in both directions, in front of very large homes of many architectural styles set well back, and is quite empty, so great for walking. Once away from the main beach area, terns, plovers and other shore birds are plentiful. Dolphins apparently visit...