With the end of the summer season, comes the busy fall season. Kids are back in school, routines are normalizing and the real estate market is picking back up. Fall is a great time to do things with kids out east. We asked agents, who also are parents, what some of their favorite fall activities are with children on the East End. What do they recommend to clients with families and how do some of these attractions impact real estate sales?
Jennifer Disbrow
NOFO REAL ESTATE
MATTITUCK
“Fall on the East End is magical and eagerly awaited by my children and me. Despite our busy schedules, we prioritize spending quality time together, exploring our favorite spots and discovering new experiences. Owning a home on the East End allows us to fully embrace the season. Visitors to the North Fork are increasingly falling in love with the area, leading to more property investments and a boost in real estate sales. Fall on the North Fork offers families a chance to create cherished memories and enjoy the region’s natural beauty. It is an ideal time for families to consider investing in property to fully experience the charm of the East End throughout the year. Some of our favorite fall activities include visiting Woodside Orchard for apple cider donuts, exploring Harbes Family Farm for apple picking and a spooky night maze, and enjoying Waterdrinker Farm’s pumpkins and sunflower festival. Andrews Family Farm, Mays, Fox Hollow Farm, and Schmidt’s Farm are also delightful stops for flowers, fresh vegetables, and roasted corn. In addition to enjoying these attractions, I am always on the lookout for picturesque spots as a photographer and real estate agent. Fall on the East End offers an abundance of beauty and opportunities for exploration.”
Patrick M. Galway
TOWN & COUNTRY REAL ESTATE
SOUTHAMPTON & WESTHAMPTON BEACH
“Discover the joys in fall in and around Westhampton Beach with family-friendly activities that make summer feel like it will never end. The weather is mild and many of the beach pavilions are still open. There’s nothing better than stopping at one of your favorite local eateries and bringing lunch down to the beach. The newly renovated Main Street also has many boutiques and shops. Strolling along Southampton’s Main Street and down Jobs Lane to Agawam Park, you’ll find great activities at the children’s park and a spacious lawn to enjoy. Jobs Lane also offers various food choices, and don’t forget to explore the Southampton Arts Center. Just a short distance from Main Street is the Parrish Art Museum, which houses world-class works of art and hosts creative programs for children and adults. For a delightful day trip, head further out east to Sag Harbor. You can catch the Shelter Island ferry from North Haven. Various choices for lunch and dinner abound on this island or take the North Ferry to Greenport, where the park features a carousel and, in the winter, there’s a delightful skating rink for the kids to enjoy. Greenport also has many wonderful boutiques and eateries with many shops that children will enjoy.”
Ryan Struble
SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY
EAST HAMPTON
“Our family enjoys the routine, beauty and weather of fall in the Hamptons. Our 8-year-old plays in a fall soccer league provided by East Hampton Town. We enjoy that, along with the locals. Our seasonal residents participate in the league creating more diverse competition and a larger sense of community here. As far as seasonal family activities, it seems there is always a fair, local festival, or show to attend. It’s busier now than ever in the shoulder seasons which I think is fantastic. We have an abundance of free natural resources here on the East End which are perfect for families to move about, get outside, and explore. Word got out quite some time ago of how truly special it is here which keeps our real estate demand in direct reflection of this.”
James Keogh
THE ATLANTIC TEAM
DOUGLAS ELLIMAN
EAST HAMPTON
“With Fall on our doorsteps and school routines setting in, families are focusing most activities to the weekends. Our family enjoys filling our Fall weekends with apple picking or enjoying the corn mazes among the local farmstands, and of course there is always a pumpkin picking day — Hanks Pumpkin Town in Southampton is our go-to. However, through all the hustle of the Fall, we also try to focus on capturing even more magical beach days when the crowds depart. We love catching the great fall surf at Montauk Coves, and when the air is turning crisp, there is nothing better than a sheltered evening bonfire at Fresh Pond in Amagansett. All of these activities go hand-in-hand with our Hamptons buyer demographic. Young families can benefit from seeing inventory all day with a broker and take a nice outdoor break before heading home. The kids will need it! Weekends in the Fall are very busy for real estate and family life. Before you know it, we are at Halloween and Thanksgiving, making for yet another great excuse to get out and enjoy the Hamptons!”
Margot Reutter
THE CORCORAN GROUP
WESTHAMPTON BEACH
“There is so much to do out east during the fall, it’s my favorite season. My wedding anniversary also happens to be at the beginning of September, and we love spending the day with our two girls, Anabelle and Eloise. Over the past few years, we’ve loved horseback riding to the beach at Deep Hollow Ranch in Montauk. It’s surreal being on horses on one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. All four of us are big foodies, so we make sure that we hit a great dinner spot on the way home, back to Westhampton Beach. Sant Ambroeus in Southampton and Bistro Été in Water Mill are normally our “go-to” dinner spots. We make sure to stop at all the local farm stands for apples, sunflowers and jams on the way. Fall is our second-busiest selling season of the year. We get a lot of buyer demand from people who have fallen in love with the Hamptons during the summer season as tenants and we normally see fresh new inventory come to market. It’s a great overall home-buying experience to come out east and look at beautiful homes while taking advantage of all the fall festivities, vineyards, and farms. I’m sure that has a lot to do with the energy in the market around this time of year. The vibe is a little calmer than the usual summer hustle which helps showcase our region at its best.”
This article appeared in the September 22, 2023, issue of Behind The Hedges. Read the full edition here. For more Hamptons real estate, click here.
