Driving Time from Poughkeepsie: 3 hours
Weekend Rates: from $350 per night
www.millhouseinn.com
By late October, the autumn colors start to fade in the Northeast, and the best foliage is a full day’s drive south. But, just a couple hours away, East Hampton is still showing off its best golds and burgundies for late-season leaf peepers. In fall, the seaside community is a different place: more quaint New England town than lifestyles of the rich and famous. The crowds are gone; you can easily get a dinner reservation; and the beaches, with their gray waves, are perfect for scarves and morning walks instead of bikinis and sunbathers.
Just a block from downtown, Mill House Inn’s make-you-want-to-spend-all-weekend-in-your-room accommodations and attentive service translate easily across the seasons. The 10 rooms and suites feature cozy fireplaces, white wainscoting, plush bedding, and ultra-luxurious bathrooms with massive showpiece showers and deep soaking tubs.
The raved-about breakfast (which garnered a 28 rating from Zagat) is included with your room, as are treats—freshly baked cookies, pressed juices, or charcuterie—from the ’Nack Bar. And guests should take advantage of the inn’s personal assistants, who can arrange anything from the most outlandish request to booking a table at nearby 1770 House for a comforting slice of its life-changing meatloaf.
Scenic Spots
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There are several nearby nature trails, but history buffs will find plenty of rich color along the Main Street Historic District’s walking tour. |
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Skip the car, and bike the surrounding residential streets (where you can fantasize about your dream home) in search of charming white churches and fall color. |
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Frame a perfect shot of East Hampton’s iconic windmill through the open windows on Mill House Inn’s front porch. |
Must Do
Get out and explore East Hampton and the nearby towns. Browse the high-end shops on Main Street, sip some of the Island’s best vintages at Wölffer Estate in Sagaponack, or snack on the last of fall’s bounty from the local farm stands as you stroll the beach.
