Driving to the Hamptons in a Rental Car

Some 120 kilometers east of Manhattan is a group of tiny villages and towns collectively called ‘The Hamptons’. Located at the eastern edge of Long Island, the Hamptons counts among the wealthiest addresses in the United States. Sagaponack in the Hamptons, for instance, is the most expensive zip code in all of US, with a median home price of £2,864,968 ($4,451,458).

Serene, calm and peaceful, the Hamptons are a far cry from the noise and crowds of New York City. Many tourists to New York prefer to drive in a rented car to experience the beauty of Hamptons. If you are driving to this area, there are a few things you need to know:

Facts to know before hiring a car to Hamptons

-The Hamptons group of villages located 150 kilometers (90 miles) east of Manhattan.
-Car rentals in New York start around £73-80 ($85-90) per day. On an average, you can expect to drive at least 150-200 kilometers (90-120 miles) on a trip to the Hamptons. This works out to roughly £12 ($20) for petrol money. Excluding hotel stay, you can complete a round trip of the Hamptons for roughly £140 ($220).
-It’s roughly a 1.5 to 5 hour drive, depending on which part of the Hamptons you want to reach. Binghampton, which is right in the middle of the region, takes around 2 hours to reach from Manhattan.
-Petrol price in New York is around £2.3 ($3.6) per gallon [August 2012] compared to £6.06 in UK [August 2012].

Where to Start?

Manhattan is the best place to start for a trip to the Hamptons. There are plenty of car rental locations in this area. You would want to leave New York for Long Island as quickly as you can, given the city’s horrible traffic conditions. Fill up the car with petrol and head to the Long Island Expressway (LIE) east of Manhattan. From the LIE, take the Route 27 East which will take you through all the villages in the Hamptons.

Which Cars to Rent: Compact, SUV or Convertible?
Once you are off the LIE, the drive through the Hamptons along the Route 27 is very scenic. If the weather permits, a convertible would be the best car to rent. You can roll down the roof and breathe in the cool breeze blowing in from the sea for a spectacular driving experience. If you want a typical American convertible, Chevrolet Corvette is certainly a model to consider. For the more fuel economic travellers, Mazda Rx8 is otherwise a good car rental alternative in New York. Among budget convertibles to hire in New York you find Chevrolet Camaro, which is still a good experience. Ford Mustang is the most popular convertible for hire in America, with a powerful engine and excellent performance. Other popular models without roof include Bmw Z4 and Volvo C70.

Else, a compact car such as Nissan Versa, or a standard sedan such as Ford Fusion would make the most economic sense. Honda Fit, Ford Focus and Maxda 3 are other popular small cars to rent. The roads along this route are smooth and well laid out and you won’t need the brute power of a SUV. A sedan would provide the best mix of comfort and low cost. Small SUV’s Ford Escape, GMC Terrain or Honda CR-V. Lexus RX Hybrid or Lexus Rc 350 are the top rates midsize SUVs available to rent in New York, while Chevrolet Suburban and Hummer are two of the large SUV’s you can rent.

Which Car Rental Service to Consider
Avis, Hertz, Enterprise and Dollar are the major car hire services in New York.

Cars from Hertz
Hertz is the largest of these services but also the most expensive, with rentals starting out at £70+ ($110+) per day before taxes (around £90 or $140 after taxes) for a compact car like Chevy Aveo. This rate includes a loss damage waiver.

Why Avis?
Avis is the cheapest of the lot, with rates starting at £57 ($88) per day for a Chevy Aveo (£74 or $115 after taxes). This does not include any benefits such as loss damage waiver.

Dollar vs Enterprise car rental
Dollar and Enterprise car rental prices are similar to Avis at approximately £77 ($120) per day after taxes for a compact car with unlimited mileage.

For lowest price, Avis is highly recommended, though Hertz arguably has better services, benefits and range of pick-up, drop-off locations.

What to See Along the Way in a Rental car
The Hamptons are a string of beach towns along the edge of Long Island. As such, once you get off the Long Island Expressway, you can have a gala time visiting the many beaches along the way. Sagg beach and Main beach are the two major beaches in this area and a favorite destination for late night beach parties. For those who want more peace and quiet, the secluded Gibson beach would be a better stop.

Areas of the Hamptons have a very high median income, usually in the upper five figures to six figures (in dollars). As such, you’ll find high quality restaurants and pubs all along the way. Many of these are historic, dating back to the 19th and early 20th century. This region also has a rich Native American history and one can find antique shops aplenty on the road going through the Hamptons. Historical artefacts such as the Hock Mill in East Hampton are also a perennial draw for tourists.