DETAILS

Hampton Bays, N.Y.

GETTING THERE: The quickest and easiest way to get to Hampton Bays is to fly to Islip's MacArthur Airport and rent a car. It's about a 35-minute drive. Southwest flies nonstop from BWI to MacArthur; sale fares start at about $79 round trip, including taxes.

WHERE TO STAY: Lodging is not abundant in the off-season, but there are some comfortable options. The best place to stay in Hampton Bays is the Inn Spot on the Bay (32 Lighthouse Rd., 631-728-1200, http://www.theinnspot.com/ ), a coastal retreat that will turn the most stressed and dour of people into dreaming romantics. Set in a lovely 200-year-old house, the inn is perfectly restored and all-mod-cons cozy. The main house has four charming rooms and several villas on the bay. Rooms run from $95 to $250 per night double after Labor Day.

Two pleasant, traditional court motels are worth a look. The Olympia Motel (Montauk Highway, east of the canal in Shinnecock Hills, 631-283-2968) is open all year. Double rooms run from $175 to $200 after Labor Day. The Ocean View Terrace Motel (Montauk Highway, east of the canal in Shinnecock Hills, 631-728-4036) is open through November. Double rooms run $250 to $350 a night in summer, $800 a week after Labor Day.

WHERE TO EAT: Rosemary's (5 W. Main St., 631-723-3412), a wide storefront with images of cheese, grapes and wine glasses painted on the windows, is a trattoria serving superb dishes. Owner and chef Devin Meehan brings new ideas to classic Italian cooking. Try the calamari fritti ($9) as a starter, ringlets of flash-fried squid tossed with hot cherry peppers. Any seafood dish is a winner. The five-course tasting menu is a best bet for $65. There's a good wine list with a few good bottles under $25.

Matsulin (131 W. Montauk Hwy., 631-728-8838) is deceptively housed in a stuffy-looking, faux-Colonial former bank building. But entering the foyer and the restaurant proper is the beginning of a sensual and satisfying experience. Dark woods and soft, theatrical lighting are a perfect backdrop for the pan-Asian cuisine. A sushi bar offers traditional fare and dishes with names like "out of control" and "fancy rock and roll." Entrees such as succulent Long Island duck marinated in ginger juice and tea and fried to a crispy brown sheen go for $20. Or check out the extensive selection of noodles, including semi-crisp egg noodles braised with chicken, pork, mushrooms and baby bok choy for $12.

The Inn Spot on the Bay (see above) offers a first-class dining experience. Dinner for two recently consisted of a chilled crab and avocado salad served in monster martini glasses, followed by pan-fried salmon with flawless rice, lamb shank with orzo, garden-fresh succotash and a formidable bottle of red, finished with great helpings of Indian pudding with whipped cream. Final bill for two: $120.

JT's Place (26 W. Montauk Hwy., 631-723-2626), a neighborhood sports bar, is a friendly place for lunch. Grandma Kelly's Hot Pot Roast Sandwich for $10 will hold you until that late-night supper. Those on the search for the ultimate fish sandwich (everyone in Hampton Bays) swear by the local flounder filet on a roll with a small mountain of fries and slaw for $8.50. Don't ask what kind of beer they have; just order what you want and JT's will have it.

Shinnecock Bay Fishing Station and Marina (22 Shinnecock Rd., 631-728-6116) is a funky joint on an inlet with great burgers, steaks and fresh fish. The bar is fun and friendly and at times can look like a pirate convention, but the denizens are all bark and no bite. Linguine with clam sauce is lovingly done for $10.95. Striped bass caught a few hundred yards away will put you back $12.95.

Margarita Island (43 Canoe Place Rd., 631-728-0599) is a bit of Key West in Hampton Bays, with monster margaritas for $6 to $8. There's a deck right on Shinnecock Bay, but, inside or out, you feel gloriously at sea. Try the tuna carpaccio for $18.95 or a healthy portion of pasta fagiole at $6.95.

Orlando's Cafe (40 W. Montauk Hwy., 631-728-2608) is a perfect spot for a leisurely weekend breakfast or a quick lunch. Go for the huevos rancheros for $5.50. A grilled chimichurri steak and fries is $8.75. For a snack you can't beat, try grilled corn on the cob dusted with parmesan and chili powder, served with chipotle mayo and lime for $3.50. Wash it all down with bottled tamarind soda from Mexico.

FISHING: Hampton Bays has some of the best sport fishing in the world; check Hampton Bays Online (see below) for links to party and charter boats. The Sea Wife IV, a clean and comfortable charter boat, offers inshore and offshore day and evening trips for up to 20 passengers for $525 a half-day. Tip the mate (20 percent), an expert at your side who will guarantee you get the fight of your life and will clean the fish you catch. For more information: 800-308-6894, http://www.seawife.com/ .

WHERE TO SHOP: Artisan Gallery (15 Ponquogue Ave., 631-728-8040) has fine art, ceramics, stained glass, photographs, sculpture and inexpensive gifts and mementos, many reflecting the nautical nature of Hampton Bays. Fandango (48a W. Montauk Hwy., 631-728-3704) is a funky and unique clothing store for women with surprisingly good prices. James Maguire Antiques (94 W. Montauk Hwy., 631-723-3928) is a sprawling shop of oddments and genuine antique masterpieces.

INFORMATION: Hampton Bays Online , http://www.hamptonbaysonline.com/ .

-- Ambrose Clancy