Welcoming Winter

 The Hamptons might be best known as a beach community, but that doesn’t mean we roll up the sidewalks the second it gets a bit chillier. In fact, there are plenty of things to do here when the weather is wintry. 

Inside and out, we’ve got so many adventures and activities just waiting to be discovered. Even better, since it’s the off-season, there generally aren’t really any crazy lines or wait times. 

Need a bit of fun and game in your pre-season? Go hang at The Clubhouse in East Hampton. The facility has a 10-lane bowling alley, three indoor bocce courts, more than 40 arcade games, a pair of pool tables, a plush lounge, big screen TVs and projectors, fire pits, food and cocktails. There’s also karaoke, trivia contests, space for private parties, and other special events. Learn more at www.ehitclubhouse.com. 

If taking a chill pill is more your speed, then ease on in to Hamptons Float in Water Mill. The 2,100-square-foot oasis offers opportunities to float as well as to sauna. For those who are new to the idea, floating entails a sensory deprivation tank and 800 pounds of medical-grade Epsom salts. It’s the salt that keeps you buoyant. And believe it or not, though it sounds kind of weird and scary at first, it’s actually the absence of sensory input that allows you to ride the peace train. Take a look for yourself at www.hamptonsfloat.com. 

Experiencing halotherapy at the Montauk Salt Cave poses another interesting option for the fine art of decompressing, as well as an alternative treatment for a wide variety of health issues ranging from asthma and allergies to inflammation and even the common cold. The salt therapy there consists of breathing in negatively-charged, ionized Himalayan Pink Salt particles, imported from the Punjab Pakistan region of the Himalayan mountains, as well as the 84 trace elements and minerals that it contains, such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, sodium, iodine, bromine, copper, selenium, and iron. 

Go it alone or with a group, but don’t expect to party down or Snapchat or Insta with your friends, as rowdiness and cell phones are not permitted. But good vibes are welcome and there is seating for up to 10 people at a time for each 45-minute session inside the salt cave. 

While there, gentle meditation music plays while you relax in a zero-gravity chair and take in the twinkling lights and the salt fireplace. The Cave also offers Singing Bowls, Reiki, Kundalini, Gentle Flow Yoga, Massage, Waxing and Facials. Check it out at www.montauksaltcave.com. 

If working your brain and networking are more your style, then check out The Spur in Southampton. This “innovation-only” event- and co-working space and innovation hub offers desk, creative and lounge space; conference facilities; food and reception areas; and even concierge services. There’s also a bustling events calendar and even a STEM-based i-kids education program on the weekends, focusing on robotics, programming and 3D printing. Right now there’s just the one Southampton location, but expect to see a lot more of The Spur all around the East End. New spots are being proposed in Southampton, East Hampton, Montauk, Sag Harbor, Quogue and Greenport. Eventually, Spur owners hope to expand to resort towns across the country. Learn more at www.thespur.com. 

Don’t forget that we’ve got more than our fair share of museums, galleries, performing arts and cultural centers, spas, shops and kids’ hangouts to boot when it comes to indoor entertainment. 

For lovers of the great outdoors, the South Fork has a couple of pretty cool places to hang out and enjoy what Mother Nature has provided during the winter months. 

For skating, there’s the Buckskill Winter Club in East Hampton, which boasts the only refrigerated NHL-regulation-size outdoor ice rink in the Hamptons. Bring the family or book a birthday party for public skate, or head onto the ice for hockey- and figure-skating lessons. There’s also a clubhouse with an open fire and a fully stocked snack bar. Check out the full schedule of activities at www.buckskillwinterclub.com. 

There’s also the Southampton Ice Rink, which is the only covered and refrigerated ice rink on the East End. From hockey clinics and leagues to skating school, events and public ice time, the rink provides opportunities for anyone on two blades. Plus, there’s a full-service restaurant there, courtesy JT’s burgers. Need to know more? Skate over to the website at www.southamptonicerink.com. 

Of course there’s always also cross-country skiing and snowshoeing, which you can do practically anywhere as long as the powder is deep enough and the terrain is amenable. Bonus: they both provide incredible workouts and some pretty fantastic views if you choose the right locale. 

Nature refuges are also great places to visit in the winter. From bird watching to wildlife spotting, there’s nothing like taking in the land as nature intended. Bundle up and head out to the Quogue Wildlife Refuge, Evelyn Alexander Wildlife Rescue Center in East Quogue, Conscience Point National Wildlife Refuge in North Sea, Elizabeth A. Morton National Wildlife Refuge in Sag Harbor (don’t forget the bird feed for the chickadees, who will eat right out of your hands!), South Fork Natural History Museum and Nature Center in Bridgehampton, and the Amagansett National Wildlife Refuge. 

Lastly, just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean that the tennis fanatics have to stop service. Fortunately for us, there are “bubbles” all over the East End. Among those that offer indoor games and lessons include Westhampton Beach Tennis & Sport, East Side Tennis Club in Westhampton, Sportime in Quogue, Triangle Tennis Club and Shinnecock Tennis Club in Southampton, and East Hampton Indoor Tennis. 

Save this list. And whip it right out the next time somebody complains about not having anything to do at the beach in the winter