Lot of the sales people in the outlet malls speak very little English
Recommend to potential buyers:
yes
Full review
Attractions: well Sir Paul McCartney wandering around the same shops as us, with his baby was a plus. The weather was fantastic. We expected cool/warm and got warm/hot.. We also struck lucky with the people and the place where we stayed. The shops were pretty cool too. Lots of outlet malls and high class shops. There are also plenty of delicatessens selling fresh coffee and really good clam chowder or other soups as well as bagels, filled rolls and the ilk. It meant lunch could be as cheap as making it at home and in my case tastier. Burcliffe is situated in Montauk near the very tip of the Island so to get anywhere you have a long ride through country roads and in this case country roads with deer unconcernedly leaping out in front of you. However the roads were interesting and so were the many towns we passed through or stopped at. We drove to Montauk from Canada and as we were not allowed to take the hire car into New York City (believe me we did not want to) we drove to New London Connecticut for the first of 3 ferries across the sound. Amazingly each ferry was timed so that by the time we drove from the 1st ferry to the 2nd it was waiting for us and again with the 3rd ferry. It is not as bad as it sounds as the 1st crossing was 1 hour 20 minutes but the 2nd and 3rd were only a few minutes long. Cost about $100 but saved a lot of driving. . There is a bus and train service but a car is really essential.. However, we took a bus ride into New York City, 3 hours on a comfortable bus, which included muffins and cool drinks. $28 and came back on the train at 3 ½ hours upstairs and downstairs. No free muffin but it was half the price ($14.50). We got the best of both worlds, train one way and bus the other. . The bus drops you off near Empire State Building and the train goes and leaves from Pennsylvania Station. - Wait for my next review for New York!
Where we stayed belonged to a friend of a friend. The accommodation consisted of a superb efficiency. This usually costs about £800 a week for up to 4 people but we got a great discount. If you do not know what an efficiency is, it is a motel room with a living area, kitchen area as well as bedroom and bathroom. Here the bedroom could be sectioned off by folding doors as you could also sleep up to 2 people in the living area. Handy for a family. Kids are right there but cannot see you! We had it to ourselves so left the doors open. Practically the whole of the front was sliding glass doors overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. The rooms were spotless way with fluffy white towels and fresh bedding always available. The kitchen area was well supplied with crockery and a microwave as well as the usual icebox etc. There was a television but we never had time to watch it except first thing in the morning when we checked the weather channel (yeah a whole channel devoted to weather). Wake up in the morning, open the curtains and watch the sun rising over the Atlantic. A few short yards and you are on the dazzling clean beach which, as it is mostly private frontage to hotels is also safe.
Not far from Montauk is a fishery where you can select live lobster to take home and cook. They also sell amazing clams and scallops as well as the usual type of sea food. If that is not fresh enough for you it is quite reasonable to go off fishing on one of the many boats. People have been known to catch a shark, luckily we only got flounders and star fish. It really is a long island but each place is very different so it can take a while to travel along it. One time we were driving along and came across a huge duck. It was actually a shop, completely duck shaped. You just have to stop and investigate. And for all you Anne of Green Gables fans - there really is a "Ladies Village improvement society" On the down side, although there are trains and buses you really need a car unless you are content to spend the entire time on the beach or get a taxi to the train and bus stations.. The beach is quiet - no vendors, deck chairs or anything (can be an advantage as well) Big 4 X 4 trucks charging along the road as they owned it (probably they do) It is a long ride into New York City - 3-4 hours depending on mode of transport. The traffic cops are everywhere so do not be tempted to speed. Would I go back? I am saving already!
