Connecticut, Rhode Island and Montauk

Route description

From New York, take the Long Island Expressway and NY-27, the Montauk Highway, east through the Hamptons to Montauk. At the eastern tip of Long Island, Montauk Point Lighthouse, New York’s oldest, was authorized under George Washington and stands on a bluff above the Atlantic. Montauk itself is a fishing and surf town with good beaches.

For Connecticut, drive back west and around to Orient Point, at the end of the North Fork, where a car ferry crosses Long Island Sound to New London. Reserve a place in advance, especially for a motorhome, as fares depend on vehicle length. From New London, it is a short drive to Mystic, whose seaport museum includes a recreated 19th-century village and the Charles W. Morgan, the last wooden whaling ship.

US-1 continues east into Rhode Island, and RI-138 crosses the Jamestown and Newport bridges to Newport, where the Newport Bridge is a toll bridge. Newport’s Gilded Age mansions, such as The Breakers and Marble House, can be visited, and the Cliff Walk runs past their lawns above the ocean. The southern part of the walk is rough and rocky, so wear sturdy shoes.

Traffic in the Hamptons and on the ferry is heavy on summer weekends, so travel midweek if you can. Parking in Newport is limited, especially for large vehicles. Late spring and September are good times to go, with milder weather and fewer crowds.