• The Hamptons have long been a popular summer destination for bankers and traders.
• We spoke to Wall Street insiders and others about the top hot spots for summer 2025.
• Here are the 7 places they said you'll find finance industry insiders this summer.

Whether by car, helicopter, the LIRR, or the infamous Jitney bus, if it's a Friday afternoon between Memorial and Labor Day, Wall Street is going "out east."

The Hamptons have been a haven for the ultrawealthy since the Astors and Vanderbilts set up estates there more than a century ago, but the transition from fishing and whaling towns to playground for urban professionals really started to take off in the freewheeling 1980s, during Wall Street's boom years.

Since then, the secret has been out, and over the last decade, social media and Bravo's "Summer House" have introduced a whole new generation to these once-sleepy seaside towns of Long Island.

Walker Ward, who previously sold data and research to hedge funds and other large investors, told Business Insider that the Hamptons remain a recreation hub for stressed-out Wall Streeters looking to escape the heat and humidity of the city.

"There's so much to do there," Ward said, who has summered there for the better part of the last decade. "Why wouldn't you want to go out there if you could afford it?"

Whether you're looking to relax or rage, there's something for everyone — as long as you have deep pockets. And, as with any destination for the wealthy, these resort towns offer ample opportunity to peacock.

"The Hamptons, especially with social media, have become a runway show for people to go out and flaunt what they have, how much money they make, and what kind of car they're driving," said Ward, who now parodies Wall Street on social media as WalkSauce42.

In preparation for the July 4 holiday, we spoke to current and former financial industry professionals, as well as some Hamptons locals and business proprietors, about this year's hottest hangouts. Some of the industry insiders we spoke to asked to remain anonymous to protect their jobs because speaking to the press is either forbidden or frowned upon.

Here are 7 top Hamptons hangouts for bankers, traders, and more.

Surf Lodge

This was the most-mentioned spot, which is why we're putting it first. It's a quaint seaside hotel and restaurant, as well as a sceney place to get bottle service on the beach and hear live music and top DJs in Montauk. But FYI, tickets for entry on July 4th are pretty much sold out. A table on the beach for 10 for the next day is listed as $7,500.

A nearly $100 chicken tender tower went viral a few summers ago, thanks in part to TikTok and Instagram posts by Ward.

"The tendie towers baby, that's the intern's favorite, and the holy grail," Ward joked to BI. "Everyone knows Surf Lodge."

Someone who previously worked at a large investment bank confirmed it's popular with the Wall Street crowd.

"It's got a DJ, a deck. You pay thousands for a table," he said.

Le Bilboquet Sag Harbor

The Sag Harbor outpost of this Upper East Side French restaurant opened in 2017, and has since built a reputation for being "one of the satellite offices for the elite," said Ward, who currently summers in Amagansett, between East Hampton and Montauk.

The restaurant bans shorts and flip-flops and is perched alongside a marina deep enough to allow large yachts to dock.

"Everyone loves to sit there and drink wine and look at the sterns of all these massive yachts," Ward said.

The Wall Street recruiter described it as "another see and be seen spot."

The menu offers a seafood tower complete with a dozen oysters, king crab, langoustine, shrimp, a half lobster, snow crab and shrimp for $250, a 100-gram tin of Caviar Ossetra Imperial for $490, and their signature Le Poulet Cajun, a $39 Cajun-spice-rubbed chicken with a beurre-blanc sauce, salad, and fries.

Stephen Talkhouse

Stephen Talkhouse, founded in 1987, is also known for its live music scene. It's become so popular with vacationers that one Hamptons local complained to BI of summer lines that "wrapped around the village." Ward agreed, saying you have to know the staff in order to "Trojan Horse" your way in.

Located in Amagansett, between Montauk and East Hampton, its website describes it as "a legendary music scene and casual neighborhood bar in one. The music calendar for the July Fourth weekend includes "Secret Sellebrity Society Band" and alt-rockers "Kids That Fly."

Mary Lou's

The Palm Beach outpost of Mary Lou's is well attended by local financiers and the socially or politically connected. It's also attracted popular musical acts from The Chainsmokers to Mojave Grey.

Mary Lou's Montauk branch, which opened earlier this year, is aiming to provide the same ambiance and flair. Cofounder Alex Melilla told BI that the crowd so far has been "a more mature crowd, affluent crowd, influencers, tastemakers, as well as a great local scene." The

The Wall Street set may be especially drawn to the special menu set to be curated by the team behind Marea, the luxurious seafood restaurant just a stone's throw from Deutsche Bank Center in midtown, which Mary Lou's will offer during a weekend later this month.

Duryea's Montauk

Duryea's is a seafood restaurant on the water in Montauk known for its $97 lobster cobb salad.

Duryea's was purchased by Apollo CEO Marc Rowan in 2014, and it quickly turned from a classic lobster shack into one of the sceniest restaurants on the East Coast. Hampton's legend and Food Network star Ina Garten has said it is one of her favorite restaurants.

"In my 20's that was the only place we would go on summer weekends there because it was cheap and easy," one Wall Street recruiter said. Not anymore. "People go to Duryea's on their yachts and tender to shore."

Gurney's Montauk

Wall Streeters looking to decompress might turn to Gurney's Resort & Seawater Spa, a 146-room hotel and spa with multiple al fresco dining options along a lush stretch of beach in Montauk.

The Wall Street headhunter said it remains one of the most popular outposts for the financial crowd — and Lizabeth Zindel, the editor-in-chief of Hamptons Social Magazine, explained why: "It's absolutely beautiful," Zindel told BI. "There's a huge terrace as well, which overlooks the ocean from up above."

On the menu at the outdoor Firepit lounge are creative cocktail concoctions like the Chocolate Negroni; the "Afternoon Tea" featuring Earl Grey, bergamot, gin, and cream; and the "Improved Grasshopper" featuring mint and chocolate liqueurs. Each is $23.

The country clubs

As with any wealthy enclave, the Hamptons boasts numerous country clubs.

The Hampton's local described Southampton's Shinnecock, which is hosting next year's US Open, as the "fanciest golf place out here." Ward cited East Hampton's Maidstone Club as another place where "fancy people" from the Street spend their time "hobnobbing."

"Maidstone is the Arnie poster above the bed," he said, referring to a poster of Arnold Schwarzenegger as a pro bodybuilder above an aspiring muscleman's bed. "It's what you aspire to be."

The sun was shining, the sea was glistening, and the woman in front of me looked every bit the boss of this little slice of paradise in Thailand.

Dressed in breezy beachwear — a matching set with bold prints in yellow, pink, and orange — she stepped out of the hotel's front office and greeted me with a bright smile.

"Sunglasses are a must," she told me with a laugh, as she led me down the long entryway lined with lush greenery, the tropical sun blazing overhead.

Pauline Cabessa runs Cielo Samui, a boutique hotel on Koh Samui's Bo Phut beach.

For more than a decade, Cabessa and her husband escaped their home base in Saint Tropez every winter to holiday in Samui.

They were frequent guests of the hotel — then named Eden Beach Bungalows — where they struck up a friendship with the French owner. One day, during a casual conversation, he let slip that he was looking to sell the property.

Almost immediately, Cabessa and her husband, Francois Vargas, found themselves imagining what it would be like to take over the place.

The idea stuck, even after their vacation ended. "As we were on the plane, going back to work, we kept thinking, 'Oh, we need to find a way to make it,'" she said.

In 2017, they packed up their lives in France, said goodbye to their loved ones, and moved across the world to run the hotel — never mind the fact that neither of them had ever managed one before.

"I felt like it was time in life for a challenge," Cabessa, now 43, said. "Being an employee, doing the same thing all your life — if you don't do things that are a little bit crazy, then afterward it might be a little bit too late."

Renovating the hotel

As much as she loved Asia, Cabessa never thought she'd put down roots in Samui.

But her job managing a restaurant in Saint Tropez had started to feel hollow. It was as if the essence of hospitality was being replaced by a culture of showing off, she said.

"I was really losing the authentic connection I shared with people, and time with my family as well, because I was working a lot," she said. "Well, it was thanks to that that I am here now. With the money I earned there, I was able to take on this project."

She preferred to keep financial details private but said she and her husband co-own the hotel with another couple — longtime friends who came onboard as business partners. While their business partners are primarily investors and live in the US, she and her husband run the day-to-day operations of the hotel in Samui.

The opportunity to take over the hotel came at the right time, since she and Vargas were also thinking about expanding their family. Saint Tropez no longer felt like a place where they wanted to raise their kids.

"I wanted my daughter to learn more English and be in contact with people from different places. I wanted a second child as well," she said, adding that her son was born on Samui.

Her husband needed little convincing — he had been vacationing in Samui since 1997, long before the couple had even gotten together.

Although the idea of leaving his previous life behind to start anew in a foreign country felt daunting, Vargas told me he wasn't too worried.

"Moving to Samui was an opportunity to create our own dream," Vargas, 48, said. "I love what we do, the island, the security we can offer our kids, and the people."

For the first two years, Cabessa ran the hotel as it was, while Vargas, a chef, oversaw the in-house restaurant.

But when business ground to a halt due to the pandemic, she decided it was time to renovate.

"That was not part of our original plan at all," she said.

Cabessa redesigned the hotel herself. Like many modern women, she drew inspiration from her Pinterest board.

With textured limewashed walls, stone floors, and an earthy-neutral palette, it's hard not to notice the strong Mediterranean design influences that Cabessa infused into the space.

She also added a yoga studio and a spa to the compound.

The renovation took nine months to complete and was "quite stressful," she said.

To stay afloat during the pandemic and retain their original staff, they opened a restaurant in the nearby tourist district of Fisherman's Village.

"Everybody moved back here when we reopened," she said.

These days, nightly rates for a regular suite begin at 8,500 Thai baht, or $260, with the largest option — a three-bedroom villa that accommodates up to eight guests — going for 26,000 baht.

Running the biz

Running a hotel is no walk in the park.

"People tell me, 'Your life is cool.' OK, there are coconut trees, there is the sun, I get it. But that doesn't mean that there are no challenges," Cabessa said.

With 45 staff members under her wing, she also finds herself smoothing things over with the occasional picky guest.

"I've got reviews from some people complaining about the noise of the waves when they live in the rooms near the beach," she said. "Sometimes people even tell me that the sand on the beach is too hard to walk on."

While Cabessa is always on-site and ready to fix any problems, some things are simply out of her hands. At the end of the day, Samui is an island. "I cannot control nature," she said.

Thankfully, her background working in Saint Tropez prepared her for high-pressure situations.

"We were doing around 600 people per lunch per day back then," she said. No matter how challenging things get in Samui, she says it's hard to find guests with higher expectations than those in France.

It's easy to see Cabessa's dedication in action: She pauses to greet each staff member by name — and in Thai — and never misses a chance to speak with passing guests, even as she's showing me around.

Most of her guests come from Europe, Australia, or around Asia, including Singapore and Hong Kong. In recent months, she's also seen more American tourists.

An Australian couple in their 40s told me it was their first time in Samui, and they chose to stay here because the place seemed tranquil and the beach was, in their words, "right there."

All room types at the hotel include breakfast. Guests can also enjoy complimentary activities daily, like Pilates, yoga, and Muay Thai classes. Padel and kayaking are also available.

The idea is to create a place where guests can happily spend their entire stay without needing to step outside, Cabessa said.

Adapting to life on Samui

Cabessa says adapting to life on the island was a breeze.

Her kids, now 11 and 5, go to an international school. Her mother, who is retired, even moved to Samui from Lyon three years ago. She now lives just down the street from Cabessa.

"This is a safe country. You can let your kids play in a mall or on the beach, and you are not worried about that," Cabessa said. "I also love the culture of showing respect for your elders."

Working in hospitality, she also appreciates the friendliness of the Thai people.

"People are always smiling, and this is such a relief. Because if you live in Paris and you take the subway, nobody's smiling," she said.

The island has changed significantly since the first time she visited.

It's much easier to find international products or fresh produce now. And if something isn't available locally, she can order it from Bangkok, and it'll arrive within 24 hours.

Cabessa says she'll "never, ever" move back to France. And even if she doesn't live in Samui, Thailand will always be home.

"I'll never quit this country," she said.

Do you have a story to share about moving to a new country to run a hotel or resort business? Contact this reporter at [email protected].

• After many recommendations, I visited 30A and its highlights, like Seaside and Rosemary Beach.
• 30A feels like one of the best places to visit in Florida as it's beautiful and has variety.
• I enjoyed the pristine beaches and the different towns, which felt more luxurious than touristy.

On a weekend trip to Panama City Beach, a beach town in Florida's panhandle, I heard a recurring comment from the locals.

"Have you made it over to 30A yet?" said my Lyft driver. "You've got to — it's the up-and-coming spot around here."

While purchasing tickets for the Shell Island Ferry, the cashier said, "Do you have plans to go over to 30A?" When I said no, she insisted I return to the area for a trip because it's just so beautiful.

I live in a different Florida beach town that often gets inundated with spring breakers and summer beachgoers, so I couldn't decide if Panama City Beach locals were trying to run tourists out of town, or if they really meant what they said about 30A.

Eager to find out, I planned a trip to Florida's 30A area — a 24-mile stretch of beach between Destin and Panama City Beach that's been called "the Hamptons of the South."

Turns out, those locals were right. I think 30A is one of the best gems in Florida, and I liked it even more than Panama City Beach.

Panama City Beach is great for tourists, but 30A has a more luxury feel.

Panama City Beach reminds me of the beach towns I grew up visiting in the Northeast: lots of souvenir shops, a pier for walking and fishing, and more tourist attractions than one could squeeze in during a vacation.

There's lots of good food in PCB, including a crepe shop adored by reviewers on Yelp, but I'd say the general vibe of the area can best be described as "touristy beach town."

The landscape changes entirely when you drive just 15 or 20 minutes to 30A. High-rise hotel chains become private rental cottages, and souvenir shops give way to luxury shopping venues.

The overall vibe switches from a busy vacation spot to a place where you'd do beachfront yoga and sip freshly pressed juice before spending your day on a quiet, white-sand beach.

The beaches along 30A felt pristine.

The beaches alongside 30A communities like Rosemary Beach and Seaside are home to white sand and transparent blue water. They took my breath away.

To get onto most beaches in 30A, you need a wristband or beach tag — visitors can get these from whichever rental property they're occupying.

I think the beaches benefit from the lack of large nearby hotels and public access. With limited visitors, there's less of a strain on 30A's beaches, resulting in a beautiful setting that feels more intimate.

30A is also the best spot in the area to watch the sunset.

There are some spectacular sunsets along the Gulf of Mexico, and 30A is a great place to see them.

On my trip, I especially loved watching the sunset from Bud and Alley's, a Seaside restaurant with sweeping coastal views. Another evening, I watched the sun set from the beach and was equally blown away by the beauty around me.

It's easy to hop from town to town and explore 30A.

During my stay in 30A, I chose a rental property between Alys Beach and Rosemary Beach.

Fortunately, the area is very bikeable, with ample spacious sidewalks and bike lanes throughout. Lots of condos or hotels here come with bicycles, plus there are many rental companies in the area.

Often, I took a beach cruiser from my condo over to Rosemary Beach for coffee or a meal, or I'd bike down 30A and stop to explore each town.

Since I also had a rental car, I drove to some of the farther-away-from-me spots, like Seaside and Santa Rosa Beach. Parking felt easy to find, and the area was simple to navigate by car with my phone's GPS system.

I loved Seaside, which had the vibe of an upscale beach town.

My favorite spot in 30A was Seaside, a beach community where the movie "The Truman Show" was filmed.

It had beautiful beach houses, a small boardwalk area with shops and restaurants, as well as a collection of food trucks, and an outdoor amphitheater for concerts.

It felt relaxed and not too pretentious, but more upscale than Florida beach towns like Fort Lauderdale, Cocoa Beach, or Panama City Beach.

I loved exploring the area, and it's the spot along 30A where I saw the most families with children.

Visiting 30A's Alys Beach felt like stepping into the Mediterranean.

If Seaside is a family-friendly-but-upscale beach town, Alys Beach is on the opposite end of the luxury vacation spectrum.

This small community is filled with white-washed, stone vacation homes and Mediterranean-inspired architecture — it felt like a big resort.

In fact, there's nothing comparable to Alys Beach in Florida that I've seen. Because of its stunning homes and high-end feel, Alys Beach feels like one of the least-accessible-to-the-public areas in 30A.

I didn't spend much time here, especially because I saw so many residential streets with signs prohibiting the public from walking through or taking photos.

If you're interested in vacationing in a more private area of 30A, though, Alys Beach is worth taking a look at.

Visit Rosemary Beach if you want to feel like you're in a cute, European town.

Rosemary Beach has made its rounds on TikTok, going viral for its similarities to a little European town.

Its downtown area is lined with cobblestone streets full of shops and al-fresco eateries, and it has a hotel complete with spires that reminded me of something I'd see in the Swiss Alps.

I passed many street carts selling wares like scarves and fresh flowers, and homes with European-style architecture. The area also has beautiful private beaches, which can only be accessed with a key card.

There are plenty of unique, smaller beach communities to explore along 30A, too.

Seaside, Alys Beach, and Rosemary Beach are perhaps the most famous spots along 30A, but I was impressed with the lesser-known areas I visited, too, like Santa Rosa Beach.

You truly could make an entire day out of exploring the tiny towns and communities that make up this beautiful part of Florida.

30A is home to lots of nature, including state parks and coastal dune lakes.

In addition to beaches, shopping, and dining, 30A has lots of beautiful, natural landscapes to show off.

I stopped by Eden Gardens during my visit — a 163-acre state park home to sweeping gardens, a bayou, plenty of walking trails, and centuries-old oak trees.

The area also has a collection of coastal dune lakes, a rare saltwater and freshwater phenomenon that only exists in a few spots around the globe.

I can't wait to return to 30A, and think it's truly one of the most gorgeous destinations in Florida.

I've lived in Florida for nearly 10 years and call a small ocean beach town home.

As someone who's spent time on both the gulf and ocean side of the Sunshine State, I can say 30A is one of the most stunningly beautiful areas in all of Florida.

There's so much to see and do in the area, and it has a peaceful vibe I've rarely found in Florida beach towns.

I can't wait to return to 30A and think it's the perfect destination for everything from bachelorette parties to family vacations.