Some of us wince at the thought of taking a road trip with our families. Kids pulling each other’s hair, the dogs drooling over the seats and the endless nagging calls from the back seat of “How much longer?” I was definitely one such parent that flinched at the idea.
But recently I took on the challenge and loaded the kids in our loaner Buick Enclave Avenir Mid-Size Luxury SUV for a three-hour road trip to the most eastern point of Long Island, New York: Montauk. Much to my surprise, it was not only painless, but also provided some fantastic family memories.
I have to admit that the car choice was a big factor in the success of our road trip. The comfortable leather air conditioned seats kept us all comfortable and the extra cargo space meant we all had plenty of room. The vehicle even comes with its very own wi-fi hotspot so I could enjoy the views while my kids were content watching their movies on their tablets, keeping them busy, happy and relaxed.
A shockingly quick three hours later we arrived in the village of Montauk. We stayed at Gurney’s Yacht Club, which sits right along the beautiful Montauk Lake. The whole family enjoyed the salty air and the sunset views from our waterfront balcony. The children loved playing in the sand and swimming in the calm waters. Gurney’s Yacht Club had plenty of amenities for everyone in our crew: paddle boats and kayaks, two outdoor heated pools and an indoor heated pool. The hotel has four restaurants, and on our last night there we had a fun-filled lobster bake with a bonfire (complete with s’mores) along the water. It was the perfect way to cap our trip to Montauk.
Aside from Gurney’s, there’s no shortage of things to see and do in Montauk, including visiting the oldest working dude ranch in America. Deep Hallow Ranch offers guided horse trail rides along the beach. We also took a sunset boat ride offered weekly by the hotel to see the Montauk Point Lighthouse, which was built in 1796 and is a national historical landmark. You can also hike along the the grounds of the lighthouse in the Montauk State Park. The area is famous for its world-class angling, which prompted my husband to jump on board The Lazy Bones party boat for a half day of fishing for fluke and sea bass.
Despite my initial hesitations, this road trip allowed us to relax as a family, take in the majestic views and enjoy the laid-back beach vibe of eastern Long Island. And it was the first trip my littlest one didn’t say over and over again, “Are we there yet?” in either direction.
By Carey Reilly