Every summer, hoards of New York City dwellers take the three-hour (if you’re lucky) trek out east to the farthest region of Long Island known as The Hamptons.
The ritzy destination has been a haven for the wealthy New York elite for over 30 years, with its private beaches, luxury restaurants and sprawling mansions.
But for locals who live in the Hamptons all year round, the annual summer ritual is typically accompanied by longer lines, jacked up prices, and hours of backed up traffic.
That’s why Emma Ambrose, 20, took to TikTok earlier this month to profess that her beloved hometown is being ‘ruined’ by tourists.
‘This is a PSA as somebody who grew up in the Hamptons,’ she began her viral video on July 7, which has since been viewed on TikTok over 900,000 times.
‘I grew up in Sag Harbor, I lived here full-time, I went to Sag Harbor high school,’ she said.
However, Emma admitted that she’s ‘never seen anything like this summer in the Hamptons’ in her entire life.
‘The place is literally getting ruined,’ she declared.
Emma Ambrose, 20, went viral on TikTok this month when she declared the Hamptons is ‘getting ruined’ by overtourism
Emma, a student at College of Charleston, was raised in the Hamptons and graduated from Pierson High School in Sag Harbor
Emma, a college student who makes lifestyle content for her 125,000 TikTok followers, explained that she’s never been one to complain about the Hamptons’ busy season because ‘it’s an absolute ghost town in the winter’ and she’s always felt like ‘life came to the town’ in the summer.
But this summer, the antics of tourists – specifically, influencers flocking to the Hamptons to create content for their massive followings – has caught the ire of locals.
This past Fourth of July weekend, photos and videos across social media documented the bumper-to-bumper traffic along Montauk Highway – one of the few main roads to traverse the southern shore of Long Island – as renters attempted to drive back to the city after the holiday.
Another clip posted on July 6 captured a swarm of out-of-towners waiting to board the Long Island Railroad in Amagansett, as one TikTok user in the comments section described the long lines as ‘a nightmare.’
Round Swamp Farm – a gourmet market with locations in East Hampton, Bridgehampton, and Montauk – has gained an online cult following for its selection of grab-and-go products, as TikTokers shared their pricey ‘hauls’ filled with $16 chicken salad and $18 guacamole.
Meanwhile, content creator Maddie Richter shocked viewers when she shared her review of the purported $150 chicken tenders at The Surf Lodge, a trendy hotel and event space that has transformed Montauk from a sleepy surf town into an influencer hot spot.
According to locals themselves who spoke to the Daily Mail, the Hamptons wasn’t always such a goldmine for viral influencer content.
Indeed, the Long Island destination has long served as a second home for the elite New York City socialite set – the type to profess that money talks but wealth whispers.
The Surf Lodge, a trendy hotel and event space, has transformed Montauk from a sleepy surf town into an influencer hot spot
Influencer Maddie Richter went viral this month when she shared her review of the $150 chicken tenders at Surf Lodge
‘$150 for chicken tenders is criminal,’ one TikTok user commented under the video
But these days, social media has completely transformed the once quiet and private Hamptons into a playground, with everyone clamoring to take the perfect beachside selfie.
‘Influencers post anything out here and people believe them or trust them,’ said Raya O’Neal, a 29-year-old marketing executive born and raised in East Hampton.
‘It creates a super false sense of this community and, I think, of reality.’
A recent report from the Wall Street Journal revealed the jaw-dropping cost of a ‘girl’s weekend’ in the Hamptons, as aspiring content creators attempt to rub shoulders with the influencers who singlehandedly inspired them to book a trip in the first place.
The outlet estimated that just three days in the Hamptons can cost one person up to $3,823.
But that’s only if they choose to cash out at the priciest places beloved by their favorite New York City-based influencers, like a Tracy Anderson workout class or a $97 lobster cobb salad at Duryea’s restaurant in Montauk.
A manager at a hotel in Sagaponack, who preferred to remain anonymous, confirmed to the Daily Mail that it’s not only influencers looking to make viral content in the Hamptons.
She’s noticed an uptick in regular 20-somethings booking rooms for a weekend visit to emulate the influencer lifestyle – because if you didn’t post about it, were you really there?
‘I realize that the busy season is what keeps our paychecks higher than the national average, so I am not bitter about it,’ she added.
At Round Swamp Farm in the Hamptons, an eight-ounce serving of chicken salad costs $16 and guacamole costs $18
Duryea’s restaurant in Montauk is known for its $97 lobster cobb salad
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Emma confessed that she doesn’t necessarily believe it’s the influencers who are ruining summers in the Hamptons.
As a content creator herself, she applauded the hustle of popular influencers like TikTok star Alix Earle – who, unsurprisingly, is also renting a house in Montauk for the summer.
Instead, she placed blame on their legions of followers who visit the same Hamptons hot spots made famous by said influencers, rather than exploring the island for themselves.
‘Social media’s not going anywhere. Influencers are not going anywhere. They’ve helped so many small businesses and they’ve had such a great impact,’ she told the Daily Mail.
‘I think it’s rather the people that are being influenced and not respecting the place, not respecting the people, and coming here for the wrong reasons – simply to post it on social media.
‘They’re coming just for the name behind the Hamptons and what it represents,’ Emma said.
As a result of this year’s Fourth of July frenzy, some locals have begun to retaliate against the influx of tourism taking over their beloved towns.
It’s Montalk, a lifestyle blog created by Montauk local Jayleen Schiappacasse, shared a public service announcement on July 8 calling out the ‘disrespect’ the fishing town has faced from tourists in recent weeks.
Pictured: Historic lighthouse at Montauk Point. A local lifestyle blogger recently called out the ‘disrespect’ that Montauk has been facing from tourists
Emma said that people are visiting the Hamptons ‘for the wrong reasons’ and ‘simply to post it on social media’
The college student encouraged tourists to ‘create a life of their own and not just follow in everybody else’s footsteps’
‘Walking in the middle of the road, crossing streets without looking, waving cards in bartenders’ faces, shoving without saying excuse me, climbing over fences and dunes that say do not pass, not pulling over for ambulances and police, bringing drinks into the ocean, complaining how long food takes,’ Schiappacasse wrote on social media.
‘Most importantly, the audacity to think Montauk owes you a luxury experience. This place thrives in its simplicity: fresh air, hardworking people, nature untouched. If you don’t understand that, you don’t understand Montauk,’ she said.
Emma confirmed that many of her fellow Sag Harbor residents have echoed a similar sentiment, with some going so far as to protest against city folk purchasing homes for the summer altogether.
But according to her, she believes there should be more of a give-and-take between both locals and tourists.
‘The people coming here are the ones supporting the small businesses that they own,’ she said.
If tourists are so inclined to visit the Hamptons for a weekend, she recommended choosing a path uncharted by their social media feeds. Instead, she hopes they’ll discover some of the true hidden gems the island has to offer.
‘Hopefully, people will realize that they don’t need to follow the status of everyone else, go where all these influencers are, and go where it looks cool to post,’ Emma said.
‘But rather they’ll create a life of their own and not just follow in everybody else’s footsteps.’