Nature Through the Car Window

by Emily J Weitz

A sunset walk on the beach. A lone kayak skimming across smooth, glassy water. A bottle of wine surrounded by unfurling vineyards. There are so many romantic venues out here on the East End – when it isn’t so frigid that even the mercury in the thermometer is quivering. So how do you take advantage of the natural splendor that surrounds us when a thin coat of frost has left everything twinkling? How do you utilize the aphrodesiac qualities of nature when three seconds on the beach leaves your nose running and your toes frozen solid?

Windows and wheels.

This Valentine’s Day, instead of excluding nature from your activities, you really just need to figure out how to make nature bearable. The key is getting as close as you can to the natural beauty of this place without stepping out of your warm bubble – your car. You can still have picnics on the beach and you can still meander through the woods. You will just do it all from the comfort of your heated seats.

There are some spots out here that are completely accessible for cars. To start your Valentine’s Day off right, plan a picnic at the beach (parking lot). If you have an SUV and a permit, you can roll right onto the sand. But there are plenty of beaches where the parking lot is sufficiently elevated, and you can see the water right from your car. Georgica in East Hampton and Landing Lane in Springs are two that come to mind. Call in for a couple of egg sammiches and fill up some to-go coffee cups and head over to the beach for a wonderful start to your day. It’s better than a restaurant on the water, because you’ve got the place all to yourself, you’ve got your own tunes, and there’s a backseat in case you get frisky!

Once you’ve enjoyed a leisurely breakfast, it’s time to go for a journey. One of the most romantic things in the world is a drive out to Montauk. Old Montauk Highway is full of exciting twists, turns, rises and falls – just like any good love affair. Plus, you’ll get the best glimpses of the Atlantic Ocean crashing towards the shore over the soft white crests of the protected dunes of Hither Hills.

Make sure you get your music ready for this little road trip. As much as I love Diane Rehm, she is simply not the person I want to be listening to while I’m on a big Valentine’s Day excursion. So either prepare a CD of your favorite songs, or set a playlist on your iPod that will be really romantic.

I have a playlist that starts with “It Could Be Sweet” by Portishead, moves through “So In Love With You” by Erykah Badu, and ends with “Delicate” by Damien Rice. These songs make you just ache to slip your hand into someone else’s, so beautiful are the lyrics. There is nothing sweeter than hopping into the car, going for a long, meandering ride, and listening to music that moves you. Reach across the center console and hold hands all the way out to the end of the earth.

Now you’ve made it to Montauk, escorted all the way by nature’s gentle hand. You feel the same fulfillment that you would feel from a hike in the woods, and you haven’t budged from your seat. You have also just arrived at the coldest, windiest place in the state. There is nothing sexy about the Lighthouse, apart from the phallic significance, for those whose minds are completely in the gutter. But if you are feeling adventurous and might be able to step out of your glass and steel bubble, head over to Gurney’s and wrap yourself up tight to make a mad dash for the restaurant for dinner. Curl up around a cozy glass of red wine and a warm bowl of clam chowder and watch the seals lounge across the jetties. Just make sure you’ve secured a spot right in front of the window, so you can once again get as close to nature as possible without experiencing her sharp winter bite.

If, however, you feel like you’re not prepared to step out of the car, then call up the Chinese food restaurant and order delivery to the parking lot. When you get your food, drive back towards East Hampton and stop at the scenic overlook just in time for sunset.