One of the best clubs in the Hamptons that incorporated the outdoors with a central dance floor inside was Turtle Bay.
An odd, yet fantastic fact about Turtle Bay is that it had the biggest parking lot out of most of the Hamptons clubs. If you’ve never been to a club in the Hamptons on a summer weekend, you don’t realize how hard it was to find parking. Turtle Bay’s parking lot was so big that when you were parking in the last stalls, you didn’t realize how close you were to one of the Hampton’s largest clubs.
When you exited your car, you were greeted by a squad of promoters. This was a group of people from the club working as sponsors for various liquors, eats, promotions, etc. You never knew who would approach you. Free samples of chocolate, coupons for free shots of liquor, or certificates to spas, it was all part of the excitement before you even entered the club.
What made this club so unique was the huge wood patio that went around 2/3 of the club. It incorporated trees and mostly, the creek behind it which was known as Turtle Creek. If you’ve ever lived by standing water, you know that mosquitoes can be more lethal than a T-Rex. However, even though the club was situated on a large creek, I was never bitten.
While many clubs have shot girls, Turtle Bay had ice slides. These were huge ice sculptures in which a shot of liquor was poured down one side of the sculpture, while a person waited with an open mouth on the other end. The shot of liquor would pour down the slide, getting cooled, then it would be drunk by the happiest end-user.
Probably the biggest draw of the club was that even when you were inside in the middle of the dance floor, you never felt claustrophobic. That’s because the club had three huge garage doors that were opened on three sides of the dance floor which opened to the outdoor deck.
The club had 3 bars so it was rare that you would have to wait for a drink. That was also a huge plus in a crowded summer resort club.
While this club was one of only two that was singled out in Southampton’s study of bars and nightclubs. The study found that Turtle Bay was a particular nuisance to neighbors. Even though the club has not been occupied in two years, it has not closed completely. The owner has maintained the liquor license. He does this by opening the club once a year to paid customers. He has done this for the past 2 years.
Turtle Bay, or another name, can reopen in this very unique spot again in the future. At the moment, the building has been torn down.