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Spend the summer in carefree anarchy at Ruschmeyer’s, a hot new spot in low-key Montauk where kids can be kids and adults can…well, be kids too. Set on three acres of woodsy lakeside land, Ruschmeyer’s (originally built as a camp in 1952) has been brought back to glory with 19 fresh and clean cabins, a teepee, a sandy beer garden, a chic communal restaurant and a happening bar. Expect a 1970s bohemian vibe; it’s the type of hotel where face-painted kids roam as if they own the place and couples lounge in hammocks until the day ends. You can listen to live music in the Magic Garden, play bocce in the beer garden or share a punch bowl with friends at the Electric Eel Disco. You can have an Indian Summer escape, and your kids can too.

There’s a reason travelers venture to the easternmost tip of Long Island to spend long weekends in Montauk. Its Brooklyn-meets-Malibu vibe attracts artists and musicians, families and singles, out-of-towners and locals alike. Montauk is the go-to getaway for those looking to escape, to stay under the radar and away from the sceney side of the Hamptons. 

A few years ago Surf Lodge set the standard for a new kind of Montauk escape, with its relaxed and charming yet modern vibe. And where Surf Lodge might remind you of Gidget and beach bonfires, the brand new Ruschmeyer’s is your very own Camp Nowhere. 

Originally built in 1952 as a nautical summer camp, Ruschmeyer’s embodies the carefree spirit of summer, when responsibilities are left to the adults and color war is more important than a deadline. Equipped with teepees, hammocks and a soon-to-be tree house, owners Ben Pundole and Robert McKinley were inspired by the property’s original purpose and kept that aspect in the renovation. 

The property has 19 cabins, a wellness center and a beer garden (called the Pool) set on three acres on Fort Pond Lake. Ruschmeyer’s restaurant (lead by Ben Towill and Phil Winser of Fat Radish in NYC) serves up locally produced, farm-fresh food, integrating Montauk’s freshest seafood, while the Electric Eel Disco is the new spot to be seen in Montauk. It’s got a unique nautical design with Bauhaus influences; you’ll see leather butterfly chairs, old black-and-white photographs and a porthole fish tank that passes through to the wooden 4x4 lobby area. And The Nook, a Marlow & Sons–inspired bar area, serves up smoothies, snacks and special treats. 

The rooms are simple — after all, this is summer camp. Guests can expect fresh white spaces with wicker beds, pops of black and yellow fabric, surf culture photographs and hammocks in every room. “It’s nautical bohemian,” says Pundole, as we peek inside Lucky 13, a two-room suite with banquette-like couches, two hammocks and a walk-through bathroom. The cabins are set in a half-moon shape surrounding the Magic Garden, which comes with picnic tables, dome-shaped tree lights and plenty of space for the kids to run free. And that’s exactly what Ruschmeyer’s was intended for. 

“We wanted to create a place where children fly little wooden planes and run around with face paint,” says Pundole. Mission accomplished.

Check-in for an exclusive Jetsetter weekend at Ruschmeyer’s….