Seal walks in the Hamptons are the East End's quietest winter appointment, and the 2026–27 season is already on the calendar. Harbor seals arrive in local waters around November and stay into spring, hauling out on the sand and rocks to rest. Three ways to see them this winter, from Westhampton to Montauk, all with dates published as of 2026: guided beach walks at Cupsogue, boat trips on Shinnecock Bay, and state park naturalist hikes at Montauk Point. For adults 21+ planning a winter weekend around them, here is what to book and the rules that come with it.

When the seals are here

The Coastal Research and Education Society of Long Island, CRESLI, which has run seal research on the South Shore for more than two decades, puts it simply: seals are typically in local waters for about seven months, November through May. Most of them are Atlantic harbor seals, with the occasional gray seal mixed in. Organized walks are timed to when seals are most likely to be resting on shore, so the start times move around through the season. A 6:30 AM arrival in February is not a typo.

Cupsogue Beach: the CRESLI seal walks

CRESLI's 24th season of seal walks at Cupsogue Beach County Park, at the western end of Dune Road beside Moriches Inlet, runs from late 2026 into March 2027. The walks are 1.2 miles round trip, suitable for children, and take about an hour to an hour and a half. Reservations are required through CRESLI's site, and the group asks for a suggested donation rather than a fee.

The winter dates CRESLI lists for the season:

• Sunday, December 6, 2026, talk and walk at 10:30 AM
• Sunday, December 20, 2026, 8:45 AM
• Sunday, January 3, 2027, 8:45 AM
• Sunday, January 31, 2027, 7:45 AM
• Sunday, February 14, 2027, 6:45 AM
• Sunday, February 28, 2027, 6:45 AM

Arrival is 15 minutes before each start. CRESLI brings spotting scopes and cameras with viewing screens, and strongly suggests bringing binoculars. The beach is exposed and the wind off the inlet builds a chill; the group's own advice is more layers than seem necessary, plus hats, gloves and warm, waterproof shoes. The Westhampton page covers the villages on the way in.

Shinnecock Bay: the seal cruises

For a view from the water, CRESLI runs two-hour seal cruises on Shinnecock Bay aboard Stony Brook University's R/V Peconic, co-sponsored by the South Fork Natural History Museum. Boarding is 30 minutes before departure at the Stony Brook Marine Station, 8 Little Neck Road, Southampton. The cruises cost $40 per person, and registration is required. The vessel is open to the weather on three sides.

Dates in the December to February window:

• December 5, 2026, 10 AM to noon
• December 13, 2026, noon to 2 PM
• January 9, 2027, noon to 2 PM
• January 17, 2027, 9 to 11 AM
• January 30, 2027, 9 to 11 AM
• February 7, 2027, noon to 2 PM
• February 20, 2027, noon to 2 PM

More run through March and April. CRESLI keeps no waitlist for full cruises; a spot opens only when someone drops out. The Southampton page has more on the town around the dock.

Montauk Point: the state park seal hikes

At the other end of the South Fork, Montauk Point State Park lists naturalist-led Seal Hikes on December 5 and December 20, 2026, described as a 3-mile there-and-back hike along the beachfront and park trails to the seal haul-out spot. The park is open year-round, sunrise to sunset, and its own description lists watching the seals sun on the rocks offshore among the reasons to visit. Check the park's events page for added winter dates and registration details. The Montauk page covers the hamlet.

Seal etiquette, plainly

• Keep 150 feet back. NOAA's guidance for the Greater Atlantic region is at least 150 feet from seals, about four school bus lengths. CRESLI reminds walkers that disturbing resting seals violates federal and state law.
• Leave a seal on the beach alone. A seal out of the water is usually resting, not stranded. Keep dogs leashed and away.
• Watch the clock. NOAA suggests limiting viewing time to about 30 minutes.
• Let them stay put. If seals lift their heads or start moving toward the water, the group is too close.

The rule, plainly

New York state law prohibits cannabis consumption on state-owned land and in public spaces. Montauk Point State Park is state land, Cupsogue is a Suffolk County park, and the beaches, trails and parking lots at both are public space. A research vessel is not a venue for it either.