Montauk Has Entered Its Wellness Era: The Rise of the Balanced Summer Weekend
How the new summer weekend blends beachside cocktails, fitness, hospitality, and intentional experiences with Dale Moss, ZBiotics and Gurney’s Montauk.
- By: Julianne Elise Beffa
For the past few years, Montauk has represented the ultimate escape from New York City- a place where summer weekends were defined by beach days, seafood dinners, crowded bars, and nights that stretched until sunrise. But this summer, a new version of the Montauk lifestyle emerged: one where the party doesn’t stop the wellness routine, and the wellness routine doesn’t stop the party.
Welcome to the era of the wellness weekend.
The modern summer getaway is no longer about choosing between indulgence and intention. Today’s travelers want the full experience- the sunset cocktails, the ocean views, the late-night conversations, the early morning workouts, and the feeling of waking up ready to do it all again. The new luxury isn’t just where you go or who you’re with; it’s how you feel throughout the entire experience.
That shift was on full display this summer in Montauk, where ZBiotics partnered with Gurney’s Montauk Resort & Seawater Spa for a wellness-focused take on the classic beach weekend. The collaboration reflected a larger cultural movement happening across travel and hospitality: consumers aren’t stepping away from social experiences- they’re looking for ways to make those experiences fit into their entire lifestyle.
On July 16, my The Bachelorette crush, Dale Moss, pictured above, hosted an intimate overnight experience bringing together wellness-minded athletes, creators, and tastemakers including Liv Schreiber, Katy Bellotte, and Sailor Lee Brinkley. Designed around the idea that a great night and a great morning can coexist, the weekend blended everything people love about Montauk: connection, movement, food, music, and time by the water.
The evening began with a private dinner, creating a space for guests to slow down and connect before the next day’s activities. The following morning, the group traded late-night energy for a group workout before spending the day along the Montauk beachfront- proving that the modern social calendar no longer has to revolve around recovery.
The experience was a reflection of a much larger shift in how people approach wellness. Instead of viewing healthy living as a restrictive lifestyle built around saying no, consumers are embracing a more flexible version of wellness that allows room for celebration. A Saturday night out and a Sunday morning workout are no longer opposites. They are part of the same routine.
Montauk itself has become the perfect backdrop for this evolution. Long known as a destination for beach clubs, nightlife, and summer escapes, the town has increasingly embraced a more holistic version of the getaway experience. From oceanfront fitness classes and wellness programming to spa rituals inspired by the natural surroundings, the destination is showing how wellness can become part of the social experience rather than something separate from it.
At Gurney’s, that philosophy comes to life through its approach to hospitality. The resort’s Seawater Spa has long centered around ocean-inspired wellness, incorporating the healing elements of seawater into treatments and recovery experiences. Throughout the summer, Gurney’s expanded that lifestyle offering through fitness programming, beachfront activities, and experiences designed to help guests make the most of every hour of their stay.
Because the new luxury traveler doesn’t want a vacation that requires a vacation afterward.
They want mornings that start with movement, afternoons spent by the water, dinners that turn into unforgettable memories, and nights that feel worth staying up for. They want experiences that energize them instead of leaving them feeling like they missed out on either side of the equation.
That is exactly where ZBiotics’ partnership with Gurney’s fits into the moment. As the resort’s official summer Pre-Alcohol partner, ZBiotics Pre-Alcohol was available throughout the property experience, from in-room minibars to the Fire Pit and Dune Café & Lounge, while also being featured during the resort’s Fire Pit Music Series.
The partnership represents the growing demand for products, brands, and experiences that understand how people actually live today. Consumers aren’t necessarily interested in choosing between wellness and nightlife; they’re interested in finding ways to enjoy both.
The result is a new definition of going out- one that values connection as much as consumption, experiences as much as exclusivity, and feeling good as much as having a good time.
Because the future of the summer weekend isn’t about choosing between the cocktail and the 7AM workout.
It’s about realizing you can have both.
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