Valentine’s Day is only a week away, which means people around the country are scrambling to order flowers.

We spoke with floral expert Nic Faitos of New York’s Starbright Floral Design about price point, what to buy, and buds to consider.

Since he's been in the business for over 20 years, he shared his top tips every guy should know before buying Valentine’s Day flowers. 

Don’t buy red roses

“What I tell people is to try and keep it a little more interesting than just the traditional dozen roses,” Faitos told us. “Price-wise, roses go through the roof.”

Roses are notoriously marked up on Valentine’s Day when demand is high. In some places, the cost of a single long-stemmed red rose will surge by as much as 100%.

You’d be better off ordering different flowers that are in season, such as Lilies, Chrysanthemums, and Amaryllis. Flowers in peak season will not only arrive fresher, but they’ll last longer, too.

“A dozen roses is something that’s expected. You can think a little more creatively and get a better and bigger arrangement for your dollar if you do things a little bit differently,” Faitos said.

Know your price point

If you want to buy quality flowers for delivery to your date’s office or apartment (and not just show up with some supermarket bouquet), Faitos said to expect to spend over $50.

“As a rule of thumb, if you want something delivered to your sweetheart’s office or her home, expect to spend over $50,” Faitos said. “A florist can’t do a good job if they aren't making a profit. You know you’re going to get something nice — really nice — in the range of $50 to $100.”

But don’t equate budget with beauty. “I’ve seen some of the prettiest things I’ve ever seen made with flowers cost a very small amount of money and some of the tackiest things cost a ton,” Faitos told us. “There are so many options in flowers that no matter what your budget or price point, you can have something pretty and meaningful.”

Don’t order from a big, online retailer 

Because we’re all tech-savvy now, many of us will turn to huge online flower conglomerates to buy bouquets, but Faitos warned us against these couriers. 

“My personal least-favorite way to buy flowers is where they arrive in a box from an overnight courier,” he said. “The vendor who sells them to you has no control over the temperature or the travel conditions — no control over the environment."

"What they actually put in the box that is sent out to you is completely different from what you see when you open the box," he added.

You’re better off looking for a reputable florist in your area that delivers (most will have websites too if ordering over the phone seems too daunting). This will ensure your flowers are of the absolute best quality.

Consider shelf life and durability 

Don’t just rely on how pretty the flowers look. Ask your florist or do some research on how long the flowers will last and how durable they are. 

Your date may love Lily of the Valley or the Juliet Rose, but if it arrives damaged, they won’t be able to appreciate it. Same with flowers with a short shelf life — the longer the blooms last, the longer your Valentine will think of you.

If you’re in doubt, choose flowers that are in season since they’ll be fresher.

Pick flowers that reflect your date’s personality 

At the end of the day, pick flowers that remind you of your Valentine and not what’s fashionable.

“Flowers are flowers and it comes down to personal taste,” Faitos told us. “The important thing is to make sure they’re fresh and clean and designed very sharply.”

If you’re at a loss for what to get, talk to your florist about your significant other’s personality. Someone who likes the outdoors will probably prefer a different kind of flower and arrangement than the indoor city slicker.

SEE ALSO: 25 thoughtful Valentine's Day gifts under $50

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NOW WATCH: How To Make A Bouquet Of Bacon Roses For Valentine's Day

It's estimated that 30.6 million students in the US get their lunches in the school cafeteria versus bringing it from home. And that's a problem: It's been found that students who eat school lunches are at a higher risk for being an unhealthy weight.

While new standards are in place, schools have had a difficult time putting the guidelines to use.

These problems drove Sweetgreen, the rapidly growing chain of salad restaurants that's making a quite a buzz, to start its Sweetgreen in Schools initiative. "School cafeterias are one of the biggest areas of opportunity that exist in the battle against childhood obesity," the group said.

To get a better sense of how unhealthy food given to US schoolchildren really is, Sweetgreen researched what a school lunch looked like in eight other countries. The differences will surprise you.

US: fried popcorn chicken, mashed potatoes, peas, fruit cup, chocolate-chip cookie

France: steak, carrots, green beans, cheese, fresh fruit

Ukraine: mashed potatoes with sausage, borscht, cabbage, syrniki (dessert pancake)

A custom-built mansion in the ultra-exclusive millionaire's enclave of Palm Beach just listed for $47 million.

British businessman Lord Anthony Jacobs built the house after he bought the property in 1995 for $4.15 million and bulldozed the existing house, the Wall Street Journal reported.

In its place, he built a 13,000-square-foot monument to Mediterranean architecture.

Paulette and Dana Koch of the Corcoran Group have the listing.

Welcome to the waterfront mansion at 100 Casa Bendita in Palm Beach, Florida. It boasts an impressive 200 feet of ocean frontage.

As you enter the mansion, the Mediterranean-styling is immediately apparent.

Spectacularly ornate fountains, stone archways, and wrought iron gates greet you.

Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, which means many are beginning to plan their dates. 

To help you plan a perfect trip to New York City (or just an extravagant staycation), our friends at Hotels.com have compiled a list of the most romantic hotels in the city. 

From an ultra-modern hotel in the Upper East Side to a gothic-style hotel across from Central Park, here are the most romantic places to stay this Valentine’s Day. 

20. The Bryant Park Hotel

 Rooms from $225 per night. 

19. The Michelangelo Hotel

Rooms from $209 per night. 

18. The London NYC

Rooms from $249 per night. 

On Saturday, The New York Times released a fantastic investigation into the influx of foreign wealth in the New York City luxury real estate market.

Looking at more than 200 limited-liability corporations (LLCs) and trusts, The Times's Louise Story and Stephanie Saul attempted to unravel who exactly lived in the Time Warner Center and other "Billionaires' Row" highrises.

The report took 13 people an entire year to put together, which they did by "searching business and court records from more than 20 countries, interviewing dozens of people with close knowledge of the complex, examining hundreds of property records and connecting the dots from lawyers or relatives named on deeds to the actual buyers," the reporters wrote.

That alone should put into perspective how slippery real estate LLCs and trusts have become. Thanks to these types of shell companies and the lack of incentive to regulate them, luxury real estate has never been more secretive.

Take for example One57, home to the city’s first apartment to sell for over $100 million. Of the 27 units that have been sold so far, over half of them are owned by LLCs and trusts to maintain the owners’ privacy.

This is happening elsewhere in Midtown, too. According to The Times, Bloomberg Tower is 57% owned by LLCs or trusts, The Plaza's ownership is 69% such arrangements, the Time Warner Center is at 64%, and 15 Central Park West is at 58%.

At some of these residences, only a third of the owners actually live there at any one time, the Times reports.

These secretive ownership arrangements are not limited to the glossy penthouses of Manhattan. According to data from First American Data Tree that The Times analyzed, 44% of sales over $5 million in the US were to shell companies. 

The fact that the world’s 1% are using real estate purchases as their own private bank accounts is nothing new. New York’s real estate in particular is a prime option because it leads to such stable returns.

But what The Times points out in its investigation is that these secretive purchases can allow corrupt officials and billionaires to keep their assets hidden away from victims and foreign governments.

Even if you were to somehow pin down a name associated with an owner (or their relatives or lawyers), the fact remains that trusts and LLCs can transfer ownership without any real estate record. Many of the sales are also in cash, according to The Times, so there are no mortgage statements or public documents.

Though there have been a few attempts to make real estate ownership more transparent, the main argument against doing so is that it could hurt the economy. If these wealthy individuals didn’t feel safe buying property in America, they would just spend their money elsewhere.

The hope in New York is that despite rising rents, a homeless crisis, and a lack of affordable units, the money from these multi-million penthouses and pieds-à-terre will eventually trickle down.

And in the meantime, luxury buildings will continue to rise and court the mega-wealthy from around the world. 

“I don’t see some kind of global effort to stop all this because the money’s too good,” said David M. Crane, a Syracuse University law professor, told The Times. 

Check out the full, must-read article here.

SEE ALSO: Inside One57, where New York's most expensive penthouse just sold for a record-breaking $100 million

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NOW WATCH: Mark Cuban: Here's The Hardest Part Of Being A Billionaire

The way we access the internet has changed rapidly over the past few years, transitioning from desktops to mobile devices.

Now, the internet is expanding again — coming to all of the everyday devices found in our homes, businesses, and cities.

BI Intelligence has created a slideshow highlighting the most important ways the Internet of Everything market will develop, the benefits newly connected devices will offer consumers and businesses, and the potential barriers that could inhibit growth. 

BI Intelligence is a new research and analysis service focused on the mobile and Internet of Things computing markets. 

Only BI Intelligence subscribers can download the individual charts and datasets in Excel, along with the PowerPoint and PDF versions of this deck. Please sign up for a trial membership here.

Apple pre-loads every iPhone with a slew of its own first-party apps — but thankfully, the App Store is overflowing with alternative apps, many of which are better than Apple's.

Whether you're looking to organize your photos, get some work done, or get around town, we've scoured the App Store for the best apps that are better than the default ones you'll get on your iPhone.

Instead of Mail, use Microsoft Outlook.

Microsoft recently purchased the Acompli email app, and Outlook is essentially that app with a new skin on it. Still, this is the most robust and most refined email app out there: You can create a quick filter on your flagged and unread emails, check out all the attachments and files that have been emailed to you in one dedicated folder, and also gives you tabs for your calendar and contacts, which are nice additions aimed at making you more productive.

(Microsoft Outlook, Free)

Instead of Calendar, use Sunrise.

Like Apple's Calendar app, Sunrise can pull in data from all your other calendars — but it it can do so much more: You can set reminders, see weather forecasts based on your location, and see your entire day at a glance without having to press any buttons. You can also RSVP to various event invitations via Google and Facebook right in the app, and sync all your data across all your devices.

Sunrise is also in the process of being acquired by Microsoft, and will probably be rebranded as a Microsoft app at some point.

(Sunrise, Free)

Instead of Notes, use Evernote.

Apple's Notes app is a little too simple: There's no way to organize or tag your notes, or create different types of notes. With Evernote, you can tag all your notes to keep them organized, create notes out from photos or text, flag certain notes to revisit later or even set reminders for yourself. Better yet, if you take pictures of documents and upload them to Evernote, its powerful search function can even scan those PDFs and other documents. And, of course, Evernote syncs across all devices, from phones and tablets to laptops and desktops.

(Evernote, Free)

When Todd Masonis and his partner sold their startup to Comcast in 2008 for a rumored sum between $150 and $170 million, he took a "fun year."

Masonis, a Stanford grad, excavated a Roman fort in England, biked across Scotland, and toured family-run chocolate factories in France.

It was in France where something clicked for the serial entrepreneur. He returned to the US and cofounded Dandelion Chocolate, a small-batch, bean-to-bar chocolate maker in — where else — a garage.

Step inside Dandelion Chocolate, located at 740 Valencia St., in San Francisco's Mission District, to see how Masonis and his team are disrupting the sweets industry.

The smell of freshly shelled cacao nibs, grinding in a metal vat for 72 hours, hits you upon entering Dandelion Chocolate, part café, part chocolate factory in San Francisco’s Mission District. It’s hard to imagine cofounder Todd Masonis can get anything done here.

“I eat chocolate every day,” Masonis told Business Insider when we first met in October. He’s a modern-day Willy Wonka who dreams of disrupting the chocolate industry through small-batch production and simple ingredients.

Masonis is no stranger to the startup space. After graduating from Stanford in 2001 with a degree in symbolic systems, he and friend Cameron Ring set out to make something new. They launched Plaxo, an online address-book service, with serial entrepreneur Sean Parker.

China is one of the most visited countries in the world, with over 55 million visitors each year.

It's a top attraction for its rich history; its incredible monuments, temples, and towers; and its varied yet beautiful landscape. 

From gambling in opulent Macau to riding camels through the northern Gobi Desert, here are 38 places travelers should visit in China. 

Go back in time and observe the distinct architecture of the 900-year-old village of Hongcun.

Eat peking duck in Beijing. Da Dong Duck Roast is a famous spot for the iconic dish.

Slide down the Great Wall of China on the 5,184-foot-long toboggan run, which departs from a section of the wall in Mutianyu.

Were billionaires like Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg and Warren Buffet just born lucky — or were they made to succeed?

Aside from the size of their bank accounts, billionaires possess a unique series of traits that most people don't exhibit.

Maybe some attributes they were born with, but most of these traits don't come naturally; they are skills that these billionaires honed and habits that they nurtured on their road to riches.

Because these traits aren't inherent, anyone can work on acquiring these attributes and applying them in their lives to see greater success and wealth. Start developing some of them on your own and you might be well on your way to striking it rich.

Oprah Winfrey: grateful

The former queen of daytime television doesn't let her $3 billion net worth get to her head. Despite her abundant success, her constant gratitude is truly humbling.

Her legions of fans are inspired by her words of wisdom like, "Be thankful for what you have; you'll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don't have, you will never, ever have enough."

Warren Buffet: patient

Warren Buffet, the second richest man in American, built his $67 billion net worth by simply taking his time.

Not a fan of trendy stocks or knee-jerk reactions to market fluctuations, Buffet has a "set it and forget it" investing philosophy, saying, "It's pretty easy to get well-to-do slowly. But it's not easy to get rich quick."

Bill Gates: humble

Bill Gates and his wife Melinda have devoted the better part of their fortune to improving the lives of the world's poorest people. But despite his donations that that already total in the tens of billions of dollars, Gates recognizes that others are making contributions that he says are more meaningful than his.

"I'm not giving up food, or vacation, or a trip to the movies," to give charitably, Bill Gates said in a video interview for Reddit. "I essentially sacrifice nothing that I want, and there are people who are out in the field and they are giving more."

The tech industry generates a lot of money for its leaders. But a lot of those leaders do give back to society.

According to a new list by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, a D.C.-based newspaper that covers charities and nonprofits, tech entrepreneurs donated a total of $4.6 billion last year, accounting for nearly half of the $9.8 billion donated by the top 50 givers in America.

Here are the 12 tech entrepreneurs who made the list.

#12 Irwin Jacobs, donated $101.6 million

Title: Cofounder of Qualcomm

Net worth: $1.8 billion

Age: 81

Total amount donated in 2014: $101.6 million

Top beneficiaries: Joan and Irwin Jacobs Fund at the Jewish Community Foundation of San Diego; Jacobs Medical Center at the University of California at San Diego; High Tech High Foundation

#11 John Morgridge, $102 million

Title: Chairman Emeritus of Cisco (former CEO)

Net worth: $1.2 billion

Age: 81

Total amount donated in 2014: $102 million

Top beneficiaries: University of Wisconsin at Madison; the Wisconsin Technology Initiative for programs in Wisconsin public elementary, middle, and high schools; other education, environmental, and human-services groups

#10 Steve Ballmer, $110 million

Title: Owner of LA Clippers (former Microsoft CEO)

Net worth: $21 billion

Age: 58

Total amount donated in 2014: $110 million

Top beneficiaries: Harvard University; University of Oregon

Google loves its engineers. So it's not much of a surprise that many different types of engineering jobs are among Google's highest paying positions. 

But there are a bunch of other roles needed to keep the company running smoothly, and Google is willing to pay top dollar for the best candidates, according to salary data we pulled from Glassdoor.

Salary data on Glassdoor is based on anonymous salary reports that were voluntarily shared by both current and recent employees.

Note: All figures refer to base salaries and do not include bonuses. Salaries also vary based on experience. 

This is an update of a post originally written by Karyne Levy and Matt Lynley. 

20. Senior quantitative analyst

Salary: $166,411

Google is always looking for complex, bright minds that are great at analysis, and that’s exactly what this role calls for. A quantitative analyst usually applies mathematics and statistics to solve financial and risk management problems.

19. Partner development manager

Salary: $167,496

Google works with tons of partners, including Samsung, HTC, and Dell to name a few. Just between its Android and Chrome products, Google regularly works with dozens of hardware manufacturers to create some of its most successful gadgets. It’s up to the partner development manager to nurture those relationships and build new ones.

18. Senior release engineer

Salary: $168,896

Release engineers compile, assemble, and implement source code into finished products.

It's Carnival, and Venice is flooding.

To celebrate Carnival, Venetians and visitors from all over the world don elaborate costumes and masks and attend celebrations all over the Italian city. 

Only this year, they're trudging through flooded streets. 

Approximately 18% of Venice's historic center was under water on Sunday, according to the International Business Times. 

The annual celebration will run until February 17th.

St. Mark's Square is completely covered in water.

But people still traipse through the busy square.

And life still goes on as usual.

Uh oh. Valentine's Day is nearly upon us, and you totally dropped the ball. Don't even bother calling for a dinner reservation because every place in town is booked up.

But fear not: with a bit of creativity, and a lot of conviction, you can still save the day.

For inspiration, we came up with 10 emergency Valentine's Day backup plans. Good luck.

Buy a dinner reservation.

If you totally forgot to make dinner plans, and you're hopeless in the kitchen, you may have to fork it out and purchase somebody else's reservation.

Fortunately, there are several apps for that, including Resy, Killer Rezzy, and Zurvu.

Prices vary.

Hire a private chef.

If you'd rather stay in (but not look cheap), try renting a private chef for the night. Download the Kitchensurfing app and find local professional chefs around the country. In New York, you can order a Valentine's Day brunch or dinner for $150.

Here are some other NYC-based options:

• Postmates' Chefs on Demand: $200 for a 6 pm or 9 pm dinner.
• Big City Chefs: $425 for a romantic dinner for 2.
• New York Personal Chefs: $425 for a four-course Valentine's Day dinner for two.

Go ice skating in VIP style.

At the rink at New York City's Rockefeller Center, you can call ahead of time or go online and pay to skip the lines with "VIP" tickets. There are different time slots throughout today and you can see their availability online.

Pay $60 per person for 90 minutes of skating.

The winners of the 2014 International Photography Contest for Kids have been announced, and the winnings photos are awesome.

The contest, conducted in partnership with National Geographic Kids magazine, saw more than 16,000 entries from around the world. Four photos were selected as first-place winners, including a grand-prize winner, in four categories, and four were selected as runners-up.

Entrants had to be between ages 6 and 14 to be eligible for the competition.

Overall winner Grace Chung will receive a National Geographic Costa Rica family adventure. First-place winners get a digital camera, a memory card, and assorted National Geographic kids' books. National Geographic shared the winners' photos with us here.

Second place: "Weird But True" category, taken by 12-year-old American Jack Girton.

First place: "Weird, But True" category, taken by 14-year-old Olivia Bertie from the UK.

Second place: "Wild Vacations" category, taken by 12-year-old Mihail Nikolaev Kamenov from Bulgaria.

Americans are crazy about pizza. So much so, we even dedicated an entire day to it — National Pizza Day.

In celebration of this important holiday, the editors at Zagat shared the best pizza joints in 11 big cities around the US. 

From Dallas to New York to Seattle, here are some epically delicious pies. 

AUSTIN: The Backspace

507 San Jacinto St.

Food: 25

The thin-crust pizzas at this casual Austin staple have locals coming back thanks to its delicious sauce and heavy-handed toppings.

The happy hour is a great deal too, with half off antipasti, beer, and wines by the glass.

BOSTON: Galleria Umberto

289 Hanover St.

Food: 27

This hole-in-the-wall pizza joint is only open until they sell out. So get there early (the lines go fast), and order a Sicilian-style pie with sides of arancini and panzarotti, which are light and non-greasy.

Just remember — this North End hidden gem is cash only.

CHICAGO: Pequod's Pizza

2207 N. Clybourn Ave.

Food: 26

If you make a pilgrimage to this low-key Lincoln Park joint (or its original location in Morton Grove), be sure to treat yourself to their signature pan pizza with a caramelized crust.  

Don't worry if you can't make it there, they also deliver. 

Apple has been on fire since releasing the iPhone 6 last fall.

But the company's dominance wasn't always so assured.

Analysts were saying Apple was "doomed" in 2013.

The iPhone 5 was a smash hit when Apple unveiled it in 2012. Then-Slate columnist Farhad Manjoo called it "the best phone ever to grace the earth."

It had an amazing camera with incredible sharpness, even when zoomed in.

The iPhone 5 outsold its predecessor by a million units over its first weekend, but sales growth slowed after that.

Rolling Acres Mall in Akron, Ohio used to be a gathering place for the community. 

Today, it is covered in snow. 

Photographer Seph Lawless revisited one of the closed-down malls from his Black Friday book project. He took some haunting images of the interior today. 

You can find more of Lawless' work on his Facebook and Instagram accounts.

All across America, malls are decaying.

Lawless first visited this Akron, Ohio, mall in 2012 for his book "Black Friday."

When he revisited the mall, he found it was covered in snow.

37.8% of American will be buying flowers this year for Valentine’s Day, according to the National Retail Federation, spending more than $2.1 billion.

And according to data from About Flowers, an average of 60% of those flower sales will most likely be for roses.

But not only is buying roses unoriginal and expensive, if you buy them from the wrong vendor, your roses could be promoting poor working conditions and child labor.

Keep reading to see the three big reasons you should avoid buying roses this Valentine’s Day.

Rose prices are severely inflated for Valentine’s Day

Roses can range in cost anywhere from $15 at the grocery store to upwards of $100 from florists.

“Price-wise, roses go through the roof [on Valentine’s Day],” Nic Faitos of New York’s Starbright Floral Design told Business Insider. 

According to a Reuters report, the length of the stem is the key in pricing. The longer the stem the more expensive the rose will be.

But prices surge this month across the board thanks to the romantic holiday by as much as 100%. The mark ups come from labor cost, transportation, and of course a significantly higher demand.

You can also be sure that the cheaper roses will also be less quality. Convenience and grocery stores have such low prices because they don’t offer delivery, buy the flowers earlier (so they’re not as fresh), and sell roses with shorter stems.

The majority of our roses come from countries with poor working conditions

According to an IB Times report from 2012, 90% of the flowers Americans will be buying on February 14th are imported, mainly from Colombia and Ecuador.

These two countries are famous for their “war of the roses” battle as they compete to produce the best quality and highest quantity of roses for international (mostly American) buyers.

But neither of these countries have the best labor practices. It was estimated that 8.3% of the flowers in the US were cut by child labor in Ecuador, according to an Atlantic report, where 12% of the country’s children work in agriculture.

There’s a great deal of exploitation of the adults who cut these flowers, too. Workers are pushed to complete 20 hour days at 250 to 300 stems per hour, according to an International Labor Rights Forum report. In addition to the back-breaking (and hand-breaking) labor, they must work in close proximity with pesticides containing carcinogens and toxins.

All of these poor working conditions negatively impact the health of the flower workers. It's estimated by the Labor Right Forum report that two-thirds of Colombian and Ecuadorian flower workers suffer from work-related health problems, such as headaches, nausea, impaired vision, conjunctivitis, rashes, asthma, stillbirths, miscarriages, congenital malformations, and respiratory and neurological problems.

Despite these health effects, workers are rarely provided healthcare benefits or protective gear.

Female workers are also often forced to take a pregnancy test before starting on the job or provide proof of sterilization. In addition to the harsh working conditions, these women also face significant sexual harassment  in the work place.

If you’re going to buy flowers this Valentine’s Day, buy fair trade or locally only. 

Roses are boring

There are so many better flowers out there that aren’t as cliché for Valentine’s Day.

“A dozen roses is something that’s expected,” Faitos told us. “You can think a little more creatively and get a better and bigger arrangement for your dollar if you do things a little bit differently."

Though roses have come to symbolize Valentine’s Day, there are so many options out there that are in season, last longer, and will cost less.

“There are so many options in flowers that no matter what your budget or price point, you can have something pretty and meaningful," Faitos said. See some of his recommendations here.

SEE ALSO: 20 gifts women actually want for Valentine's Day

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NOW WATCH: Mark Cuban: Here's The Hardest Part Of Being A Billionaire

Even though it’s only 90 miles from New York City, the Hamptons is another world filled with sandy beaches, quaint main streets, celebrities, and restaurants. 

The Hamptons can make for a relaxing getaway, or a party-filled weekend. But no matter what you're going for. one challenge remains: it can be extremely stressful to find a place to stay.

Since it's officially Hamptons renting season, we broke down the 10 most popular hamlets by reputation, with suggestions for hotels, restaurants, and average rental prices from Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Keep reading to see our ultimate Hamptons rental guide for 2015.

East Hampton

When it comes to nightlife, East Hampton has you covered with raging dance clubs like SL East and the Pink Elephant.

It also has stellar beaches, tons of shopping, and top-notch restaurants. The ultra rich love East Hampton, especially away from the hustle and bustle of the public beaches, where glamorous homes can be found.

If you’re looking for a rental deal, look inland — the closer you are to the beach, the more expensive it’ll be. Plus, this is one of the most popular hamlets during the tourist season so it’s best to get your rental early.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$36,000 to ~$150,000

Hotels:Baker House 1650, c/o The Maidstone, The 1770 House

Restaurants:Fresno, Nick & Toni’s, The Living Room, East Hampton Grill, Luigi’s Italian Specialties

Southampton

Another popular town, Southampton puts all other villages to shame when it comes to three things: shopping, celebrities, and real estate.

This hamlet is packed with stores and is a favorite spot for people who have money and want to be seen. There are a lot of epic, multi-million dollar mansions that line the ocean as well as popular hotspots and restaurants where the blue bloods hang out.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$40,000 to ~$210,000

Hotels:A Butler’s Manor

Restaurants:Saaz Indian Cuisine, Red Bar Brasserie, La Parmigiana Italian Restaurant

Sag Harbor

Known as a haven for artists, this former whaling village is one of the prettiest towns on the South Fork, with cute storefronts and old-school Hamptons appeal.

It also has fantastic real estate and a funky Main Street with delicious restaurants. Plus, it’s not too far from the popular Long Beach.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$27,000 to ~$110,000

Hotels:The American Hotel

Restaurants:Estia’s Little Kitchen, The Dock House, The Beacon

North Haven

If Sag Harbor is where the wealthy artists live, than North Haven is its family-oriented suburb. The mansions here keep getting more and more expensive, but there’s not a whole lot to do in this tiny hamlet.

Renters can expect extremely high rental prices across the board, with plenty of deluxe mansions up for grabs. North Haven is located between East and Southampton and has a large amount of waterfront real estate, which also factors into the high price points.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$47,000 to ~$190,000

Hotels: N/A

Restaurants: N/A 

Westhampton/Westhampton Beach

Westhampton is the closest town on the list to New York City, meaning you'll have a shorter commute as well as access to clean, beautiful beaches right off the exit.

This is a popular hamlet for people renting and co-renting homes. It has restaurants and stores to keep you busy, but is much more affordable than Southampton.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$40,000 to ~$100,000

Hotels:Beaver Damn Creek House

Restaurants:Starr Boggs, Boom Burger, Pizzetteria Brunetti, The Patio Restaurant

Sagaponack

One of the oldest hamlets in the area, this tiny village is renowned for its rural beauty and has some of the most scenic beaches in the area. 

The major downside of Sagaponack is that its too small for any theaters or shopping. For those, you would need to travel to nearby Southampton or East Hampton. But the real estate here is top notch — and über expensive.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$65,000 to ~$290,000

Hotels: N/A

Restaurants: Sagg Main Store

Amagansett

Technically within the town of East Hampton, Amagansett has its own special style with delicious restaurants and really nice, sandy beaches.

Amagansett is a lovely resort town for the more low-key Hamptons visitor. It has great boutiques and a musical venue called Stephen Talkhouse where Jon Bon Jovi has performed unannounced.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$46,000 to ~$170,000

Hotels:Hermitage Resort, Inn at Windmill Lane

Restaurants:Mary’s Marvelous

Water Mill

Artists, authors, and actors love Water Mill for its charming residential community. You’re not going to find a lot of parties or nightlife in this quiet hamlet, but if relaxation is what you’re after, Water Mill delivers.

But don’t let the pastoral setting fool you. Lots of celebrities and executives have homes here for the summer to capitalize on the idyllic surroundings.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$45,000 to ~$150,000

Hotels: N/A

Restaurants:Robert’s, Sabrosa Mexican Grill

Montauk

During the day, surfers flock to Montauk's Ditch Plains Beach for the best waves on Long Island before the pubs take over with a nightlife scene that draws both hipster and local crowds to this fisherman's village.

Best for families, Montauk has become the most expensive place to stay in New York State. For tourist attractions, there are plenty of lighthouses to visit, beaches to walk down, and lobster to enjoy.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$50,000 to ~$150,000

Hotels:Ruschmeyer’s, Panoramic View, Solé East Resort

Restaurants:St Peter’s Catch, Zum Schneider Montauk, South Edison, Dave’s Grill

Bridgehampton

Bridgehampton is a trendy vacation destination for the super rich — in fact, about two-thirds of its population are part-time home owners (which means rentals are not hard to come by!).

This town is really big with the equestrian crowd since Bridgehampton hosts the annual Hampton Classic Horse Show in late August. There are also cute boutiques, wineries, and restaurants for vacationers to try.

Average Rental Prices for Memorial Day through Labor Day*: ~$60,000 to ~$190,000

Hotels:Bridgehampton Inn

Restaurants:Mercado, Topping Rose House

*Note: 2015 rental price ranges were for current four-bedroom rental homes and were averaged from Memorial Day through Labor Day prices on Brown Harris Stevens, Sotheby’s International Realty, and Corcoran Real Estate. Ranges do not account for rental outliers.

SEE ALSO: Meet the residents of 'Billionaire Lane' in the Hamptons

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