It's been said that rusticity and sophistication blend seamlessly in Southampton, but you might never discover it in summer, when spirit-crushing crowds at the beaches and in the restaurants threaten to turn this tranquil clime into a tourist trap with sand. The ideal time to discover Southampton is late spring or early fall, when flowers and leaves are in full color and there are fewer people competing for the best clams and mussels for dinner. Southampton has several districts and buildings included on the National Register of Historic Places, Armed with maps supplied by your innkeeper, you can take a walking tour that passes the Historical Museum, the old Halsey House which, circa 1648, is believed to be the oldest frame house in the state. The village is part of the much larger Southampton Town, which spans from parts of Eastport to the west all the way to Sagaponack, with its potato farms and seaside estates. A drive through the "estate section" takes you past graceful mansions surrounded by 20 foot privet hedges. On a stroll up Main Street and Job's Lane, you'll find places that carry gemstones, cashmere sweaters, antiques, and works of art -- both collectible, in the galleries, and collected, in the Parrish Art Museum. The old Town Hall building houses Saks Fifth Avenue, and of especial interest is Hildreth's, America's first department store. Restaurants specialize in the seafood that is readily available off our shores in addition to land-based options. While jackets aren't required, you'll find fine dining as well as casual options year round. (Submitted by Kimberly Allen of A Butler's Manor B&B, with thanks to Christopher Culwell)