Welcome to Westport
A pristine and trendy coastal community with a bustling downtown and beautiful parks and beaches
Westport is a small coastal community along the western shoreline of Connecticut’s Gold Coast. In this scenic suburb, you will find the charm of small-town living mixed with upscale culture. Much of Westport's prominence is due to its blend of the arts, fine dining, luxury shopping, lifestyle, and proximity to New York City. It has become a prime destination for commuters working in NYC and people relocating to Connecticut.
Unlike most small communities, the business community in Westport is robust. Between international companies like Bridgewater Associates and family-owned businesses like Mitchell’s of Westport, Westport’s business community is rich in history. The Westport Association and Westport Chamber of Commerce were formed to foster economic development in the area.
Westport Real Estate Market
Westport is home to various beautiful neighborhoods including Saugatuck / Saugatuck Shores, Greens Farms, Old Hill, Coleytown, Compo Beach, Long Lots, and Downtown Westport. Westport real estate is selling very quickly. Contact Cindy Raney & Team of Connecticut real estate agents & realtors to find townhomes, houses, land, luxury property & beach homes for sale in Westport, CT.
What to Love
- Vibrant and charming downtown
- Top rated schools
- Affluent neighborhoods with luxury homes
- Beautiful parks and beaches
- Less than 50 miles to New York City
- Modern conveniences of city life
- Local farmers markets
- Steeped in art and culture
Local Lifestyle
Westport’s affluent residents live in stunning homes, enjoy exquisite dining, and contribute to a booming economy. The community is known for its excellent schools and beaches and is a great place for people of all ages to live, learn, work, and play. Spend a week in Westport, and you will notice its relaxed atmosphere, small-town feel, and charming downtown area. The community has beautiful outdoor spaces to explore, including state parks and nature preserves. It is one of the most desirable places to live, with a bevy of award-winning schools, a thriving arts community, and wealth of history.
Enjoy a Day in Westport
Cindy's recommended itinerary to explore all that Westport has to offer.
Coffee
833 Post Road East
New York City's first coffee house to exclusively serve ethically sourced organic, shade-grown coffee. Baked goods and the best cold brew!
Brunch
561 Post Road East
Beautiful greenhouse-style eatery with indoor and outdoor seating. Enjoy dining, then stay for shopping!
Views
Longshore
260 Compo Road South
Westport’s country club for residents with hotel and waterfront restaurant, La Plage, open to anyone.
Beach
Compo Beach
60 Compo Beach Road
Beautiful sandy beach along the shore with a boardwalk, pavilion, volleyball and wooden playscape.
Shopping
670 Post Road East
Sprawling, family-owned boutique carrying designer apparel, accessories, and jewelry for men and women. Customer service next to none.
Drinks
150 Main Street
Large selection of classic and specialty cocktails in lively atmosphere.
Dinner
19A Bridge Square
Inventive Japanese plates to share plus sake and cocktails served in cozy surroundings.
Culture
19 Newtown Turnpike
Destination for contemporary visual arts exhibitions, music performances, and comprehensive arts education.
Other Notables
A collection of Cindy's favorite local spots.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Westport has dozens of incredible places to eat — here are a few of our favorites. Gabriele’s of Westport is an exquisite Italian steakhouse with high-quality meat and fish and great people-watching. NÔMADE is a beautifully decorated Marrakech-style restaurant offering modern Mediterranean fare. With a lively bar (as mentioned above) combined with tasty food, NÔMADE will not disappoint. New to Main Street is Mexicue, and don’t miss tapas at Basso.
Head to the beach and enjoy La Plage, Delamar’s most recent creation. Not only is La Plage an elegant and sophisticated restaurant offering spectacular water views, but its patio eatery and bar are not to be missed in the summer. Family time? BarTaco or Spotted Horse Tavern are the places to go. The Whelk is also a good option. It is a restaurant and seafood bar with an ever-changing menu, outdoor seating, private tables, local produce, and stylish dining space, all on the river. For French dining, head to Rive Bistro to take in scenic river views and elegant décor.
Located along the Saugatuck River, Oko is among the best Japanese restaurants in the area. Head Chef Brian Lewis sources ingredients from rural Connecticut and New York (and the Tsukiji fish market in Japan). Kawa Ni is also a great spot, serving drinks (including sake) and shareable plates in a casual atmosphere for after-work socializing. Don Memo serves sophisticated Mexican cuisine in the original town hall of Westport, a brick and stone structure with a lovely outdoor patio serving delicious craft cocktails and the best guac in town. The Cottage is another local favorite, serving a rotating menu of worldwide cuisine and creative drinks. When it comes to breakfast and lunch spots, do not miss The Granola Bar. Created by two Westport moms, this popular eatery offers coffee, baked goods, salads and specialty lunch items. Another favorite of ours is Old Mill Grocery & Deli, for coffee, breakfast, salads, sandwiches, burgers, hotdogs, pizza, snacks, and ice cream, located steps from Compo Beach.
Shopping is abundant in Westport. There are many notable retail chain clothing stores as well as ample home decor shops. For instance, Serena and Lily, Pottery Barn, West Elm, Design Within Reach and more. Choose lighting at many of the designer boutiques shops such as Astele.
Another well-loved option is Kerri Rosenthal, a fresh, vibrant boutique that offers luxury home décor, artwork, clothes, surfboards, fabric, and wallpaper. For fine jewelry, check out Lux Bond & Green, JL Rocks, and Middlemarch and Tiffany & Co. Enjoy brick-and-mortar convenience at J Crew, Vince, Lulu Lemon, Theory, Anthropology, Madewell, and more. Meanwhile, Fred Boutique offers dresses, blouses, outerwear, and more trendy women’s clothing.
In addition to the many shops on Main Street, Mitchell’s of Westport offers an extraordinary combination of high-end fashion and first-class service. We also love Tina Dragone for their team of stylists, including Tina herself, who help clients look their best. Bel Mondo is a popular furniture and home décor store with a calming atmosphere and expert designers. Bungalow is a quaint downtown boutique that offers unique antique décor, jewelry, furniture, and home accessories. Meanwhile, Millie Rae’s is a charming boutique that sells home décor and furnishings, women's clothing, jewelry, and more.
Terrain is not your average garden and home store. With stunning details like the store's atrium, garden terrace, live moss wall, and custom fountain, shopping at Terrain is more of an experience. There is also a restaurant that serves brunch, lunch, and dinner with menus that change seasonally. Their signature “potted bread” is to die for. Terrain also hosts several seasonal events throughout the year. A great place to bring an out-of-town guest as it is sure to impress!
Things to Do
The Westport Downtown Association hosts summer outdoor shopping days in downtown Westport with Sidewalk Sales for locals to walk around Main Street and view sales from shops and boutiques. The event also features local food trucks, live music, and a pop-up bar. The annual LobsterFest is a Rotary Club event that helps support humanitarian projects, and features live music, local cuisine, and fresh lobster. The Westport Dog Festival is a fun event that offers competitive obstacle courses, a police K9 show, vendors, food trucks, dog licensing, and more. Enjoy the Westport Farmers Market for fresh, local, healthy seasonal food. And don’t miss the beloved Levitt Pavilion with music entertainment throughout the summer, we are proud sponsors!
The community has an annual 4th of July fireworks show sponsored by Melissa and Doug at Compo Beach, with other fun activities like music and local cuisine. For some outdoor time, Sherwood Island is a state park in Westport that features open lawns, picnic areas, swimming, marsh areas, an observation platform, nature trails, and a nature center with educational programs. Birchwood Country Club is a private club that offers dining with event spaces and outdoor facilities. Members enjoy access to seven Har-Tru tennis courts, two lighted platform tennis courts, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, and a nine-hole golf course cited among the top ten in the U.S.
For theater, head to the Westport Country Playhouse and enjoy productions from playwrights, actors, directors, and designers of all backgrounds.
Longshore is a public facility available to residents. It hosts a world of fantastic amenities, including Longshore Golf Course, an 18-hole layout ranked #7 by Northeast Golf Magazine 2022 in “Best Places to Play” in Connecticut. Longshore also includes La Plage, a premium dining and wedding reception venue along the water, the P.A.L. skating rink, three swimming pools, nine Har-Tru tennis courts, two platform tennis courts, Longshore Pavilion, picnic areas, E.R. Strait Marina and Longshore Sailing School.
The Fairfield County Hunt Club is outfitted with stables, an indoor equestrian arena, tennis courts, and a swimming pool, among other facilities, on 40 acres of scenic property.
Off the beaten path, Wakeman Town Farm is a fun place to visit and offers programming for both adults and kids.
And for hair, we recommend Haus of Pretty in Saugatuck. They are experts in the fields of hair and makeup and owner Kelsey enjoys creating looks for her clientele.
Schools
The Westport Public Schools offer a highly rated public education system to the Westport community. There are also many quality private college preparatory schools in the area.
Public schools:
Private schools:
