Westport brings together different ways to experience a stay on Long Island Sound: beaches and water, nature preserves, gardens and culture. To plan your visit, start by deciding what matters most to you. The coastal spots each have their own character, as do a nature preserve, an arboretum-style garden and the offerings focused on history and art.
The Coast on Long Island Sound
Old Mill Beach is a 1.8-acre park with a sandy beach on the shore of Long Island Sound. Compo Beach is a beach in the town of Westport on the same Sound. Sherwood Island State Park is also in Westport, right on the shore of Long Island Sound. These descriptions offer different ways to explore the coast: a park with a sandy beach, a town beach and a state park.
At Sherwood Island State Park, you can swim in Long Island Sound. An observation platform offers views of the marshland and a place to observe the landscape. At Compo Beach, lifeguards are on duty from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend. If you’re planning your beach visit around this, check the current dates before you travel.
Nature Preserves and Trails
Earthplace is a 62-acre wildlife sanctuary. Its work fosters the community’s connection to nature through science, conservation and education. Here, the focus is not only on the landscape but also on sharing knowledge and protecting nature.
Newman-Poses Preserve offers a different kind of nature experience: well-maintained trails wind through woods, wetlands and open fields, past old Weymouth pines and along the Aspetuck River. The preserve is also a public memorial, established with the approval of Paul Newman’s family to honor the actor and philanthropist. The 16-acre Caryl & Edna Haskins Nature Preserve opened to the public in 2004.
At Sherwood Mill Pond Preserve, a walking trail runs through the small nature preserve, which also has a designated launch site for canoes and kayaks. Sherwood Mill Pond can be seen from the preserve. The pond was historically significant to Westport’s early settlement. This place thus brings together a present-day trail through the preserve and a connection to the town’s history.
Gardens, History and Art
Prospect Gardens Westport is an almost 9-acre arboretum-style garden. Its features include plant collections, a variety of garden areas, open lawns and winding paths. The garden also includes a 1-acre meadow with perennial and native wildflowers. Public opening dates are seasonal, so take this into account when planning your visit.
Culture enthusiasts can explore a variety of interests: the Westport Museum for History and Culture features rotating exhibitions on Westport’s history and culture. MoCA\CT gives visitors the opportunity to explore contemporary art in Westport. Local history and contemporary art are distinct subjects to explore.
Outdoor Activities for Different Interests
Golf enthusiasts can find a short 18-hole course at Longshore Club Park Golf Course, with views of Long Island Sound. This offers a different focus from trails through woods and wetlands or garden paths: here, the description is shaped by the course length, number of holes and views of the water.
When searching for hotels in Westport, you can start by thinking about what you want your trip to center on: Long Island Sound, nature preserves and nature, gardens or culture. The seasonal lifeguard schedule at Compo Beach is a practical point of reference if the beach is important to your plans. Rotating exhibitions, contemporary art and Westport’s early history offer different cultural perspectives.
Discover more destinations: Shelton, Fairfield, Stratford, Wilton, Stamford, Bridgeport, Norwalk, Fairfield.
For the broader travel overview: Fairfield.
