My absolute favorite place in the world. I grew up spending summers on a beachfront cottage on Balsam Street my parents bought a 4 bedroom 1.5 bath home for $ 9000 in 1966. Back in the 1970’s it was full of big families who liked to have cocktail parties and bundle all the kids at one house where we all slept in sleeping bags on the living room floor. These were true«cottages» back in those days — most houses had no heat and the hot water tank was pretty limited, something most americans have ever experiences. Even during the hottest summer days in Boston, West island was nearly always cool and had the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen. Moon high tide(once a month) is spectacular, the water is the best for swimming. A lot of the house beaches are pretty rocky, but the town beach is always sandy. As locals we always knew to sneak in by walking the beach rather than paying the parking fee(probably still try today — though only on weekends do they have a parking monitor who makes you pay). My adult retirement dream is to again have a home on West Island when I retire. I feel like it is still(almost) a secret beauty destination that is affordable to the masses. …AND you avoid the cape bridge traffic!
VC V.
Classificação do local: 4 New Bedford, MA
I have always loved West Island. A great place to go if you want to avoid the crowds of Horseneck Beach.
Brian S.
Classificação do local: 4 Warwick, RI
A small island with a difficult past West Island is a small island tucked in between Buzzards and Nashetucket Bays. It’s connected to Sconticut Neck in Fair Haven by a causeway so it can be reached by wheels and feet and not just fins. Although there are houses and a nice public beach on the island, most of it has a very casual and laid back feel. No stores or restaurants, mostly salt marsh, woods, water and beaches. The whole area got absolutely hammered by hurricanes in 1938, 54, and 91 and from what I heard the island was literally underwater and torn apart. A very cool place to spend the day but not exactly someplace where I would want to built a house. For some place that has basically nothing there is a lot to do. Great kayaking in the area, you can either stay in sheltered Nasketucket Bay or venture out south into Buzzard’s Bay if you are more adventurous. Even cross over to the Elizabeth Islands if you want some real excitement. If you’re the more sedentary type you can just hang around the beach or perhaps hike up along the water to North Point. It never gets very crowded even during the hottest summer weather so you will have plenty of space to yourself. If you enjoy biking you can park at Fort Phoenix Park and bike the 8 or so miles down Sconicut Neck to West Island. Hang around the beach for a while and then go back. Great water views the whole way. For a small island that has very little on it in there certainly is a lot to do if you enjoy being outside and by the water. Just make sure you run away very fast if you happen to see a hurricane coming.
