This Small Massachusetts Town Is a More Affordable Version of Cape Cod-With All the Same Coastal Charm

"When Westport, Massachusetts, was named one of America's top "bougie on a budget" destinations by MarketBeat, it came as no surprise to locals like Molly Armando, a real estate agent who grew up in the area. "It is a truly special place, offering a slower pace, incredible natural beauty, and a lifestyle that celebrates both the land and the sea," she tells Travel + Leisure."

"Westport lies at the heart of the Farm Coast, a newer term that captures the bucolic character of the rural coastline between Little Compton, Rhode Island, and Dartmouth, Massachusetts. An hour's drive south of Boston and only 30 minutes southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Westport embodies the most beloved aspects of New England, minus the crowds and steep price tags."

"Strolling Westport's historic seaport, with its colonial-era cottages and their weathered gray shingles, you'd swear you were on Cape Cod or Nantucket. Like the Cape and the islands, Westport's beaches and wetlands are protected from development; you can stroll for miles with little sign of civilization. Venture a bit inland and the scenery changes to the kind of pastoral farmland more associated with western New England -fields scattered with timber-framed barns and crisscrossed by low stone walls that have stood for generations."

Westport, Massachusetts sits on the Farm Coast between Little Compton, Rhode Island, and Dartmouth, Massachusetts, combining coastal scenery with pastoral farmland. The town is about an hour south of Boston and 30 minutes southeast of Providence. Protected beaches and wetlands provide miles of unspoiled shoreline and a historic seaport lined with colonial-era cottages. Inland landscapes feature timber-framed barns and long-standing stone walls. A robust fishing and farming heritage supports roadside farm stands and notable farm- and ocean-to-table restaurants. Lodging ranges from the colonial-farmstay Harbor Inn Acoaxet with period rooms and bikes to more conventional chain accommodations.

Read at Travel + Leisure