Among our many claims to fame, Westport was once the center of the luxury tour industry.
Tauck — whose founder, Arthur Sr., virtually invented the group tour concept in 1925 — was headquartered here for many years. They’re now in Wilton, but family members still live in town.
Lindblad Expeditions was here too, just down Post Road West from Tauck, before moving to New York. Their handsome building at the corner of Sylvan Road North now houses the Pierrepont School.
Both companies specialize in providing great adventures for high-end travelers, around the globe.
Westport is not one of their destinations. In fact, we never think of ourselves as a “tourist” town.
Try telling that to WestportSTourS.
They use that awkward capitalization, and odd name, for a reason. They offer tours to “FIVE of the Really Great WestportS of the World.”
In case you’re wondering, those Westports are in Ireland, Ontario, Massachusetts and New York.
And of course, Connecticut.
(I had to scroll down pretty far to find the Bay State one. The website — whose fonts, colors and layouts appear to come from the early days of MySpace — lists only 4 at the top.)
But WestportSTourS is pretty excited about being one of the niche-est of all niche travel companies.
They say:
Our Boston-Based staff has visited ALL FIVE (5) of the Westports mentioned here. Not just “visited”, but taken folks with them on Group Tours to EACH of the Westports – one Westport, hundreds of times – other Westports, several times each year.
The other Westports offer attractions like one of the oldest county fairs in the US (New York), canals (Ontario), and a large clock in the central square (Ireland).
On the surface, our Westport does not sound much different from the others. We are all on water (hence the name). Several Westports boast live theater and/or “quaint shops and boutiques.”
Despite the map on the website, Westport, Connecticut is NOT in Westchester County.
But it seems that WestportSTourS really likes our Westport best. We’re featured often on the home page, with photos of our “Rubber Ducky Festival,” holiday lights on the William Cribari Bridge, and colorful flags on the Ruth Steinkraus Cohen Bridge. (So what if the website claims that different nations’ flags fly on “International Flag Day, June 14,” which does not exist? That’s American Flag Day. International flags fly on jUne Day, the last weekend of that month.)
Hey — no biggie! I’m sure the tour guides are much more accurate once they actually get here, and take guests all around town.
They’re enticed, I bet, by this info on the website. (I have kept the Trumpian capitalization and breathless text verbatim.)
This is the Westport that is in the News almost Every Day –
This is the FUN Westport where there are 80 Restaurants (number changes daily and We do try to keep track) plus – World-Famous theatre,The Westport Country Playhouse, that dates-back to the early days of Summer Stock and the Straw Hat Circuit – Westport 06880, where there resided more Celebrities than anywhere else in the World (except Beverly Hills) by Zip Code. Join US. We can show you just about EVERYTHING.
Two more views of our town, from the website.
This Westport is the home of the World’s largest Hedge Fund (if that means anything to you ?) and also this is the Westport where the commuter trains to New York City (47 miles to the West) – commuter trains stop 78 times EACH weekday – give or take. Ask for “Gart”
There is MORE = LOTS more –
Gold Coast – The Tour . This Tour is available ALL-YEAR. Groups ONLY – perfect for your Wedding or Party Guests when you want them to see YOUR town – ALSO perfect if you are passing thru Westport on Interstate I-95 between New York and Boston. YES, you can schedule to arrive in THIS Westport by Train. YES you can enjoy REAL Salt-Water beaches.
There’s much more on the tour too: the cannons. Positano and the Black Duck (“Definitely a Local Hotspot in Westport as seen on TV’s Diners and Dives”). Even the “Compo Sailing Team.”
I’ve lived in Westport my whole life. I never knew we had such a team.
Hey, you’re never too old to learn something new. Sign me up for the tour!
After all, as the WestportSTourS website says: “We do All the Work. You have All the FUN.”
(Click here for the landing page. Click here for the Westport page. Hat tip: Elaine Marino)
It just gets better and better. I’m on the floor laughing. Thanks for making my day, Dan!
Clever but not original. Back in the 1980’s, we had the annual WOW (Westports of the World) celebrations. The organizing spark for this was Betty Lou Cummings. More details escape me, but maybe another reader can fill in the blanks.
Wow, that is some website!
Thanks for making my morning. I needed a good laugh. This one may have made my week.
We’ve anchored off of Westport MA. Very pretty cove and beaches there.
Don’t forget New Zealand! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westport,_New_Zealand
… plus … https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westport,_California
pop (‘10): 60!
It is interesting as to how our Westport got to host Westports of the World (WOW). The previous year WOW met in New Zealand and Alan Abel was there. He convinced the New Zealanders that he was a Special Ambassador from our Westport and extended the offer of our being host. Of course this was a surprise for 1st selectman Diane Farrell, who graciously said yes.
Westport Mass is the second largest Westport and they sent a Selectman . As a former Selectman I was his host. The whole affair was lots of fun. One of the highlights was marching together in the parade at the Festival in Saugatuck.