Peaceful, but close to the action in West Sayville
Tucked between Oakdale and Sayville at the edge of the Great South Bay and just a few miles west of Patchogue, West Sayville feels, for many, like a quiet lull given shape — a sudden breath of calm. “It has all the benefits of having active villages nearby, but yet, really, it’s a quiet little area,” says Lara Barra, a licensed real estate salesperson at Keller Williams Realty who has been selling homes in the area for over five years. “Whereas Sayville has a very bustling main street with shopping, boutiques, every restaurant you can think of, West Sayville is much quieter. You’re literally within walking distance, but it’s just a quiet [community] and very peaceful, and close to everything — the train station to get to Manhattan, beaches, the Sayville ferries are close as well to get to Fire Island.” West Sayville itself is a world of tree-studded residential streets paved wide to make up for the lack of sidewalks. The streets themselves look like any other suburb on the island, but there’s a relaxed, slightly beachy atmosphere, especially on the weekends when many locals head to nearby marinas to get out on the water in their boats.
Welcome to Green's Creek County Park.
Spend the day at Sayville's downtown Main Street with great shopping and restaurants.
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Boating on the Great South Bay, golfing and nearby hiking
Despite being a small community, West Sayville has four marinas, all at its southeastern corner. “It's a great boating community because you’re right in between Oakdale and Sayville,” says Larry McKenna, a licensed real estate salesperson at Signature Premier Properties who has been selling in the area for 17 years. McKenna adds that Oakdale has even more marinas, so there’s no shortage of options for avid boaters. Near West Sayville’s marinas, Greens Creek County Park is a little waterfront green space with a tiny stretch of sand on the bay, though swimming and fishing aren’t allowed here. The park also edges the canal, so it’s a popular spot to watch boats go by. The West Sayville Country Club is popular among residents, which is a county-owned club with an 18-hole public course right by the water. “It’s a nice place to play,” McKenna says. “I’ve played there; my son plays there more than I do.” A handful of pocket parks provide playgrounds throughout the area, and Cherry Avenue Dog Park is just outside its northern border. The fenced area is large and mostly grassy, with a water fountain when the weather is hot. Those looking to enjoy nature on land for a few hours drive less than 6 miles to Connetquot River State Park Preserve, which has 50 miles of hiking and horseback riding trails.
West Sayville is also home to a couple museums, including the Lieutenant Michael P. Murphy Navy SEAL Museum and the Long Island Maritime Museum. Located right on the bay, the Long Island Maritime Museum also offers guests the chance to book a two-hour cruise or a dinner on their 1888 oyster sloop, named Priscilla.
Go fishing at one of the many marinas in West Sayville.
Catch the ferry to Fire Island from the many launch points in nearby Sayville.
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Small fixer-uppers starting at $400,000
Many of the community's older homes were built between the 1940s and 1960s. These homes are often ranch-style houses and Cape Cods, but a little closer to the water, New Englander-style homes and single-family houses built in the 1800s that ride the line between farmhouse and another style like bungalow or Victorian become a little more common. North of Montauk Highway, there are also more recently built new traditional homes. Although West Sayville is a waterfront community, there are no waterfront homes here, which helps to keep prices down. Small fixer-uppers start as low as $400,000, but most homes cost in the $500,000 or $600,000 range. They typically max out at about $750,000, but a few large new traditional homes can climb to about $950,000. West Sayville is incredibly small, however, so there are often only a few homes for sale at any given time. “Only 23 homes in the entire last year went for sale in West Sayville,” Barra says.
As a waterfront community, there’s a moderate risk of flooding here. Wind damage is the bigger concern, though, especially during hurricane season. To combat these risks, homeowners buy insurance. The CAP Index crime score is 2 out of 10, which is below the national average of 4.
Lovely ranch-style home in West Sayville.
Newly renovated ranch-style home in West Sayville.
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Annual seafood-themed celebration on the docks
Every year on the third weekend of August, The Long Island Maritime Museum hosts the West Sayville Seafood Festival, an event that draws thousands of people. “They have live music, they have all kinds of seafood imaginable,” McKenna says. “It’s down right on the water. It’s real nice down there.” There’s also an arts and crafts fair during the festival that features local artists, plus face painting and pirate-themed entertainment.
Lobster rolls reign supreme along Montauk Highway
West Sayville’s main street is Montauk Highway, the same three-lane road that connects to Sayville’s downtown strip. Here, it’s lined with small businesses, a pharmacy and a few restaurants. The Shed Restaurant is one of the area’s most popular restaurants, as is Kingston’s Clam Bar, a seasonal spot that sits right on the water with views of the bay. “They’re both famous for their lobster rolls,” Barra says. “And The Shed has a really nice brunch.” At Claws Seafood Market, locals can enjoy more lobster rolls and crab cakes or buy fresh seafood to cook at home. West Sayville’s smattering of local businesses includes a bicycle store, a beauty supplies store and a cheese shop, with what Barra calls a “boutique feel.” For groceries, most drive about a mile to Stop & Shop in Sayville — which is also where many locals go for more shops, restaurants, bars, a theater and an energetic nightlife. “It’s very, very quaint and almost like a step back in time, where all the streets have sidewalks and the main street is lined with stores,” Barra says. “And most of the parking is behind, so it’s a walkable main street.”
Enjoy the catch of the day at Claws Seafood Market in West Sayville.
Stop by The Shed Restaurant in West Sayville for hand crafted cocktails and exquisite food.
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Education split between Sayville and Connetquot schools
West Sayville is split pretty evenly between two school districts. Children living on the east side of the community may attend the Sayville Union Free School District, which earns an A from Niche. They can start their educations at Cherry Avenue Elementary School, which has a B, before moving on to Sayville Middle School, which has an A-minus, and Sayville High School. With an A, the high school has a student-to-teacher ratio of 11-to-1 and its girls’ lacrosse team made the Girls’ National Top 25 in 2024.
Children living on the west side of West Sayville may attend the Connetquot Central School District, which gets an A-minus. This is a larger district, and children can begin their educations at Edward J. Bosti Elementary School, which has an A-minus. Oakdale-Bohemia Middle School gets a B-plus and Connetquot High School has a B-plus. This high school also has a student-to-teacher ratio of 11-to-1, despite serving over 2,000 students. At the high school, seniors with parking spaces get to personalize them by painting them on a special day at the start of the school year.
Cherry Avenue Elementary School front signage.
Originally dedicated in 1963, today Connetquot High School serves a population of more than 2,000 students.
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Montauk Highway, nearby LIRR for commutes to NYC
Montauk Highway is the only major road directly in West Sayville, but it takes only a few minutes to hop onto Sunrise Highway to the north. It doesn’t have its own Long Island Rail Road station, but Oakdale Station is just over 2 miles away. From there, commuters reach Manhattan’s Penn Station in about an hour and 20 minutes. Long Island MacArthur Airport is about 5 miles away, and it’s about 9 miles to Long Island Community Hospital from West Sayville.
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