3 Old Mail TrailWestbrook, CT 06498Price: $2,495,000

Imagine if your favorite beach came with the keys. Where the lawn ends, the beach begins. No road to cross, no boardwalk, no stairs down a bluff-just dune grass, then sand, then the Long Island Sound stretching to the horizon. Set in Westbrook's desirable Grove Beach neighborhood and part of the Grove Beach Terrace, this distinctive two-parcel offering combines a direct waterfront residence with an additional parcel across the street. An expansive private sandy beach, sweeping water views and the rare advantage of additional land to create a property with possibilities that extend well beyond the shoreline. Days here are shaped by the tides. Mornings start on the deck overlooking the water, with Duck Island's breakwater in the distance. Afternoons belong to the sand, whether spent swimming, entertaining or watching the boats pass. Evenings move to the sunroom, where walls of glass keep the Sound in view as the light fades. Enjoy the home as it stands, reimagine it to reflect your vision or explore the possibilities presented by the additional parcel. Together, the two properties offer flexibility and potential seldom found in a setting this close to the water. Shoreline shops, restaurants, recreation facilities and the library are close at hand, with Connecticut's coastal villages and harbors an easy drive in either direction. Here, though, the greatest draw is measured in steps: the distance from your door to the sand. Waterfront. And then some.