A Comprehensive Guide for Living in Rye Brook, NY
Contained within 3.5 miles along the New York-Connecticut border, Rye Brook is an intimate community with small town vibes and close proximity to phenomenal amenities, including several local parks, museums, theaters, designer boutiques, and white sandy beaches.
The village neighbors Greenwich, CT, and many other Westchester communities, such as Port Chester, White Plains, Harrison, and Scarsdale.
Rye Brook residents enjoy a quieter lifestyle while still accessing spectacular options for open spaces, dining, shopping, arts, and education. It’s no wonder some yearn to call this close-knit village home.
Overview of Rye Brook, NY
Located in Westchester County, Rye Brook is one of the villages, along with Port Chester and a portion of Mamaroneck, that comprise the town of Rye. Rye Brook is the newest municipality of Westchester County.
The town of Rye dates back to 1640 when the first colonists purchased land from the local Native Americans. Settlers from Greenwich, CT negotiated a treaty in 1660 with a Mohican chief named Shenarockwell for all of the land between Byram Rivers and Mamaroneck along the Long Island Sound. The town reportedly got its name after Rye in Sussex, England, formerly the home of a few of the settlers.
Despite Rye Brook’s population growth between 1950 and 1980, the area only represented a fifth of Rye’s voting block. As a result, a group of residents in Rye Brook, then an unincorporated area, decided the only way to protect its tax base would be to form their own village. Rye Brook was established as a village on July 7, 1982.
Around 9,700 residents live in Rye Brook today.
Schools in Rye Brook, NY
Blind Brook-Rye Union Free School District has three public schools. The school district ranks toward the top statewide, with Niche rating it as 77 out of 598 for best school districts in New York.
Bruno M. Ponterio Ridge Street School is a top notch elementary school with around 600 students enrolled. U.S News ranked it as 82 out of New York’s elementary schools. The school gives its students vast customized learning opportunities, including a literacy program, mathematics curriculum, instrumental music course, and a student newspaper to name a few.
Blind Brook Middle School serves a small learning community of less than 400 students and ranks 55 in New York middle schools, per U.S. News. It provides students with a range of extracurricular activities catering to various interests, such as arts, music, and sports.
Meanwhile, Blind Brook High School ranks statewide and nationally, securing the 45th spot in New York and the 379th spot across the country. The school offers a few specialized activities for its students, including a school newspaper and an art and photography program.
There are a few private early education options for parents. Rye Country Day School is a co-educational college preparatory school that educates students from kindergarten through high school. Holy Child is a Catholic college preparatory school for female students in grades 5 through 12.
Transportation in Rye Brook, NY
Although there isn’t much of a reason to leave Rye Brook, traveling around or further out from the village is simple and easy. The Metro-North Railroad has a station in Port Chester, NY, which is about two miles from Rye Brook, and offers service to New Haven and the Grand Central Terminal in New York City.
The railroad also provides transportation to Grand Central station in New York City, a journey that can take 1.5 to 2 hours. Driving to NYC takes about an hour and a half from Rye Brook. Additionally, residents can catch the Bee-Line Bus to travel to other parts of Westchester County, including White Plains, Armonk, Scarsdale, and Mount Vernon.
For those who need to travel out of state, several airports are within driving distance from Rye Brook.
- Westchester County Airport is about five miles away.
- LaGuardia Airport is approximately 27 miles away.
- Teterboro Airport is about 40 miles away.
- John F. Kennedy International Airport is approximately 35 miles away.
Outdoor Spaces and Recreation in Rye Brook, NY
Acres and acres of greenery surround this charming village. Rye Brook has several parks, including:
- Pine Ridge Park
- Garibaldi Park
- Rye Hills Park
- Harkness Park
- Crawford Park
The parks features sports fields and courts, playgrounds, game tables, and walking trails. The 35-acre Crawford Park provides something a little more unique for visitors with a sensory garden and the Crawford Mansion. The mansion, constructed in 1908, serves as a community center and venue for various events, including weddings and festivals.
Located near Blind Brook High School, Rye Brook Athletic Fields feature sports fields with artificial turf, restrooms, and a concession stand for visitors.
The Rye Town Park, Bathing Complex, and Oakland Beach, situated along the shore of the Long Island Sound, includes pathways, trees, a small lake, a stone bridge, and a terrace overlook. The Oakland Beach lies east of the park and stretches 1,200 feet in length. At the Rye Nature Center, a 47-acre wildlife preserve, residents can enjoy an animal museum, ponds, granite outcroppings, and miles of hiking trails.
Several golf courses are scattered throughout the area, including the Rye Golf Club, the Golf Club of Purchase, Westchester Country Club, and the Blind Brook Club.
Dining and Shopping in Rye Brook, NY
The Rye Ridge Shopping Center is a local hotspot for shopping and dining. And it’s not your typical strip mall, providing an array of specialty shops, fitness and yoga studios, restaurants, and services to shoppers.
If you’re looking to break a sweat, you can jump on a bike at SoulCycle or partake in hot yoga at yogafreak. Shoppers also have a wide selection of culinary options to choose from, including Chopt Creative Salad Co. for classic and seasonal courses and Dig for entrées full of sustainably grown vegetables.
The Balducci’s Food Lover’s Market promises to offer a gourmet experience with high-quality meal selections, prime-cut meats, fresh seafood, organic produce, and a pastry shop filled with baked goods and breads.
If you want to indulge a bit, you can visit the Mama Mia Dessert Bar, reportedly the first venue in Westchester County to serve Japanese ice cream, or Cerbone’s Bakery for delicious Italian, French, and American style sweets.
Cultural and Arts Scene in Rye Brook, NY
To say that the area has a thriving cultural and arts scene would be an understatement. Westchester County is home to a plethora of theaters, music halls, museums, galleries, and performing arts centers.
About 20 minutes from Rye Brook, The Picture House Regional Film Center is a community-based, nonprofit alternative to a commercial movie theater, showing an array of films to viewers in historically preserved theaters. Or take a stroll through the Donald M. Kendall/Pepsico Sculpture Gardens, about a 10-minute drive from Rye Brook, which features 45 pieces of outdoor sculpture. And don’t miss out on the many shows held at The Capitol Theatre, a premiere rock palace in Port Chester that was originally established as a dignified playhouse in 1926.
The Music Conservatory of Westchester in White Plains, a nonprofit community school about 15 minutes away from Rye Brook, hosts a musical theater and offers music therapy, group classes, and individual lessons.
Committed to encouraging artistic expression, the Rye Arts Center offers community members dance classes, music lessons, a STEM+Arts (STEAM) program, a young creators studio, and a couple of galleries displaying diverse exhibitions.
Considering Moving to Rye Brook, New York?
Rye Brook has everything any potential resident could want: the peaceful atmosphere of a small town, endless cultural and arts activities, plenty of beaches and parks, numerous options for eating out and shopping, and accessibility to neighboring towns and cities.
Is your curiosity piqued? If so, chat with a local expert strategist for more information and to find your new dream home.
