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City in Massachusetts, United States
Photo: Mr. William Folsom, NOAA, NMFS., Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
New Bedford is in Massachusetts on the southern coast. New Bedford's excellent harbor made it a natural fishing and whaling center. It was the world's premier whaling port in the 19th century, and, for a time, "the richest city in the world" and "the city that lit the world" because of whale oil production.
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Daily 10AM-4:30PM (summer F Sa until 6:30PM). Adult $6, senior or student $4.50, child 3-12 $3, under 3 free, family $16.
New Bedford State Pier.
Community theatre group.
A huge collection of antique and art glass from Ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, to the golden age of Victorian New England glass making (with particular emphasis on New Bedford's world famous glass studios of Pairpoint and Mount Washington), to 21st-century glass artists from around the world. The gift and consignment shop has an ever changing selection of antiques and unique glass in every price range, plus books (great gift shopping for the not easily impressed). Library and resource room with more than 8,000 volumes available for research. Free expert glass identification done every Monday, a great way to find out more about heirloom and hand me down glass pieces.
Beautiful complete historic stone fort dating back to the 1850s, set amidst an immaculately landscaped 47-acre park at the southern tip of the New Bedford peninsula. Beautiful ocean views all around, plus one of the few Coney Island style boardwalk jetties in New England. Definitely the best place in the city for a picnic. The park admission is free, small fee for the museum.
Old Third District Courthouse
Every day 9AM-5PM. Free national park volunteer and ranger-led tours last approximately one hour and step off from here at 10:30AM, 12:30PM and 2:30PM every day in July and August.
Includes a full scale whaling ship, lots of artifacts, and extensive displays on the history of the whaling industry and the biology of whales in general. Also notably hosts a yearly event where people read Moby Dick aloud from cover to cover.
Home of whaling merchant William Rotch, Jr. built in 1834. Designed by Richard Upjohn, the House is one of the finest surviving examples of residential Greek Revival architecture.
A chapel immortalized in Herman Mellville's Moby Dick as the "Whaleman's Chapel" in a scene where a fire-and-brimstone sermon is given from a bow-shaped pulpit. Such a pulpit only existed in Melville's imagination and finally a mock-up had to be built in 1961 just to satisfy disappointed tourists. The pew where Melville sat when he visited in 1840 is marked. The walls of the chapel list the names of area fishermen who have died.
Call for public skating hours.
Harbor tours, sunset cruises, private charters.
18 holes, 6,807 yards, Par 72. Municipal. Awarded Golf Digest's 4-star rating.
A tradition since 1915, this has become the largest festival celebrating Portuguese culture in the world. The 4-day event welcomes about 100,000 supporters annually, and is organized by the Club Madeirense S.S. Sacramento, where many members can trace their heritage back to Madeira, Portugal. You'll find all the requisite parades, street food and souvenir stalls well represented. Highlights include a colorful reproduction Santana house, where the popular Madeira wine (specially imported) is dispensed, and a 40 foot barbecue pit churning out delectable beef skewers. There's also a special Saturday afternoon kids day, filled with fun children's games and activities. The Museum of Madeiran Heritage is also free during the Feast, and there you can take in a traditional Fado performance.
Nice facility set in a classic old brick firehouse, with a large copper top bar and displayed artwork. Cozy atmosphere in the heart of historic downtown, good for families, couples, or friends. Award winning fish chowder. $12-22.
Fine dining.
Big, spacious family seafood restaurant with sushi bar, amid historic stone counting houses and customs buildings on the harbor with a nice view of New Bedford's fishing fleet docked. Excellent food, which you don't always find in a restaurant of its size. Among the best fried calamari in Massachusetts.
Wine & Tapas
Chic tapas place and wine bar in one of the most stunning historic buildings in the city (which is really saying something in New Bedford). Dark, urban decor upstairs, exposed 18th century stone walls in the basement, massive wooden support beams and other unique period details visible throughout. Excellent Spanish influenced food in surprisingly large portions, good wine list that offers "flights". The place to go if you're looking to impress your out of town guests, or be impressed yourself.
Three rooms of cozy seating, in the heart of the cobblestone paved historic city center. Specializing in breakfast, but great selection of breads, pastries, sandwiches and even soups. The coffee selection's basic but quite good. Lots of antique nicknacks on display from Ireland as well as New Bedford's past. Perfect place to spend a rainy afternoon.
Authentic Portuguese food.
A modern hotel with five floors of rooms and suites. About a one minute drive to the heart of downtown, right on Rodney French Boulevard, which is the scenic road that hugs the ocean looping around New Bedford's South End peninsula. Some spectacular ocean views from the upper floors, including the harbor wall.
3 rooms in 1850s three-story whaling captain's home. Continental breakfast.
By car
Route 93 South (13 miles). The highway forks in Braintree; stay right." (3 miles). Take exit 4 onto Route 24 South. This is a left lane exit (24 miles).1 miles). Turn right at lights onto Elm Street.
By bus
Peter Pan Bus Lines has up to ten daily departures from Providence. Buses arrive at the SRTA Terminal in downtown.
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New Bedford · Regional · EWB
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