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 nineteenth and for a time "the richest city in the world" and "the city that lit the world" because of whale oil production.
Get in
By plane
'''T.F. Green Airport (PVD)''' in Warwick (Rhode Island).
'''Logan International Airport (BOS)''' in Boston.
'''New Bedford Regional Airport''' {{ICAO|KEWB}}, [http://www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us/SERVICES/AIRPORT/]. Small regional airport mostly used for flights to Nantucket and Martha's Vineyard.
By car
'''Interstate 195''', Route 140 and Route 6 run through the city.
'''From Boston and points north:'''
Route 93 South (13 miles). The highway forks in Braintree; stay right. Sign reads: "93 South, Dedham-Providence." (3 miles). Take exit 4 onto Route 24 South. ''This is a left lane exit'' (24 miles). Take exit 12 off Route 24 onto Route 140 South (19 miles) until Exit 2E: Interstate 195 East (1.3 miles) to Exit 15: Downtown - Route 18 South (1.1 miles). TURN RIGHT at lights onto Elm Street. Public parking garage two blocks on right.
'''From Cape Cod and points east:'''
Route 6 West to Route 25 to Interstate 195 West, Exit 15: "Downtown - Route 18 South". TURN RIGHT at lights onto Elm Street. Public parking garage two blocks on right.
'''From Providence and points west:'''
Interstate 95 North to Interstate 195 East, Exit 15: "Downtown - Route 18 South". TURN RIGHT at lights onto Elm Street. Public parking garage two blocks on right.
Get around
'''Southeastern Regional Transit Authority''' (SRTA), 134 Elm Street ''New Bedford Transportation Center'', (508) 997-6767 (''email: srtaservice@aol.com''), [http://www.srtabus.com/].
See
'''Buttonwood Park Zoo''', 425 Hawthorne St., Phone: ''+1'' 508-991-6178, [http://www.bpzoo.org/]. 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.
'''Schooner Ernestina''', New Bedford State Pier, Phone: ''+1'' 508-992-4900, fax 508-984-7719, [http://www.ernestina.org/].
'''New Bedford Art Museum''', 608 Pleasant Street, Phone: ''+1'' 508-961-3072, info@newbedfordartmuseum.org, [http://www.newbedfordartmuseum.org/]. Daily 10AM-5PM, Thursdays until 7PM. Second Thursday of each month is "Aha! Night" -- free from 5PM-9PM. $3/$2, under 17 free.
'''Your Theatre''', 136 Rivet St. ''at St. Martin's Church Hall'', ''+1'' 508-993-0772, [http://www.yourtheatre.org/]. Community theatre group.
New Bedford Whaling National Historic Park
'''Park Visitor Center''', 33 William Street, [http://www.nps.gov/nebe/index.htm]. 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.
'''Waterfront Visitor Center''', Wharfinger Building at Pier 3 ''take pedestrian overpass on Rodman St.'' An exhibit interprets present-day commercial fishing and the building's past as the city's seafood auction. Start your waterfront adventure here by taking a self-guided tour of the working waterfront, a harbor tour at 12PM, 2PM, or 4PM (fee) or a ferry ride to Martha's Vineyard or Cuttyhunk island (fee).
'''Annual Summerfest''',[http://www.newbedfordsummerfest.com/], '''Early July''' 11AM-8PM.
'''New Bedford Whaling Museum''', 18 Johnny Cake Hill, ''+1'' 508-997-0046, Fax: ''+1'' 508-997-0018, [http://whalingmuseum.org/]. Every day 9AM-5PM, Th until 9PM in summer. Adults $10, senior citizens and students $9, children (6?14) $6.
'''The Rotch-Jones-Duff House & Garden Museum''', 396 County St., ''+1'' 508-997-1401, [http://rjdmuseum.org/]. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 12PM-4PM. 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.
'''The Seaman's Bethel''', 15 Johnny Cake Hill Rd., ''+1'' 508-992-3295, [http://www.nps.gov/nebe/planyourvisit/bethel.htm]. Late May-early Oct. M-F 10AM-5PM. 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.
Do
'''Balloon Adventures of New Bedford''', see Dartmouth.
'''Stephen Hetland Memorial Skating Rink''', 310 Hathaway Blvd., ''+1'' 508-999-9051. Call for public skating hours.
'''Whaling City Expeditions''', ''+1'' 508-984-4979, [http://www.whalingcityexpeditions.com]. Harbor tours, sunset cruises, private charters.
'''Carabiner's Indoor Climbing''', 328 Parker Street, ''+1'' 508-984-0808, [http://www.carabiners.com/].
Visit Martha's Vineyard or Nantucket by ferry.
Go to East or West beaches on Rodney French Blvd.
Buy
Eat
'''Isaiah's Restaurant''', Union and Pleasant Streets, ''+1'' 508-999-6037. Su 8AM-1PM; M-W 7AM-3PM; Th 7AM-7PM, F 7AM-8PM, Sa 7AM-1PM. Great cheap eats. Breakfast, sandwiches, variety of entrees under $8. $5-$15 for dinner.
'''Davy's Locker''', 1480 E. Rodney French Blvd., ''+1'' 508-992-7359. Su-Th 11:30AM-9PM, F,Sa until 10PM. The place for seafood. Water view. $9-$20.
'''Freestones City Grill''', 41 William Street, ''+1'' 508-993-7477, [http://www.freestones.com]. Nice facility with a large copper top bar and displayed artwork. Award winning fish chowder. $12-$22.
'''Candleworks Restaurant''', 72 North Water Street, ''+1'' 508-997-1294. Lunch M-F 11:30AM-2:30PM; dinner Su-Th 5PM-9PM; F,Sa 5PM-10PM. Fine dining.
Drink
Sleep
Best Western Dartmouth Inn. 37 State Road. 08-717-0424. ww.bwdartmouth.com. PM. 1 AM. 99 - $149.
'''New Bedford Days Inn''', 500 Hathaway Rd. (Rt. 140 exit 3), Phone: ''+1'' 508-997-1231, Fax: ''+1'' 508-984-7977, [http://www.daysinn.com/DaysInn/control/Booking/property_info?propertyId=06777&brandInfo=DI]. 153 rooms.
Try nearby towns for other hotels and motels.
Bed and Breakfast
'''Captain Haskell's Octagon House''', 347 Union St., Phone: ''+1'' 508-999-3933, Email: Stay@TheOctagonHouse.com, [http://www.theoctagonhouse.com/].
'''Davenport House Bed & Breakfast''', 124 Cottage Street, Phone: ''+1'' 508-999-1177, [http://www.bbonline.com/ma/davenport/].
'''Orchard Street Manor''', 139 Orchard Street, ''+1'' 508-984-3475, [http://www.the-orchard-street-manor.com/]. 3 rooms in 1850s three story whaling captain's home. Continental breakfast.
Get out
Fairhaven and Westport are neighboring towns. Boston, Cape Cod and Newport (Rhode Island) are popular tourist destinations.