New Bedford & Fall River

The two primary cities of Massachusetts' South Coast, New Bedford and Fall River, are located about twelve miles apart. New Bedford was once the whaling capital of the world; Herman Melville wrote "Moby-Dick" after a voyage that he began here. The whaling industry is of course long gone, but New Bedford continues as an active fishing port. The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park interprets the history of whaling and its impact on the country in several sites, especially the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Visitors can also enjoy a zoo, several museums, Portuguese cuisine, and free "Art, History & Architecture" nights every second ...

The two primary cities of Massachusetts' South Coast, New Bedford and Fall River, are located about twelve miles apart. New Bedford was once the whaling capital of the world; Herman Melville wrote "Moby-Dick" after a voyage that he began here. The whaling industry is of course long gone, but New Bedford continues as an active fishing port. The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park interprets the history of whaling and its impact on the country in several sites, especially the New Bedford Whaling Museum. Visitors can also enjoy a zoo, several museums, Portuguese cuisine, and free "Art, History & Architecture" nights every second Tuesday. While New Bedford also once had a thriving textiles industry, Fall River's cotton mills made it the leading textiles city in America. It's also a town made infamous by (acquitted) axe-murderer Lizzie Borden; the scene of the crime is now a Bed & Breakfast. Be sure to visit Battleship Cove, with tours of namesake battleships and submarines and a variety of community events throughout the year. Fall River is one of the few places in the northeast where you can hear authentic Portuguese Fado performed. Ferries bound for Martha's Vineyard depart from New Bedford's pier.

About the Expert

Juliette Rogers is coauthor of the guidebooks Eating New England: A Food Lovers Guide to Eating Locally, Secret Providence and Newport, and two Thomas Cook guides on France.