Good. Had a good time looking at the old buildings and seeing the tools that they used.read more

Ready for an adventure kiddies? Then come to Fall River and see the aging ruins of the Old Fall…read moreRiver Ice House. But please, be discreet. Signs around the entryway state that fishing, boating, swimming and camping are strictly prohibited. But ever since I was a child I always wondered what the old Medieval looking ruin had to offer the not so faint of heart. Now as an adult literalist, I interpret the absence of a no trespassing order as something akin to an invitation. One side of the structure can be seen on the right while driving north on Route 24 coming from 195. Take exit 5 and follow Eastern Avenue then take a left onto New Boston Road. At the end, turn left onto Willow Street which turns into Ruth Street (over the freeway) and then Meridian Street (in a very short distance). Park on Hannah Street or Bergeron Street and then walk back toward whence you drove and go around the left of the fence across the road. What awaits you on the other side is a lonesome path long neglected over time. Weeds and trees flourish between cracks in the crumbling asphalt. Once past the noise from the street, an eerie quiet sets in. A short walk will lead you to the northern shores of the pond. Continue along and watch for the ruins on the right. Inside you will find excellent photo opportunities and a remarkable example of structural decay and a forest gradually reclaiming lost ground. Vines ensnare the surrounding trees and creep alongside the walls of the massive building. The colossal inner chambers are full of trees and enormous stones that have given way to time. Interesting exterior brickwork nestled among stones can be seen as one moves along the southern edge of the building closer to the shore. One wall bears the scar of what may have been a large lightning strike. Most of the walls have soaring vacancies in the stonework that may have once held windows or doors. Sadly, there is some graffiti, but it's a minor distraction in such an exciting place. After you've had your fill of the ruins, continue along the path and feel the eyes of the forest upon you. Low walls of stone accompany you throughout most of your journey and it would be difficult to get lost. Bear left when the path splits about a half mile after you've gone over the causeway (it can be difficult to discern) and you will eventually return to Meridian Street. Do NOT forget your camera!

In a small park off Route 6 in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts--where there's a modest amount of…read moreparking--you'll find a towering pastel seahorse that once marked the Dunseith Sea Horse Gift Shop. Built in the 1950s by local artist Theodore D. Tetreault and his son Teddy, the sculpture was commissioned by shop owner Henry Dunseith to draw in Cape Cod-bound travelers. Though the rise of Interstate 195 led to the shop's closure and the land's eventual transfer to the town after Dunseith's death in 1988, the beloved seahorse was saved by popular demand. Restored and rededicated in 2000, it now stands as a whimsical roadside relic and a tribute to local creativity. An easy stop to appreciate a small piece of Americana. [Review 1094 of 2025 - 1244 in Massachusetts - 24648 overall]

If you're driving in the vicinity of Route 6 and North Street, you'd be excused if you dropped your…read moreMountain Dew in your lap when you behold the awesomeness of "Salty the Seahorse". He stands nearly 40 feet tall and his blue eyes are solar powered! Salty was built in the 1950's as a way to promote local tourism and has become the unofficial symbol of Mattapoisett. It's another great example of all the cool stuff you can run into all across New England.

Peaceful spot. A good amount of "parking with a view", as well as benches, green space, and water…read moreaccess.

You could not have asked for a better day than today, stopping in to see Ned's Point (named after…read moreNed Dexter, a local farmer who once owne the land) on a mostly sunny and warm afternoon. The parking lot was mostly empty and so it was easy to stop the Sprinter van and pop out to walk Ned's Point and view the lighthouse from all angles without anything in the way. The Ned's Point Lighthouse was commissioned in 1837 and first lit in 1838. The tower stands 39 feet tall and features a unique architectural detail: a cantilevered granite staircase with 32 steps embedded directly into the inner wall, built without mortar. Unfortunately, it's not open to the public. Ned's Point Light was deactivated between 1952 and 1961, then modernized and reactivated with a 6-second isophase white light. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987, preserving its legacy as a symbol of Mattapoisett's maritime heritage. It was well worth the drive to see and experience this fabulous structure. Five stars. [Review 1095 of 2025 - 1245 in Massachusetts - 24649 overall]

This spot is stunning. They hosted our book club here which is super adorable. The space was…read moregorgoues and j was so thankful to get to experience it in a unique way.

Definitely do not miss this if you are interested in old homes or the history of New Bedford…read more At $8 or less per person this also made for a very affordable afternoon activity. The docent that day, Louise gave us a lovely tour of the downstairs and we got to tour the upstairs by ourselves with some very thorough pamphlets. The mansion is very well preserved. It was a rich person's home and they valued it! There were rounded walls, insane built ins, an elevator, some wonderful art. The information presented by the museum is very thoughtful and informative. It is all done very well. My favorite thing though was the bathrooms. I loved them. I find myself daydreaming. About showering in the black and white bathroom. Which is not an experience that is available to anyone... But I wish it were There is also a gorgeous rose garden on the property. Very enjoyable. We were there for about two hours but I could have stayed a bit longer. You might have to park a short distance and walk to the house but it is all worth it

I was first here in 2019, as part of my quest to see as many of the NPS sites as I practically…read morecould. Like I mentioned with my last NPS site review, some make you want to come back, and that's what I did two weeks ago. Both times here, I stared at the wall map for a good long while, fascinated how it shows the extent of whaling out of the area. It's remarkable to think about the multi-year journeys made from there, to travel down and around Cape Horn and then up into the Pacific hunting for whales. An engrossing film shows why many made the journey, some multiple times. A friendly crew at the VC answered questions. Some NPS markers around town add to the story too. Lots to do nearby as well, including the Whaling Museum, which I didn't do this time, and the Moby Dick Brewing mentioned in a recent post, both short walks away.

We went here not really knowing what to expect. We like the NPS sites, and we were in the area, so…read morewe decided to check this one out. The man at the desk was very helpful. He directed us downstairs, where we watched a movie that informed us on the topic of whaling and how it was important to the town of New Bedford. I didnt know much about either before, so we found the film informative. It even kept our 7 year old occupied! They had a few exhibits to look at and an activity for kids to do. Overall, it was a good experience. I know there is more whaling-related stuff in town that we didnt get to, but Im not sure if its part of the NHP or not. If you're in the area and looking for something to do, I'd check it out.

I love my town hall. It's absolutely stunning inside and out. Who would have thought such a big…read morebeautiful building would be in a small seaside town?! The staff that I've dealt with there have always been friendly, helpful and an all around pleasure. Fairhaven is a magical spot!

Henry and Mark…read more The Fairhaven Town Hall is a stunning building that sits just across the street from the equally stunning town library. Both buildings were gifts from Henry Rogers, the very, very, very, very wealthy businessman who spent summers in Fairhaven. The building was opened in1894 and is constructed in the French Gothic Style. Huge, ornate, and resplendent, the building dominates the center of the small town. The inside is as wonderful as the outside with oak paneling, stain glass windows and lovely pictures everywhere. At one time the building also held the post office, police station and even a jail inside but now is mostly restricted to administrative offices and the usual town hall stuff. One the second floor is an amazing auditorium that held dances, plays, concerts and all kind of cool events. Mark Twain, who was a close buddy of Henry Rodgers, entertained here as well as other famous actors and musicians. The town hall has a lot of cool history and is an amazing building that continues to serve the community. Stunning inside and out, the building remains a very useful and beautiful gift from a very, very, very, very generous man.

Whales lights and…read morehurricanes The Palmer Island Lighthouse is a little light only 24 feet tall. It was built back in 1849 out of rubble and cost less than two thousand dollars to construction. Certainly not one of the great New England lighthouses but still historic and cool. The light was originally built to help whalers get back into New Bedford when the city was once the whaling capital of the world. Moby Dick took place in New Bedford and it has a long and proud nautical history. The city was built on whale oil. The light and it's fifth order Fresnel Lens served until the gigantic hurricane barrier across New Bedford harbor made it unnecessary and so it was deactivated when the barrier was completed in the mid sixties. Palmer's Island was once six acres and even had a hotel and dance hall on it. Lots of wild stories about the debauchery and bacchanalian exploits of the whalers that stopped here. But in 1938 that all changed. The hurricane of 1938 is legendary in New England. Nobody really knew it was coming and the massive waves swept into New Bedford harbor and destroyed most of the town and washed away much of the island. Nothing was left of the little island but the lighthouse. The poor little lighthouse was vandalized and just left to rot until a group of citizens decided to restore and bring the little light back to life. It was repaired and relit in 1999 and now serves as a historic symbol of New Bedford's glorious nautical past. The light isn't easy to reach, it can be walked out to in very low tides but only if you don't mind getting wet. A kayak is a much better choice to get out to the island. Not a tall, particularly lovely or majestic lighthouse. Just a little light that did it's job for many decades and now serves as a reminder of the whaling history of New Bedford.

When we tried putting in the GPS POI Name = Bird Island Lighthouse we didn't get any hits. So we…read moretried the 2 Spring St address which gets you near it but not close enough to find it. I tried "Bird Island Lighthouse" on Google Maps on my iPhone and it took us to the parking lot of "The Kittansett Club" parking lot at 11 Point Rd. When you park facing the water to your right is a short trail and you can get a picture.

This is without question one of the many places that are near us on the south shore but so few have…read moreever even seen it. It is a beautiful lighthouse on a very small island that at one point had a house and a couple other buildings and even was taken care of by people that lived on this small bit of land. I have tried to get an image in here that details some of this.

Two caveats: I went in the winter, so the cold air definitely impacted my experience (and gave us…read morethe fort to ourselves) - and the fort wasn't open to look inside that day. So I can't speak to whether, when the fort is open, what you'd see inside is worth the price of admission. What I can speak to is the rest of the park. The various batteries, left for you to poke all around as you please. That one battery on the far west side of the park, where you barely even know it's there until you walk around it. An interesting experience for sure. The #1 thing about this place is that it's something to see in New Bedford. Really not much here besides some older downtown buildings and this park. My cousin and I agreed this was a good way to spend an afternoon, so if you're in the city and trying to pass the time during the day, come on out for a walk! Allow I'd say 90 minutes total without the fort being open, maybe another 60 if it is.

October drive to the fort is peaceful. Amazing the history behind this structure and the times when…read moreenemies were near. For more history, I recommend visiting the museum nearby. Great place to stretch your legs and walk around.

We got personal attention from three (!) different park rangers there, including starting the video…read more(informative) on demand and answering a few questions knowledgeably. (I also appreciated the answer to one my son had -- 'I don't know, but let's find out...' leading to some on the spot research.) The whaling exhibit isn't too big so you don't have to allot a lot of time, but do linger to look at the small exhibit on the history of the attempts to preserved New Bedford's historic district, which is fascinating all by itself. That was actually the highlight for me. The little gift shop was nice and varied from what was available at the Whaling Museum and the souvenir stores, and in particular has a nice selection of books. This is definitely the place you should start at if you're doing a tour of downtown, but if you're pressed for time, start with the Whaling museum (now really a general history center) and then come here if you have time left over.

Nice introduction to the history of the whaling industry in New Bedford, New Bedford's history, and…read moremore. Neat exhibits and they show a 20 minute video. Park ranger on duty was super friendly and even called neighborhood restaurants to see what was open on Easter Sunday! Located in a historic bank, next door to the whale museum.