New Bedford may not be on too many people's lists of places they must visit when in Massachusetts,…read morebut we like the town a lot. And no trip to New Bedford would be complete without a drive down to the waterfront where the heart of the town's fishing history, now spanning 3 centuries, lives. It's down by the commercial fishing piers where you'll find the Coast Guard park. Although it's a "pocket" park in size it's worth the stop to pay one's respects at the Lightship Sailors Memorial. A lightship is an anchored vessel affixed with a light that acts a warning beacon and a guide to ships at sea. Essentially, it's a ship that acts as a lighthouse. The Vineyard Lightship sank in the Hurricane of 1944 and all 12 men aboard perished one mile west of Cuttyhunk. The men aboard were fighting 100 mile winds and 20 foot seas that night and although they sent messages ashore to the Woods Hold Coast Guard station, those messages were filled with static and misunderstood, leaving potential rescuers to erroneously believe the sailors were successfully riding out the storm. This Coast Guard Memorial honors the service of all lightship sailors, but it's the names of the Vineyard Lightship men that are etched on the side of the granite memorial. Atop the memorial sits the fog bell from the Vineyard Lightship. After this moving bit of history, take a walk down the piers to take in the amazing display of fishing boats. It's these boats in particular that the lightships aim to guide. If you want to talk about a tough day at work, being a lobsterman, scalloper or shrimper would make most other complaints seem meager. These working boats are a sight to behold. They are incredible structures but nothing fancy about them. It's all work. Up close you can see the machinery and conditions in which these tough and scrappy fisherman work. I know there is a lot of controversy over the commercial fishing industry from both sides. Nonetheless, these men and women are doing a job that for those of us who eat seafood, puts food we love on the table. I try to think of these boats and fishermen whenever I sit down to a seafood meal. A trip to the New Bedford Harbor and the Coast Guard Park helps put the lives of both fishermen and Lightship sailors, so inextricably entwined, in perspective.

A really nice park to just relax. Maybe it was the time of year I went but the weather was awesome…read moreand the trees were just turning color. Windy and cool out during October. I almost fell asleep !! Tip - plenty of inexpensive parking in the parking garage a block away.

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.

I cannot express how much i love this park! It has beautiful beaches, a lot of picnic tables,…read morepickle ball, tennis courts and more! The fort itself is stunning! I love watching a sunset here, brining my dog for a walk, or simply enjoying a beach day!

I loved this place. No Entry charge. Brought my bike with me…read moreto ride around a bit as there is a biking trail nearby called the phoenix bike path. Plenty of parking with multiple lots. They have bathrooms. I posted the hours it's open. Gazebos and benches to sit. Tennis courts and they have some pretty cool festivals here when the weather is nice. Right on the water. Sooo beautiful.

Cushman park is small but loved by the community! I love having access to a track, and I love the…read moresummer wellness program that offers free yoga and more to the community all summer long. I attended free yoga here this morning along with dozens of others. What a wonderful community offering!

A park to…read moreplay Cushman Park is a pleasant park tucked away near the center of Fairhaven. A decent size park, it looks small driving by but once you start walking around you can see that is have quite a bit of space. This is definitely a park for doing stuff, lots of baseball fields, football areas, basketball hoops and playgrounds. Even a nice running track for those people that like to run in circles. Parking is where ever you can find it but they is always some place open. Just might not be exactly where you want. It does get pretty crowded in the nice weather but because the park is spacious you can always find a place for yourself. A coo neighborhood type of park that has a whole lot of stuff to do for both kids or adults. A nice place to pass through or spend some time while in Fairhaven

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]

Ned's Point Lighthouse is a beautiful relaxing and comforting place to stop and have a picnic, to…read moreenjoy the beautiful lighthouse and water view. There's plenty of parking. The weather was fantastic on the day we stopped. You really need to stop here and enjoy the beautiful scenery.

Im always willing to check out a new beach. But I wouldn't even call this place a beach. And I…read morereally don't get how this place gets 5 stars from other yelpers. As far as beach goes, it's a dump. As others said - its rocky. So I followed the advice of Yelper Michele T and headed left for sand. Yes - I found sand. But a narrow 6' strip of sand. Covered in washed up seaweed. But if you try to go in the water, it is all rocky. It was pretty gross. Yes, the water is warm. But no waves. Not even tiny waves. They have bigger waves on Lake Michigan. And you have to wade through seaweed to get into the water. And walk in rocks in the water. I didn't make it past my knees and felt desperate for a shower After a 20 minute walk down the beach we actually found an area with about 30 feet of sand, no seaweed, and sand when you actually walked in the water. But it was a tiny area near an estuary. Really not worth the walk. The only positive I could come up with - there were hardly any people there. So if I was willing to make the 20 minute walk to the nicer sandy area, it is probably one of the few beaches in New England where I could topless sun bathe without risking arrest. This is really a beach to walk on. Since the view out across buzzards bay and the Elizabethan islands is beautiful. But it is not a beach for sun and surf. Maybe when I'm a senior citizen, in my velour track suit and orthopedic shoes and trifocals - maybe my husband and I will come take a walk, holding hands, early enough in the day so we don't miss the early bird special at the nearest restaurant a 1/2 hour drive away.

Ocean views and…read morerocks Beautiful park but not a great place to swim unless you happen to like rocks. This park doesn't have sand, it has zillions of rocks, of all different sizes. I like rocks so I had fun looking at them but I did get kinda sick of stepping on the damn things when walking. Definitely wear foot protection when swimming here. The best part of the park are the views. Absolutely gorgeous! You can easily see Cuttyhunk and other Elizabeth Islands and even Martha's Vineyard in the distance. Great place to go in the off season when you don't have to pay the 7 bucks for parking.

Nice, quiet park. We mainly came here looking for a jungle gym and were happy to find one, complete…read morewith a swingset with both toddler and big swings. Maybe it is new because a previous poster said there wasn't any kid stuff here. You can't see the playground from the entrance but it is just a short walk down the gravel road. The park is just across the street from the Silvershell Inn.

Horses dogs and…read morebirds The Charles Washburn Park is a peaceful and scenic place tucked away down a small street in a quiet part of the town of Marion. It's a site of numerous equestrian events and has several horse riding areas that can be used anytime. Besides the equines the park also has an area for dogs. It's not fenced in but the folks can bring their canines in the area behind one of the horse rings to run and play with the other canines. The park also has some beautiful wooded areas and cranberry bogs and makes a nice place for a gentle hike. It's very flat and it's actually more suited for walking than actually hiking but the area is lovely, especially in the winter or fall. Lots of birds make this their home and bird watching groups gathering here during the year to catch a glimpse of their favorite feathered friend. Washburn is a different type of park that seems to cater to critters more than to humans, even though it does have baseball and soccer fields for the bipeds to use. A pleasant and peaceful place to visit if you happen to have a dog, horse or just want to see some birds or nature.