Edition #45, 29 June 2009

Hello, my name is Cynthia, a mermaid from the cool waters of New England. Thank you for visiting my collection of articles on coastal New England. This and selected other articles are currently available for sponsorship.

Look for other articles in this series on the home page.

Herman Melville shipped out of New Bedford in 1841. The experience inspired him to write his well known novel, Moby-Dick.

Buttonwood Park Zoo is located at 425 Hawthorn Street, and has been a cornerstone of the New Bedford community for over 100 years. Introduce the kids to Emily and Ruth, the Zoo's Asian elephants. Visit the Wildlife Education Center, where the Curator of Education works with area schools to enhance their educational programs. At the Aquatic Environment Center, you can experience the cool, wet world of fish, frogs, turtles, snakes, and the shorebirds of Massachusetts. Admission to the zoo is $5 for adults, and less for teens, children, and seniors.

There are two municipal beaches in New Bedford for your swimming pleasure. West Beach on West Rodney French Blvd features a bath house, lifeguards (seasonally, 10am to 5:30pm), free parking, restrooms, wheelchair access, and outdoor showers.

East Beach on East Rodney French Blvd offers lifeguards (as above), volleyball court, free parking, restrooms, outdoor showers, and a playground.

Discover the history of the area at the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park. Here you will learn the heritage of New Bedford as the foremost whaling port during the 19th century. The park is open year-round except for Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years Day.

The New Bedford Whaling Museum is located at 18 Johnny Cake Hill. It is the largest whaling history museum in America. Be sure to also visit the New Bedford Art Museum at 608 Pleasant Street. Its mission is to engage the public in experiencing, understanding, and appreciating art.

Summerfest 2009 will be held Fourth of July weekend, and will feature live music, art, whaleboat races, and plenty of great food. The fun begins Friday evening with a 6:30pm concert featuring Maria Muldaur with The Red Hot Bluesiana Band. Tickets for this concert are $10 in advance, and $15 at the gate.

Antonio's Restaurant, located at 267 Coggeshall Street, specializes in authentic Portuguese cuisine. The menu offers a wide variety of choices, and the portions are very generous. For seafood, pay a visit to Horta's Restaurant at 68 Cove Street. This is a popular family restaurant, so try to arrive a little early.

The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum is a great place to learn a little more of New Bedford history. The museum is named for the three prominent families that resided there in the 150-year span of 1834 to 1981. Permanent and changing exhibits, a lecture series, and educational programs are offered. Visit the museum at 396 County Street.

Find out more about New Bedford at www.newbedford.com, www.newbedfordchamber.com, and www.ci.new-bedford.ma.us. If you should see me in the water, be sure to wave!

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