New Bedford, MA Outdoor Activities

A stately colonial clubhouse overlooks Ballymeade Country Club's 18-hole course, where golfers roam across a fertile expanse of rolling Cape Code terrain. The par 72 course presents undulating fairways that give way to multitier greens where even gentle putts send balls rolling over deviously steep slopes. As golf carts ascend to grassy hillcrests, golfers can bask in views of the surrounding landscape, such as the cerulean waters of Buzzards Bay, which is most visible from the 11th green. Journeys through the horticultural haven conclude with majestic flair at the 581-yard, par 5 18th hole, where the fairway doglegs right on its path to a large green stationed behind a small pond.

After choosing your starting point for traversing the waters—be it Aquinnah, where Lobsterville Beach awaits, or Edgartown, where Spielberg filmed much of Jaws and Animaniacs —you're armed with a paddle and a veteran guide. A crash course in introductory kayaking techniques brings everyone up to speed before launch. Safe in your newly aquatic superiority, you and up to nine paddlemates smoothly coast through beautiful coastal waters and engage in educational feeding frenzies of engrossing anecdotes, local history, and wildlife. Kayaks, life jackets, and paddles are provided, and guests are advised to pack a sack lunch or giant sloppy sandwich to tide them over.

Incandescent fish, turtles, and dolphins illuminate the underwater-themed wonder worlds of Oceans 18’s glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course and two lanes of mini bowling that provide indoor fun year-round. Oceans 18 keeps links-lovers entertained with a full-size golf simulator while mini bowling promises all the fun of the alley without the hassle of wearing rental shoes or a bedazzled bowling glove. Patrons can also carry on their competitive spirit in Oceans 18’s extensive arcade.

Most physical confrontations involve a level of personal risk, but at Cartland of Cape Cod, fun-loving competitors let robotic Boxerjocks do the swinging. Safely tucked away in a cage of steel, operators trigger sidesteps with the thrust of a joystick and jabs with the punch of a button. The unusual attraction is just a taste of what the epicenter of family fun has to offer, from vintage Indy-style go-karts to colorful bumper boats and water-balloon slingshots. Visitors who want to keep dry can head to the 20-hole mini-golf course, batting cages, and the area of classic coin-operated kiddie rides, and can still escape the heat with a scoop of ice cream rather than laboring to befriend an iceberg.

Stretching across immaculate greenery and pristine waters that run alongside Cape Cod’s Melody Tent, Twin Brooks Golf Course’s 18-hole, par 3 layout is a treat for players of all abilities. Only one hole exceeds 200 yards in length on the par 54 course, though the design still manages to fit in plenty of obstacles, including five ponds and 36 strategically placed sand traps, each one filled to the lip with soft Cape sand and disoriented sunbathers. Players who have stepped into the tee box recently may have noticed a difference: the teeing grounds have all been leveled, reshaped, and covered with new turf. The improvement is just one of many the course has undertaken in the last several months. Others include repairing the cart paths, upgrading the landscaping with railroad ties and new plantings, and reshaping the tree line along the fairways to make the course feel more open and remove potential obstructions. Players can expect a round to take between two and three hours, and Twin Brooks offers both pull carts and gas-powered carts for an additional fee.