Theme & Amusement Parks in New Bedford

In 1946, Ellis D. Atwood began to build a sanctuary for one of America's most magnificent beasts: the railway train, which was then on the brink of extinction. He rescued equipment from short lines in Maine and laid tracks around his cranberry bogs, where they would cart his harvests and carry visitors on scenic tours. These daytrips became such a draw that Ellis decided to augment his plantation with carnival attractions and holiday light displays. The park borrowed his initials to form its name, Edaville, and today, more than 65 years since Ellis purchased the first of his rails, the park continues to welcome families who flock there for the classic rides, outings aboard the train, and panoramas of growing cranberries.

A looming Ferris wheel rewards guests of all ages with a view of Edaville's layout. From the Tilt-a-Whirl and Red Baron plane rides to the old carousel and souvenir general store, the surroundings comprise a whimsical escape designed with young children and their parents in mind. To complement the 1,300-acre cranberry plantation, the Cranberry World exhibit provides a glimpse of antique cars and cranberry-harvesting gear, enlightening visitors with historical narratives about the fruit. Ellis's Playhouse contains a ball pit, maze, and train tables, which enable youngsters to see what subways looked like before they got shy and burrowed into the earth. Fall and winter seasons transform the park into a sparkling venue for Christmas lights and visits with Santa, with select dates offering magical rides aboard a train designed after the Polar Express.

Pump It Up's indoor inflatable arenas launch socked striplings into the air with a plethora of kid-friendly bounce pads. Staffers supervise fun-filled visits, during which adult counterparts leap around with their kids through gargantuan bounce houses, skip down air-filled slides, and slither like snakes covered in bacon grease through an inflated obstacle course.

The colorful venue also hosts custom birthday parties and private team parties, each themed to please the partygoers in question. These soirees immerse children in a schedule of interactive activities befitting a pirate or a superhero while melting off youthful energy faster than ice cubes thrown into a running DVD player. The birthday boy or girl even gets to blow out the candles on their cake seated in their blow-up throne. Occasionally, the staffers switch off the lights, arming the roomful of players with glow sticks and bracelets as they navigate the air-cushioned obstaclescape. Relying on the staffers' vigilant, watchful eyes, guardians can rest assured that their charges will stay safe, and each piece of the inflatable playground is held to the floor and ceiling by a complex series of anchors installed according to strict safety standards.

Since 1989, the Biomes Marine Biology Center has immersed visitors of all ages in the lives of sea creatures through a range of hands-on programs. Though it recently moved to a new location, it has kept aquatic habitats focused on the denizens of Narragansett Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. Amid tanks of native and tropical species such as octopuses, horseshoe crabs, lionfish, tortoises, and sharks, the staff treats visitors to a range of events—including public feedings, educational demonstrations, and hermit-crab-socialization seminars.

In a separate area for kids aged 3–6 , staff members lead animal-themed story times, and walk children through corresponding craft projects afterward. They also organize birthday parties, during which kids can pet tide-pool animals such as eels, horseshoe crabs, and small sharks.