Things to Do in New Bedford

The line to the men's room at Nimrod Restaurant is peculiar because it usually contains both men and women. Near the restroom's doorway, gatherers careen and crane their necks to see a 200-year-old hole and the projectile that created it: a cannonball from the War of 1812. This hands-on history lesson is one of many elucidated by the guides at Phat Tire Bike Tours. They backdrop their classroom against the scenic sights of crashing waves, lush gardens, and bustling downtown shops. Seated on personal bikes or rental bikes that correctly answer the question, "What's my favorite color?", groups can set out on tours of places such as Falmouth, Plymouth, Martha's Vineyard, or Nantucket.

In the depths of Cape Cod swim delicacies such as sea-bass and fluke. With backgrounds in both commercial and recreational fishing, the captains of Helen H Fleet lead anglers on trips for these catches, motoring to fishing grounds such as Nantucket Sound. The four-boat fleet, which ranges from the 30-foot Sea Hawk to the 100-foot Helen H, lets the captains accommodate small charters of one to five anglers as well as party cruises. Crews rent out rods and reels, as well as sell refreshments in between anglers' bouts with feisty bass or boots stuck to the ocean floor. Targeted species change with the season, and Helen H Fleet's captains also charter whale- and seal-watching excursions whenever the creatures migrate along Cape Cod.