The Southeast Coast of Massachusetts

With the Southeast Coast of Massachusetts just an hour from Boston and 30 minutes from Providence, RI, you get that community feel with proximity to countless restaurants and activities.

Southeast Coastal Towns: Acushnet, Attleboro, Berkley, Dartmouth, Dighton, Easton, Fairhaven, Fall River, Freetown, Mansfield, New Bedford, North Attleboro, Norton, Raynham, Rehoboth, Seekonk, Somerset, Swansea, Taunton and Westport.

From the salt-kissed shores south of Boston to the historic harbors that opened America’s early chapters, Massachusetts’s Southeast Coast invites you to a world where every tide carries a story. This is where colonial ships docked, naval vessels stood guard, and Portuguese roots were planted.

The Beauty of Coastlines and Naval Legacies

Cultural festivals and seafood weekends celebrate the region’s connection to the waterways all year round. If you want to taste fresh seafood in New England, this is where you want to be. Boat loads of lobster, clams, and fish are all caught off the pier and cooked in restaurants right on the bay. Here, you can break bread with some of the most inviting communities, board battleships that once sailed into warfare, and walk the cobblestone streets of towns that generations of immigrant families call home.

The region served as an early colonial outpost where settlers landed and pioneered maritime commerce. Over the centuries, this coast evolved into a tapestry of whaling ports, fishing villages, shipping lanes, and naval hubs. To this day, the legacy of America’s nautical past lives-on in lighthouses, harbors, historic towns, and museums. Visitors can explore the rich history of the area while enjoying charming seaside views.

Some Signature Stops

• Portas da Cidade or “Gates of the City” (Fall River) – Replica of the 18^th century “Gates of the City” in Ponta Delgada, Sao Miguel, Azores. This volcanic stone was a gift from the Azorean city!
• Lizzie Borden House (Fall River)– Take a tour, ghost hunt, or stay the night (if you’re brave enough) at the Lizzie Borden Bed and Breakfast & Museum. One of the most haunted houses in America!
• Battleship Cove (Fall River) – Tour real battleships, submarines and PT boats for a hands-on look at naval history.
  • Naval Nights – Spend the Night on the Battleship Massachusetts. Enjoy exploring the ships and sleeping in the bunks where the sailors slept during WWII.
• Stone Bridge Farm (Acushnet)– Nestled in Massachusetts’ cranberry country, is a sustainably run, three-acre cranberry bog farm. These landscapes shift from spring floral blooms to bright red berries in fall. During harvest season, the farm opens to the public for guided tours of the process and even an opportunity to put on waders and step into the bog like a true cranberry farmer.
• Coastal Harbors & Seaside Towns – Along the south shore and Buzzards Bay you’ll find fishing docks, local seafood shacks, and lighthouses that define classic New England coastal life. You can enjoy the small-town comfort or learn about the town’s whaling/ maritime history.
• Beaches & Shorelines: Quiet and unspoiled public beaches offer peaceful walks, open horizons, and a sense of untouched coastal beauty.

Bragging Rights

Fall River’s Battleship Cove, preserves the largest collection of historic U.S. naval ships in the world, offering access to real battleships, submarines, and PT boats that served in real battles from WWI and WWII.

46% of Fall River’s population has Portuguese heritage. You’ll find traditional bakeries, neighborhood markets, and annual celebrations that highlight Azorean and Madeiran culture.

Freetown is one of America’s oldest towns having first been settled by Pilgrims in 1659.

Every Season Has a Reason

• Spring sees soft breezes, early boat launches, and the first flush of flowers along coastal bluffs that are ideal for waterfront strolls.
• Summer brings bustling life to fishermen’s docks, weekend festivals, sailing, and seafood dinners under string lights.
• Fall paints the coastline in the yellows and reds of the deciduous, and the historic towns take on a cozy and quaint persona.
• In winter, snow blankets the area, making it perfect for cozy, fireside chats and peaceful walks through the towns.

Mark Your Calendars

• Moby Dick Marathon (January): New Bedford’s Whaling museum’s world-renowned tribute to Herman Melville’s epic tale of obsession, adventure, and the sea. Incredible conversations with literary scholars, dramatic performances, a 25-hour cover-to-cover reading of Moby Dick, and fun activities for all readers.
• ArtWeek SouthCoast (May): Artists, performers, cultural groups, and local businesses come together to show off their fantastic creativity. From art galleries to live performances, there are spectacles and fun for everyone!
• Allens Neck Clambake (August): Since 1888, Dartmouth has held a clambake on the 3^rd Thursday of August. This massive community event serves hundreds of people delicious Clams, corn, brown bread, pies, and more!
• Apple Peach Festival (September): St. Acushnet hosts a free festival at Long Plain Museum that shows off local produce, talent, musicians, and artists in a fantastic harvest celebration and parade.
• Decades of Dreams (November): A nostalgic, live outdoor music festival that features freestyle and pop musicians from the 80’s and 90’s. If you love movin’ and groovin’, you’ll want to visit Swansea, MA in November.
• Old-Tyme Holiday Village (December): Fairhaven is the definition of a winter wonderland; the whole town’s historic district gets together to share their seasonal cheer. There’s shopping, live entertainment, delicious treats, and so much more. The town transforms into a magical winter town that looks straight out of the movies.

Meet the Locals

Here, you’ll spot fishermen mending nets at dawn and small-town café owners serving clam rolls beside harbors that have welcomed generations of travelers. The Southeast Coast of Massachusetts carries its immigrant heritage with pride; many locals grow up hearing stories of ancestors who arrived by sea and built their lives along this shoreline. That legacy lives on in the family recipes shared with visitors, the traditions passed from one generation to the next, and the genuine appreciation for cultures from around the world. No matter who you are, there’s a warm welcome waiting for anyone who wanders through.

The Last Word

The Southeast Coast of Massachusetts is where America’s beginning met the sea. It’s where wood-planked ships, salt-air towns, and working harbors carved their stories into the boardwalk. You can still hear the whispers of the past, whether it’s from a living local or a friendly spirit. Here you can walk the streets where pilgrims landed, taste the seafood straight from the bay, and smell the timeless salty air. Just let the breeze find you, and you’ll understand what it means to get LOST IN The Southeast Coast of MA.