56 Passenger Charter Bus
busrentalcompanynewbedford.com is a comparison and referral website, not a local company. We do NOT own or operate vehicles. Use our online quote form to view pricing and vehicle choices from independent transportation providers through a national booking platform. Read more: terms and referral details
Charter Bus Rentals in New Bedford, Massachusetts
Compare party buses, minibuses, charter buses, and sprinter vans from a large network of independent bus companies serving New Bedford, Massachusetts, all in one place, all in under 30 seconds. Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com is not a bus company. You're never stuck with just one fleet. Fill out one quick form, see your options, and book the bus that works for YOUR trip. No account needed!
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Your Top Choice for Bus Rentals in New Bedford
Got 30 seconds? That's genuinely all it takes to start comparing New Bedford charter bus rentals on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com. Enter your pickup location, travel date, and passenger count, and instantly see buses, photos, amenities, and pricing from a large network of independent transportation companies serving the South Coast.
No more calling company after company. No more waiting around on callbacks. No more getting five different quotes that don't line up.
Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com is a comparison and quote-request website, not a bus company. Because we don't own or operate any vehicles, you're never limited to whatever one fleet happens to have open on your date. You get TONS of different bus types, TONS of different packages, and real online pricing in seconds.
And if you'd rather talk it through, a live support team is available every day of the year at 508-979-0030 to help you find exactly what you need. No account needed!
Our Charter Bus Options in New Bedford
Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com helps you compare minibuses, party buses, charter buses, sprinter vans, and school buses from a large network of independent transportation companies serving New Bedford and the surrounding South Coast region. Whether you need a compact sprinter for a small group or a full 56-passenger motorcoach for a large event, there's a bus in the network that's perfect for YOUR trip!
35 Passenger Minibus
30 Passenger Minibus
28 Passenger Minibus
25 Passenger Minibus
20 Passenger Minibus
18 Passenger Minibus
15 Passenger Minibus
15-50 Passenger Party Buses
Sprinter Van with Driver
Sprinter Limo
School Bus
Vehicles shown above are NOT the exact makes and models available for every trip. We are NOT a transportation company and do not own or operate vehicles. Photos are examples only and may show stock or typical vehicles, not the exact vehicle offered for your reservation. Fill out the online quote form or call 508-979-0030 to view current vehicle options, photos, availability, and pricing. Confirm the exact vehicle details and amenities before booking.
Popular New Bedford Bus Amenities Available
Reclining Seats
Onboard Restroom
Individual Climate Control
Onboard Wi-Fi
Power Outlets
Overhead Storage
Under-Bus Luggage Storage
TV Monitors
PA System
Amenities listed above are common features that MAY be available on buses. Because we are a referral website and do NOT own or operate buses, exact features vary by vehicle, provider, and availability. After you submit your quote request, you can browse vehicle options, pricing, and available details on the results page. To confirm the exact amenities included with a specific vehicle offered for your trip, call 508-979-0030 before booking.
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New Bedford Charter Bus Rental Pricing & Rates
You don't have to wait on a callback to find out what a New Bedford bus rental costs. Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com gives you instant online pricing in under 30 seconds. Just enter your date, pickup location, and passenger count, and you'll see vehicles, photos, and prices from a network of bus companies serving the area. Compare a 15-passenger minibus against a full-size 56-passenger charter bus side by side.
See what amenities come standard. Choose the package that checks all the boxes for YOUR headcount and YOUR budget. Want a more personalized breakdown?
Call 508-979-0030 and a live agent will walk you through your options, answer every question, and build a custom quote around your exact itinerary. Either way, getting started is fast, easy, and completely free. No account needed!
| Type of Vehicle | Cost Per Hour Weekdays | Cost Per Hour Weekends | Cost Per Day | Cost Per Mile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56 Passenger Charter Bus | $205 – $385+ | $225 – $410+ | $1,650 – $2,950+ | $6.20 – $8.95+ |
| 35 Passenger Minibus | $225 – $370+ | $255 – $385+ | $1,815 – $2,415+ | $6.20 – $8.95+ |
| 30 Passenger Minibus | $205 – $365+ | $240 – $380+ | $1,670 – $2,335+ | $5.90 – $8.60+ |
| 28 Passenger Minibus | $190 – $355+ | $220 – $370+ | $1,540 – $2,255+ | $5.65 – $8.25+ |
| 25 Passenger Minibus | $190 – $350+ | $195 – $365+ | $1,420 – $2,180+ | $5.40 – $7.90+ |
| 20 Passenger Minibus | $190 – $340+ | $190 – $355+ | $1,300 – $2,080+ | $5.15 – $7.50+ |
| 18 Passenger Minibus | $190 – $330+ | $190 – $350+ | $1,210 – $1,990+ | $5.00 – $7.25+ |
| 15 Passenger Minibus | $180 – $310+ | $180 – $330+ | $1,150 – $1,880+ | $4.75 – $6.95+ |
| 15-50 Passenger Party Bus | $248 – $426+ | $265 – $460+ | $1,827 – $2,954+ | $6.75 – $9.95+ |
| Sprinter Van with Driver | $190 – $373+ | $218 – $466+ | $1,395 – $2,848+ | $5.00 – $6.95+ |
| Sprinter Limo | $190 – $340+ | $190 – $355+ | $1,300 – $2,080+ | $5.15 – $7.50+ |
| School Bus | $205 – $365+ | $240 – $380+ | $1,670 – $2,335+ | $5.00 – $7.60+ |
| ABOVE PRICES ARE JUST EXAMPLES. Your final price and vehicle options depend entirely on your specific trip details. To get an instant price quote for your trip, request an online quote or call 508-979-0030. | ||||
Bus Rentals Available For Any Event
New Bedford Charter Bus Services We Offer
Find airport transfers, concert shuttles, corporate transportation, employee shuttles, wedding buses, prom transportation, sports team travel, school field trips, religious group shuttles, long-distance rides, and private event buses, all available through one quick form on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com. Whatever brings your group together in New Bedford, there is likely a bus in the network for it!
New Bedford Airport Transfer Shuttle Bus Services
Whatever your group's travel plans look like, getting everyone to and from the airport on time is a lot easier with a private shuttle bus. Providence T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) in Warwick, Rhode Island serves airlines including American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is about 60 miles north.
Instead of splitting your group across rideshares and rental cars, a New Bedford airport shuttle bus keeps everyone together for one flat, predictable rate. No surge pricing. No juggling multiple pickups.
No scrambling for parking at Logan. A private charter bus drops your group curbside at the terminal and picks everyone up on the arrivals level when you land. Fill out one quick form to compare airport shuttle options in New Bedford right now!
New Bedford Concert Transportation
Just snagged tickets to a big show and need a way to get the whole group there? New Bedford's live music scene is anchored by the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center (684 Purchase St, New Bedford, MA 02740), a renovated 1,200-seat theater that welcomes passenger drop-offs at its main entrance on Purchase Street, so your group steps off the bus right at the door. For bigger arena shows, many New Bedford groups head north to TD Garden (100 Legends Way, Boston, MA 02114), which has no designated drop-off or pickup location in front of the arena, so riding in on one bus beats a dozen cars circling for a curb.
Outdoor shows at Xfinity Center in Mansfield bring up to 19,900 guests to its amphitheater and lawn, and leaving on one bus means nobody in your group is hunting for a ride home in that crowd.
A concert bus rental in New Bedford means the pregame energy starts the moment everyone boards, not when you finally find parking. You pick the music. You set the itinerary.
And everyone rides the whole route on one bus, so your group arrives together and leaves together. No surge pricing after the encore. No one waiting alone in a parking lot.
Find concert bus rentals in New Bedford through one quick form on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com!
New Bedford Corporate Transportation
Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com makes finding corporate group transportation in New Bedford straightforward. Whether you're shuttling a team to a conference at the New Bedford Harbor Hotel (222 Union St, New Bedford, MA 02740) or coordinating executive transfers between the South Coast and Boston for meetings in the Financial District, a private charter bus keeps your group together, comfortable, and productive on the road. Guest parking for the hotel is off site, at 26 South 6th St, so one drop-off at the door saves your whole team from parking somewhere else first.
Onboard WiFi and power outlets mean your team can review presentations and respond to emails during the commute rather than sitting behind the wheel on Route 195. Need to take clients to a team-building event or a dinner at Moby Dick Brewing Co. (16 S. Water St, New Bedford, MA 02740)? The brewpub sits a block from the waterfront and has a private event space called The Launch for business meetings, and one bus means no client has to drive back afterward.
A charter bus handles the logistics while you focus on the agenda. Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com connects you with a large network of bus companies serving the South Coast, so you get TONS of different bus types and TONS of different packages to fit your corporate event needs. Fill out one quick form or call 508-979-0030 to rent a corporate charter bus today!
Employee Shuttle Services in New Bedford
The daily commute in and around New Bedford doesn't have to be a grind. An employee shuttle bus picks your team up from designated stops (whether that's downtown New Bedford, Dartmouth, Fairhaven, or Acushnet) and delivers everyone to the office or worksite on a schedule that actually works. No more everyone fighting Route 18 backups or I-195 slowdowns in separate cars.
No more employees burning money on gas and parking.
SRTA fixed-route buses in New Bedford generally run from 5:30AM to 6:30PM, with nine routes extended to around 8:30PM, which leaves little for early and late shifts. A private shuttle runs on your shift times instead. Larger employers have one more reason to look: MassDEP's Rideshare Program requires businesses with 1,000 or more applicable commuters to plan and set goals to cut drive-alone commute trips by 25 percent, and MassDEP says fewer drive-alone trips can cut demand for on-site parking.
Your team can use the ride to decompress, prep for the day, or simply enjoy a hands-free commute. Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com connects you with a large network of bus companies that can run recurring employee shuttle routes in New Bedford on a daily, weekly, or custom basis. Fill out one quick form to see employee shuttle packages, or call 508-979-0030 any time and a live agent will help you build a custom plan!
Government & Military Transportation Services in New Bedford
With one form, government agencies, municipal departments, and military units in the New Bedford area can start comparing charter bus options from a large network of independent transportation providers. Whether you need buses for a city-organized community event, personnel transfers for the Massachusetts Army National Guard, or group transportation to and from a federal facility, Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com makes it easy to find the right vehicle at the right price without the back-and-forth of traditional procurement calls.
New Bedford's long history as a working port city means government and defense-related transportation needs here are real and recurring. From shuttle services for municipal employees to coordinated group moves for training exercises at Camp Edwards on Joint Base Cape Cod, the Army National Guard's training installation in southeastern Massachusetts, a private charter bus keeps the whole unit moving together. ADA-accessible vehicles can be requested through the network.
Rent government and military transportation in New Bedford right now. Just fill out one quick form or call 508-979-0030!
New Bedford Long-Distance Bus Rentals
Through a network of independent bus companies serving New Bedford and all of southeastern Massachusetts, Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com makes it easy to book long-distance charter bus travel to destinations up and down the East Coast. Need to get a large group to New York City for a conference? Heading to a sporting event in Philadelphia?
Organizing a multi-day school trip to Washington, D.C.? A full-size 56-passenger motorcoach comes loaded with reclining seats, climate control, onboard restrooms, WiFi, power outlets, and undercarriage luggage bays, everything your group needs to travel comfortably for the long haul.
Because Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com connects you with a large network of independent transportation providers, you're never stuck with whatever one company happens to have available. You get TONS of different bus types and TONS of different packages to fit your route, your headcount, and your budget. See long-distance bus rental options from New Bedford in under 30 seconds.
Fill out one quick form or call 508-979-0030 to talk through your trip with a live agent and hit the road!
New Bedford Event Transportation Services
These are the moments that matter most: milestone birthdays, anniversary celebrations, family reunions, graduation parties, and everything in between. When the occasion calls for something more than a carpool, a private event bus rental in New Bedford keeps your whole group together for every part of the celebration. No one gets lost navigating unfamiliar streets.
No one misses the first toast because they couldn't find parking downtown.
Whether you're renting a party bus loaded with LED lighting and a premium sound system for a birthday night out in downtown New Bedford, or booking a fleet of minibuses to shuttle family members between a reunion venue and their hotels along Route 6, Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com makes finding the right vehicle fast and easy. Planning a party at Buzzards Bay Brewing (98 Horseneck Rd, Westport, MA)? The farm brewery rents its Taproom for private events of up to 45 people (21 and over) as four-hour rentals, so one full-size charter bus brings the entire guest list and nobody has to be the designated driver.
Compare party buses, minibuses, and charter buses from a large network of independent providers serving the South Coast, all in one place, all in under 30 seconds. Fill out one quick form or call 508-979-0030 to explore your private event transportation options in New Bedford!
Bus Rentals For New Bedford Proms & Homecomings
Let prom night be everything your group has been looking forward to, with nobody in the group stuck behind the wheel. A prom bus rental in New Bedford means the celebration starts the moment everyone boards, not when you finally find a parking spot near the venue. Whether your school's prom is at a local banquet hall or a venue further up the coast, a private charter bus or party bus keeps the whole group together and on schedule all night long.
A banquet hall like White's of Westport (66 State Road, Westport, MA) holds groups from 15 to 1,800 people, so your headcount decides whether one party bus or several charter buses is the right fit.
Whether your group is coming from New Bedford High School or Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School, coordinating prom transportation for a whole junior or senior class is a serious logistical undertaking. The earlier you book, the more vehicle options you will have to compare. Prom season fills up fast across southeastern Massachusetts, so get a head start and don't wait until April.
Fill out one quick form on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com to see prom bus options in New Bedford right now!
New Bedford Religious Group Bus Rentals
One of the simplest ways to strengthen a congregation and deepen community bonds is to travel together. A religious group charter bus in New Bedford takes the logistical pressure off your leadership team so everyone can focus on the experience, whether that's a faith retreat, a pilgrimage, a mission trip, or a group visit to a regional religious conference. Instead of organizing a caravan of personal vehicles and hoping everyone arrives at the same time, one private bus keeps the whole group connected from departure to return.
New Bedford's congregations are spread throughout the city and surrounding communities. Whether your group is heading to a regional church conference in Providence, a retreat center on Cape Cod, or a multi-congregation event right here in the city, Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com makes it easy to find the right bus from a large network of independent providers serving the South Coast. Heading to the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament (88 Tinkham St, New Bedford, MA)?
The feast grounds sit in a dense residential neighborhood and the organizer calls parking "a tough one," so a parish group that arrives on one bus skips the hunt for a spot. Fill out one quick form or call 508-979-0030 to compare religious group transportation options in New Bedford!
New Bedford Bus Rentals For School Field Trips
No matter the grade level, the subject, or the destination, a school field trip bus rental in New Bedford makes the entire experience smoother and more enjoyable for students, teachers, and chaperones alike. Skip the yellow school bus and upgrade to a modern minibus or motorcoach with cushioned reclining seats, climate control, a PA system for announcements, and overhead storage for backpacks and gear.
New Bedford's public and private schools have no shortage of incredible field trip destinations, from the New Bedford Whaling Museum (18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740) and Buttonwood Park Zoo right in the city, to the Museum of Science in Boston, Plimoth Patuxent in Plymouth, and Cape Cod Museum of Natural History in Brewster. During its construction, the Whaling Museum has buses unload and pick up at 63 Union Street, at the corner of Union Street and North Water Street, and keeps school buses off Bethel Street, North Water Street and Johnny Cake Hill, so your whole class steps off at one spot. The Museum of Science's 2024 bus parking sheet sends field trip buses to the Boston Autoport (300 Terminal Street), with a call ahead to 617-293-6247 required, so chaperones can walk students straight in while the bus parks off site.
ADA-accessible buses can be requested through the network. Fill out one quick form on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com to find school field trip bus rentals in New Bedford, or call 508-979-0030 and a live agent will help you plan every detail!
New Bedford Sports Team & Fan Transportation Services
Planning a road trip for your team or coordinating group transportation to a big game? A sports charter bus rental in New Bedford keeps athletes, coaches, and fans together, and keeps the energy high from the first pickup to the final drop-off. Store gear and equipment in undercarriage luggage bays and overhead bins, stay connected with onboard WiFi, and arrive at the venue rested and ready instead of worn out from a long drive.
New Bedford sports groups regularly travel to venues across southeastern Massachusetts and beyond, including Polar Park in Worcester for Worcester Red Sox games, Gillette Stadium (1 Patriot Pl, Foxborough, MA 02035) for Patriots and Revolution matches, and Fenway Park for Red Sox games. At Gillette Stadium, buses park in Lot 52, the oversize vehicle lot, reached through entrances P10 North and P10 South, and dropping off or picking up on Route 1 is illegal. For Patriots games the lots open 4 hours before kickoff, so a fan group that rides together parks together and tailgates together.
Polar Park group tickets are for parties of 15 or more, a natural fit for a minibus. For youth leagues, travel teams, and school athletics, a charter bus means no parent carpool coordination and no one arriving separately for warmups. Fill out one quick form on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com to rent a sports team bus in New Bedford, or call 508-979-0030 any time!
New Bedford Wedding Shuttle Services & Transportation
Why spend your wedding day wondering whether your guests made it to the right venue at the right time? A wedding shuttle bus in New Bedford keeps your guests riding together. Whether you're moving guests from their hotels downtown to a ceremony at a historic venue in the city, or shuttling the bridal party between a morning prep location and a waterfront reception, a private bus keeps everyone together, on schedule, and in great spirits for every moment.
New Bedford's waterfront and restored historic architecture make a memorable setting for a wedding. Venues like the New Bedford Whaling Museum and the Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum host weddings, and the New Bedford Harbor Hotel has event space downtown. The Rotch-Jones-Duff House hosts weddings from 50 up to 250 guests, and Rotch-Jones-Duff House parking is street parking only, so a shuttle from the hotel block keeps your guests from circling County Street in formalwear.
Events there must end by 10:00 PM under its 2025-2026 policy, which gives your return shuttle a firm pickup time. A charter bus or minibus rental handles the logistics while you handle the vows. Rent a wedding shuttle bus from a large network of South Coast transportation providers.
Fill out one quick form on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com or call 508-979-0030 today!
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Book Your Bus Rental in New Bedford Today
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Use the online quote tool to share your trip details, including the date, passenger count, and pickup/drop-off locations. It only takes a minute to fill out.
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Your request goes to a national booking platform, where you compare pricing and vehicle photos of available buses to find the right fit for your group.
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Got Questions? We're Here for You!
Learn More About New Bedford Charter Bus Rentals
Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com helps you compare bus rental options; it is not a transportation company and does not rent, own, or operate vehicles. When you submit the quote form, your trip details go through a booking company so you can review pricing and available vehicles for your date. You compare the options and book through the process shown with your quote.
Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com is a comparison and quote-request website that makes finding group transportation in New Bedford, Massachusetts fast and easy. Instead of calling company after company and waiting around on callbacks, you can compare party buses, charter buses, minibuses, sprinter vans, and more from a large network of independent transportation companies, all in one place. Share your trip details once, browse your options, and book right through a national booking platform.
No account needed. Yes, it really is that easy!
Providence T. F. Green International Airport (PVD) in Warwick, Rhode Island serves carriers including American, Delta, Southwest, and United. PVD's terminal curb is for immediate drop-off and pick-up only, so a group that is already together loads in one stop. Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) is about 60 miles north, with international flights arriving at Terminal E.
Cape Cod Gateway Airport (HYA) in Hyannis has Cape Air flights to Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Boston. A private airport shuttle bus from New Bedford eliminates the parking headache and keeps your group together for the entire transfer. Find airport shuttle options through Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com in under 30 seconds!
Long-distance trips from New Bedford start on I-195. Boston is about 60 miles away, and Providence and Cape Cod are both popular rides from the South Coast. For trips to New York City, I-195 West connects to I-95 South.
One thing to plan around downtown: at the I-195/Route 18 interchange, the I-195 westbound Exit 26 ramp to Route 18 southbound and the I-195 westbound on-ramp from Route 18 stay closed until summer 2027, and MassDOT has detours in place for trucks and large vehicles. A charter bus with onboard WiFi, reclining seats, and an onboard restroom makes every one of these long-distance routes genuinely comfortable. Compare long-distance bus options from New Bedford on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com!
Parking is limited in downtown New Bedford, so planning ahead is essential. Near the New Bedford Waterfront, the New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park Visitor Center (33 William St, New Bedford, MA 02740) lists metered street parking and the Elm Street and Zeiterion garages, with no bus or motorcoach parking. For events at the Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, buses drop off at the main entrance on Purchase Street, but the Zeiterion parking garage next door has a height clearance of 6 feet 10 inches, so a bus drops off and waits elsewhere.
During its construction, the Whaling Museum's bus directions list no designated bus parking and point to the MBTA commuter rail station lot (536 Acushnet Avenue), where parking may be available for $4.00 per day, which isn't included in your free price quote. Coordinate a defined pickup window with your driver in advance, especially for high-attendance events when street access may be restricted.
New Bedford is a year-round destination, but the Port of New Bedford's busy waterfront season runs April to the end of September, when the Martha's Vineyard ferry operates. Summer also brings the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament (a free four-day Portuguese festival whose 2026 parade stepped off on August 2) and whale watching trips. Fall is stunning along the South Coast, with foliage trips toward the Berkshires and Plymouth easily accessible by charter bus.
Winter brings the New Bedford Whaling Museum's Moby-Dick Marathon, a 25-hour, cover-to-cover reading held each January (January 8-10 in 2027). Book early for summer and fall weekends, as bus availability fills quickly across southeastern Massachusetts.
Absolutely! Whether your group is booked on a New Bedford Ocean Explorations Whale Watch trip or another excursion, a charter bus is a fantastic way to transport a large group from hotels, schools, or a central meeting point directly to the dock, with no parking headaches, no straggling passengers, and no one missing the boat (literally). Most whale watch companies serving Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary run trips from the beginning of May until the end of October, so that is the window to plan your bus around.
Rent a minibus or a full-size charter bus through Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com to find the right fit for your whale watching group!
Yes! Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com connects you with a large network of independent bus companies serving New Bedford and the entire surrounding region, including Dartmouth, Fairhaven, Acushnet, Fall River, Taunton, Brockton, Plymouth, Cape Cod, Providence, and Boston. No matter where your group is headed from New Bedford, or where you need a pickup, there is likely a bus in the network ready for it. Check the full list of cities we serve to find group transportation near you!
For most New Bedford bus rentals, booking at least two to three months in advance is strongly recommended to secure the best vehicle selection and pricing. Book even earlier (four to six months out) for peak travel periods like summer whale watching season, the Feast of the Blessed Sacrament, prom season in April and May, and holiday weekends. Waiting until the last minute almost always means higher rates, limited availability, or both.
The earlier you start on Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com, the better your options. Fill out one quick form right now or call 508-979-0030 to lock in your date!
Wherever You’re Headed, We’ll Get You There!
Book Charter Bus Rentals to Popular New Bedford Destinations
It's never been easier to plan a group trip to New Bedford's best venues and attractions! Whether you're organizing a school field trip, a corporate outing, a family reunion, or a private tour of the city's famous waterfront, Busrentalcompanynewbedford.com connects you with a large network of bus companies serving the South Coast so you can find the right vehicle for your group, your headcount, and your itinerary. Here are some of the top destinations worth visiting!
Use the previous and next buttons, the left and right arrow keys, or swipe to browse eight destinations.
New Bedford Whaling Museum
The New Bedford Whaling Museum (18 Johnny Cake Hill, New Bedford, MA 02740) tells the story of the American whaling industry through artifacts, scrimshaw, logbooks, and fine art. While its plaza is renovated, the entrance is through the Museum Store and no parking is allowed on Johnny Cake Hill. Buses skip the hill and unload at 63 Union Street, at the corner of Union Street and North Water Street, then pick up at the same spot, so your group steps off and meets back up in one place.
Adult groups of 10 or more get a discounted rate on self-guided or guided tours and must register in advance.
Buttonwood Park Zoo
Located at 425 Hawthorn St, New Bedford, MA 02740, Buttonwood Park Zoo is a beloved South Coast institution set inside the 97-acre Buttonwood Park. It's a perennial favorite for school field trips, family outings, and summer group events. Buttonwood Park Zoo's group rates apply to parties of 10 or more, and groups should register two weeks before the visit.
May and June are by far the zoo's busiest months for group programs, so spring field trips are worth planning early, and one bus keeps every student and chaperone arriving at the gate together.
Zeiterion Performing Arts Center
The Zeiterion Performing Arts Center, known locally as "The Z," is a 1,200-seat theater that reopened in January 2026 after a renovation of the whole building. It hosts New Bedford Symphony Orchestra concerts, New Bedford Festival Theatre productions, and more throughout the year. Buses drop groups off on Purchase Street at the main entrance.
The Zeiterion box office handles orders of 10 or more tickets for one show as a group sale at (508) 994-2900. It opens two hours before ticketed events, so there is time to get everyone inside together.
New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park
The New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park covers the city's historic waterfront district, including cobblestone streets and the Seamen's Bethel, where Herman Melville attended services before his whaling voyage. The Whaling National Historical Park's guided tours are free, ranger-led walks that all start at the visitor center on the corner of William and North Second Streets, which makes it the natural meeting point for a group. The park lists only metered street parking and city garages nearby, so arriving together on one bus spares your group the search for a dozen spaces.
The park and its visitor center are free to enter, making it a cost-effective destination for large school groups and educational tours.
Fort Taber Park and the New Bedford Harbor
Fort Taber Park (1000 S Rodney French Blvd, New Bedford, MA 02744) sits on Clark's Point beside a granite fort built during the Civil War. It's a popular destination for school history programs, group picnics, and nature walks, and the Fort Taber-Fort Rodman Military Museum in the park is open Wednesday to Sunday, 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Fort Taber Park's parking requires a paid pass in summer, seven days a week from mid June through Labor Day, a cost that isn't included in your free price quote.
Parking there is handled by the city's Department of Parks, Recreation and Beaches (508-961-3015), and a group that arrives on one bus has one vehicle to sort out instead of a dozen.
New Bedford Ocean Explorations Whale Watch
Planning a New Bedford Ocean Explorations Whale Watch trip for your group? A whale watch is an outstanding outing for school marine biology programs, corporate team outings, and private group celebrations. Most whale watch companies serving Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary run trips from the beginning of May until the end of October.
The New Bedford waterfront's busy season runs April to the end of September, when the Martha's Vineyard ferry operates, so one bus drop-off at the waterfront beats sending a dozen cars to look for parking. Gather everyone before calling for pickup, and the whole group heads home together.
Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum
The Rotch-Jones-Duff House and Garden Museum (396 County St, New Bedford, MA 02740) is a Greek Revival mansion built in 1834, with historic gardens that host weddings, private events, and garden tours. The Rotch-Jones-Duff House's group tours are for 8 or more people, Tuesday through Saturday between 10am and 3pm, and need an advance reservation by email (info@rjdmuseum.org), with at least three weeks' notice recommended. The museum also asks bus tours and school groups to schedule their visit in advance.
With street parking only at the house, one bus drop-off keeps your group from circling County Street for spaces.
Lloyd Center for the Environment
The Lloyd Center for the Environment (430 Potomska Road, Dartmouth, MA 02748) is an environmental education center in neighboring Dartmouth, set on 82 acres overlooking Buzzards Bay and the Slocums River estuary. It's a top destination for school science field trips, naturalist programs, and group nature walks, with free trails open from dawn to dusk. The Lloyd Center's school field studies for grades K-12 run late April through October and last four hours.
Grades K-4 meet at the Lloyd Center while grades 5-12 meet at a barrier beach away from the main building, so mention your grade level when you request your quote and the bus heads to the right spot. Field studies must be registered with the center's Education/Outreach Director (liz@lloydcenter.org, 774-328-4820).