Buttonwood Park: A New Bedford Favorite for Nature, Family Fun, and Local History

Buttonwood Park, in New Bedford's West End, is 97 acres of walking paths, open green space, gardens, a pond, playgrounds, ball fields, and basketball courts, plus one of the South Coast's favorite family destinations, the Buttonwood Park Zoo. The park has been part of New Bedford's story since the 1890s, originally planned by Charles Eliot of the Olmsted landscape architecture firm.

Today it remains one of the city's most visited public parks, a peaceful escape right in the middle of the city, where families make memories and neighbors gather.

Buttonwood Park is more than a park, it's a place to slow down, walk the pond, bring the kids to play, or visit the zoo. For New Bedford residents, it's one of those places that feels familiar and full of local pride, a reminder that the city offers more than its waterfront and downtown history.

Thinking about what New Bedford neighborhoods are like day to day? I'm Sheri Francis with BOLD Real Estate, and I'd be glad to talk through it. Reach out anytime.