3 Things to do in Fall River, Massachusetts

Fall River, the 10th largest city in Massachusetts, offers plenty of interesting attractions for history buffs. It’s located just a half hour outside of Providence and an hour from Boston, so a great daytrip from either city. Since moving to the city, Mike and I have been exploring all the interesting historical attractions in town, as well as around the entire New England region. My guide will focus on the biggest historical sites in the city: The Lizzie Borden House tour, Battleship Cove, and Fall River Heritage State Park.

Conveniently, these attractions are located in the same area of town, so you could cover all 3 in the same day if you are not limited on time. However, I would give yourself a separate day for the Lizzie Borden tour and Battleship Cove as there is so much history to explore.

1. Lizzie Borden House tour

One of the most well known attractions in the city, if not the entire state , is the Lizzie Borden Museum and Bed & Breakfast. Fans of history and/or the supernatural will love this tour.

For those not familiar with the backstory, here’s how it goes. In the late 1800’s, Lizzie was acquitted of murdering both her parents, whom were found brutally murdered in the house. To this day, the murders remain a mystery. Many believe that the house is haunted by Lizzie herself. If you are not familiar with the case, you will learn all about it during this entertaining and informative tour.

Have you ever heard this catchy rhyme?

“Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks. When she saw what she had done, she gave her father forty-one.”

Tours operate on a year-round basis. You will explore each of the rooms with your tour guide. Our tour guide did a fantastic job explaining the story, so don’t worry if you are not familiar with the case. I wasn’t overly familiar, but I walked out with so much info and a lot of tidbits I would have never known otherwise.

Be on the lookout for this window pictured below where numerous guests over the years have reportedly seen Lizzie’s ghost. Our tour guide passed around the picture of a ghost reportedly seen looking out this exact window. Strangely enough, our group had a particularly eerie experience while touring this room.

Supposedly when a ghost is in the area, you are supposed to feel incredibly cold. I stood by the window on an incredibly hot summer day (it was about 95 and humid out) thinking I was feeling a cool breeze from the air conditioning – it seriously was ice cold. Later I found out that there was no air conditioning on in the room. Creepy!

Dare to stay overnight?

You also have an option of staying overnight in any of the rooms. I can imagine this being a spooky experience, especially around Halloween time. The tour and inn both have been featured on many travel shows. They also offer a nightly ghost tour which costs extra. The house is a hot spot for ghost hunters due to the many paranormal sightings and eerie nature of the case.

Not sure I would stay overnight – I watch too many ghost shows and horror movies. According to our guide, many guests leave before the night is over. To book a night, visit Bed & Breakfast website. Also, if you would like to read more detail about the “Trial of the Century,” I recommend reading the book The Borden Murders.

Address: 230 2nd St.

To see more pics and for more info, check out my house tour post.

2. Battleship Cove

I recommend history and war buffs to check out The World’s Largest Naval Museum. On this self-guided tour, you will get to spend the day touring both the inside and outside of the USS Massachusetts – one of the 8 remaining battleships in the US.

I love that you can walk around at your own leisure, spending as much time as you want exploring the USS Massachusetts, the USS Lionfish, the USS Joseph Kennedy Jr., and Hiddensee. I am not a huge military buff, however, this tour would be a great tour for anyone interested in war history.

Taking this tour aboard the boats is a great way to get a glimpse into how these people lived on these ships during deployment. It’s hard to imagine actually spending the night on one of these ships – let’s just say it is definitely not for the claustrophobic!

One of the highlights for me was the beautiful views of the city from the USS Massachusetts. There are so many wonderful views of the Braga Bridge, the Taunton River, and Borden Flats Lighthouse. After your visit, I highly recommend taking a walk along the beautiful boardwalk until you reach Jerry Remy’s Sports Bar, a wonderful Boston sports themed grill offering excellent food, fun sports memorabilia, and amazing views of the river via a covered outdoor deck! UPDATE: Unfortunately, this local gem is closed. However, The Cove and The Tipsy Toboggan both offer waterfront dining.

Address: 5 Water St.

For more pictures and detailed information (including admission prices and hours), please visit read my post about touring the ships.

3. Fall River Heritage State Park

This small state park’s main feature is a mile or so long wooden walkway which runs along the beautiful Taunton River. You can take some great pictures of Battleship Cove from this park. It’s the best place in town to photograph the ships.

Living just a few blocks away, I spent many mornings jogging along this path taking in the gorgeous river scenery. It’s definitely a more motivating place to run than a boring treadmill at the gym! There is also a beautiful carousel which you can take a ride on for just a buck.

For more historical sites, continue walking onto Veteran’s Memorial Plaza in Bicentennial Park to view the WW2 Memorial.

Address: 200 Davol St.

More to do in the city

To justify the day trip, here’s a few more activities to look into during your visit.

Take a nature walk at Copicut Woods – This small state park features several easy miles of hiking trails. It’s also a great place for snowshoeing during the winter season. It’s incredibly quiet here with an attractive lack of tourist traffic. Come here to escape the city congestion if you are looking for some R&R – it’s crazy this peaceful oasis is so close to the city. Address: Indian Town Rd.

Try a homemade pierogi at Patti’s Pierogi – I love perogies and Patti’s has more variety than you would ever find at a local grocery store. They also serve tasty potato pancakes! Address: 1019 S. Main

View the Borden family plot at Oak Grove Cemetery – This is a great activity to incorporate into your trip after a tour of the house. Be aware – it’s an eerie place. Address: 765 Prospect Place