One of the smaller parks in Massachusetts, Fort Phoenix State Reservation combines historic features, scenic views and a variety of recreational facilities. Minutes from downtown New Bedford, the park contains a half-mile of Buzzards Bay beachfront. Adjacent to the park (and managed by the Town of Fairhaven) is Fort Phoenix, a national landmark Fort which gives the park its name. From the ramparts remnants, one can gaze across the bay where the first naval battle of the Revolutionary War was fought, to the rolling meadows of the Elizabeth Islands.