Things to do & places to visit in Plymouth, Massachusetts, United States

It's no wonder that the Pilgrims fell in love with America when they landed at gorgeous Plymouth, set in the calm waters of Plymouth Harbor along Cape Cod Bay. It was here that the first English colonists made war and then peace with the Natives, celebrating their newfound cooperation with the first Thanksgiving dinner. Visit the landmarks that honor this piece of American history, from Plymouth Rock to Mayflower II to Burial Hill. Or just enjoy the sandy beaches and calm sea breeze.

Plymouth city in Massachusetts, United States. Timezone: America/New_York, current date and time: Sunday, April 28, 2024, 21:09.

Top things to do (25)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 The Jenney (554 reviews)
- One of the Best Tours We've Ever Been On
Temporarily closed - Closed until Apr 10, 2023 Spent 1-2 hours Speciality Museums

Historic Plymouth Tours and Educational Programs. Your journey into history begins here. Discover Plymouth's History - a Walking Tour: Hear about the people, places, and events that shaped the beginning of our country as you walk through the historic district of Plymouth. Forefathers Monument Tour - This hidden gem is the largest free standing solid granite monument in our country. The faith of the Pilgrims will become real to you as you learn what each of the five statues represents. Business Not as Usual - Pilgrim Economics and Conversations with a Pilgrim: Our guides help visitors learn all aspects of the Pilgrim family including economics, education, government, and faith. All tours require a reservation. Visit our website for tour times and information. Open seasonally. See more..
5.0 Americana Theatre Company (99 reviews)
- Americana theatre entertains with CLUE!
Spent 2-3 hours Theaters

Established in 2011, Americana Theatre Company is a non-profit professional theatre company. It is our mission to enliven the cultural atmosphere of the South Shore by telling stories that entertain and stories that matter. See more..
5.0 Jabez Howland House (68 reviews)
- Family Homestead
Historic Sites

Howland, the son of two Mayflower passengers, bought this house in 1667. See more..
5.0 Blake Planetarium (18 reviews)
- Night of the stars
Spent 1-2 hours Observatories & Planetariums

A state of the art facility that immerses its audience with video and sound. Boasted as the only 4K fulldome planetarium south of Boston and offering breathtaking views on its dome screen, the Blake Planetarium has high resolution video playback, real time multimedia, multichannel surround sound, and classic astronomy tools that take visitors on fantastic voyages every time. See more..
5.0 Priscilla Beach Theatre (17 reviews)
- Wonderful show!
Theaters

Priscilla Beach Theatre has been entertaining audiences with live theatre since 1937. We are the oldest continually operating barn theatre in the US. Check out our website for current shows. See more..
5.0 Brown's Bank (12 reviews)
- A hoot. Simply a low-tide sand bar.
Islands • Beaches • Geologic Formations

A hoot. Simply a low-tide sand bar that you need a boat to visit. Annual 'golf tournament' at the right tide. See more..
5.0 Dirty Water Distillery (11 reviews)
- Try it, You'll Buy it!
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Distilleries

The name is dirty, but the place is clean! We walked right in around 3 o'clock on a wintery Saturday afternoon in January. No lines. No waits. We were pleasantly greeted and was able to sample some of the unique cordials and whiskeys at no cost. My favorite was the Cranberry Liquor. We bought a bottle to take home. (I wish I bought more, but we live close by, so I can easily go back.) My husband loved the whiskey. His is gone too! See more..
5.0 Scallop Roll (7 reviews)
- Scavenger hunt!
Spent 2-3 hours Art Galleries • Scenic Walking Areas

It was so much fun walking around town finding these little pieces of art work. Not only were these scallop shells fine exhibits of art, but they also were beautiful representations of the history in this small town. It is worth the time to find these shells around town and they also provide cool photo opportunities. See more..
5.0 Harlow Old Fort House (6 reviews)
- Very interesting tour!
Historic Sites

Built in 1677, this wooden house now hosts demonstrations of 17th-century household practices like spinning and weaving. See more..
4.5 Plimoth Patuxet Museums (2.571 reviews) from $32.00
- Don't miss this!
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours History Museums

Plimoth Patuxet Museums is a internationally known living history museum located south of Boston in the picutresque seaside town of Plymouth, Massachusetts, known for telling America's Founding Story with accuracy and vibrancy. It's a journey 400 years back in time! Guests are living history at the museums three exhibit locations - - Plimoth Patuxet (Patuxet Homesite, 17th-Century English Village, Craft Center, Davis Gallery Exhibit featuring We Gather Together - 400th anniversary of Thanksgiving and History in a New Light: Illuminating the Archaeology of Historic Patuxet and Plymouth". - The Mayflower II (National Register of Historic Places) docked at Plymouth Harbor. Climb aboard and experience what the 1620 crossing was like for the Pilgrims, - and the Plimoth Grist Mill a working reproduction set in the original 1636 location. Spend all day exploring or choose to visit Plimoth Patuxet today and the Mayflower and the mill on your way back from Cape Cod & the Islands. See more..
4.5 National Monument to the Forefathers (618 reviews)
- Magnificent!
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • State Parks • Monuments & Statues

Thought to be the largest solid granite monument in the United States, this 81-foot-tall granite statue was built to honor the passengers of the Mayflower. Boston sculptor Hammatt Billings designed the monument which features allegorical figures depicting the virtues of Faith, Morality, Education, Law, and Liberty. A dedication on the monument reads, “National Monument to the Forefathers. Erected by a grateful people in remembrance of their labors, sacrifices and sufferings for the cause of civil and religious liberty.” The original design called for the monument to be nearly twice as tall at 150 feet (just under the Statue of Liberty’s height of 151 feet). The monument is free to visit and open to the public year-round. Its site is managed and maintained by the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation. Visitors are welcome to bring a picnic and their furry companions (on a leash) to enjoy the monument's lawn. See more..
4.5 Pilgrim Hall Museum (450 reviews)
- First Landing
Sunday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours History Museums

America's oldest public museum is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of both Native American and Pilgrim artifacts. See more..
4.5 Burial Hill (345 reviews)
- I love seeing old cemeteries!
Sunday: Cemeteries

William Bradford, the second governor of Plymouth Colony, is buried here. See more..
4.5 Plymouth Visitor Information Center (339 reviews)
- Warm welcome from super helpful and friendly staff!!
Visitor Centers

Start your visit to this amazing town by stopping at the Plymouth Visitors Information Center. We got a warm welcome from Barbara and Michel who were extremely helpful, warm, kind and informative. We had only a couple of hours in town and they recommended places to see and provided maps, brochures, etc. Meeting them made our trip memorable. You guys are the best!! See more..
4.5 Brewster Gardens (202 reviews)
- WOW!
Gardens

This is a truly beautiful place. A River runs directly through it, as the flowers sway in the breeze and families walk around talking as they watch their kids play in the green grass. You can hear the sound of trickling water as the ducks paddle with the river. As you walk down the path, you go under two bridges and see more flowers and waterfalls. And why not end the trip at the Mill resturaunt at the end of the path. Cannot be missed on a trip to plymouth!! See more..
4.5 Plymouth to Provincetown Express Ferry (113 reviews)
- Fast
Ferries

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4.5 Mayflower Society House and Library (77 reviews)
- library historian excellent help
Historic Sites • Libraries • History Museums

This museum is the headquarters for the General Society of Mayflower Descendants. See more..
4.5 Nelson Memorial Park (73 reviews)
- You need to at least see this.
Parks

We were not in Plymouth for the waterfront, but this is the beach and was a nice change from the busy harbor filled with boats. It is a very pretty beach and a really nice play place for the kids. We would drive through it just to see the beach and the water without all the congestions. It is beautiful and peaceful! See more..
4.5 Richard Sparrow House (65 reviews)
- Amazing History + Beautiful Art
Sunday: Art Galleries • Historic Sites

Built in 1640, this is Plymouth's oldest house. See more..
4.5 Mayflower Brewing Company (52 reviews)
- Well worth the price.
Sunday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM Spent 1-2 hours Breweries

Mayflower Brewing Company is a craft beer microbrewery located in historic Plymouth, Massachusetts. Founded in 2007 by a tenth great grandson of John Alden, beer barrel cooper on board the Mayflower, we are dedicated to celebrating the history and legacy of the Pilgrims by creating unique, high-quality ales for the New England market. See more..
4.5 Ellisville Harbor State Park (46 reviews)
- Beautiful quiet beach for walking
State Parks • Parks

My husband and I had time to kill before checking into our hotel so we drove the 20 minutes here. We stayed for over 2 hours! Wonderful walk through a wooded area to the beachfront. We then looked at all the pretty and unique rocks the beach had to offer. At one point we happily say a couple of common terns as well as a lone female eider. Beautiful beach with the most amazing shades of water. See more..
4.5 Leyden Street, Plymouth Ma (22 reviews)
- Walk or drive it, but do it.
Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Historic Walking Areas

The fact that when you are on this street you realize that this is the first street in the US and you are truly walking where the Pilgrims walked. It's hard to not see this if you are in Plymouth as it is kind of in the middle of the historic area. Close by to many, many things and you will walk it if you take the Ghost Tour. We drove and walked it. Make sure you look at the signs on the houses that tell you who lived there. A must. See more..
4.5 The Spooner House (12 reviews)
- Don't miss this one!
Historic Sites

Built in 1747, this was home to five generations of Spooners over 200 years. See more..
4.0 Mayflower II (1.289 reviews) from $32.00
- Great Piece of History
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • History Museums

Climb aboard the Mayflower II to share the experience of the Mayflower Pilgrims in 1620 when the Pilgrims crossed from England to America. A gift from the U.K. to the U.S. in 1957 for their friendship during the Second World War, this boat is a full-scale reproduction of the real Mayflower that sailed the Atlantic Ocean for 66 days. Here, you can enjoy the captain’s quarters, gallery and even below deck, lead by the boat’s handy guides. Entrance to the boat can be bought alongside other local attractions like the Plimoth Grist Mill. – Tripadvisor See more..
4.0 Plimoth Grist Mill (304 reviews) from $32.00
- A Grinding we will go…..
Sunday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Spent < 1 hour Points of Interest & Landmarks • Educational sites • History Museums

Located in historic downtown Plymouth, Massachusetts, a short walk from Mayflower, the Plimoth Grist Mill is a reconstruction of the first mill built by the Pilgrims in Plymouth Colony on the same site in 1636, using the water source of Town Brooke as the power. Explore the science, engineering, math and technology inside a working grist mill. Discover the accomplishments of America's early engineers. Learn about past peoples and cultures, and the ecology of Town Brooke. In the spring, see the annual Herring Run and learn about the herrings' significance to the Wampanoag and Pilgrim story. See more..
4.0 Pilgrim Memorial State Park (175 reviews)
- Plymouth Rock
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM State Parks • Parks

Pilgrim Memorial State Park is one of the most heavily visited state parks in Massachusets. Nearly one million people a year come from all over the world to visit the town where in 1620 Europeans first made a home in New England and to see Plymouth Rock. This simple boulder has become a world famous symbol. It symbolizes the courage of the men and women who founded the first New England colony as well as the contact of the European colonists and the Wampanoag People who lived in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of Europeans. A landscaped waterfront park provides scenic views of Plymouth Harbor. The Mayflower II, a replica of the ship that brought the first Pilgrims to Massachusetts, is normally anchored at the park, however; she is currently undergoing a two year, $12 million restoration, and is expected to return in 2019. Park staff offer daily walking tours of the park from April through November at 11 am, 2 pm, and 4 pm as well as rock talks throughout the day. See more..
4.0 Myles Standish State Forest (98 reviews)
- Bentley Loop trail
State Parks • Forests

Hiked the Bentley Loop trail today with 11, 12, 14 year olds. Took a couple hours including one stop to sit in the meadow and have a snack. Lots of up and down, trail gets steep in some areas but in a good way. Fairly well marked, we had to ask fellow hikers for direction a couple times. Great trail, enjoyed by everyone. See more..
4.0 Long Beach (68 reviews)
- Great Walking Beach
Beaches

Long Beach is a beautiful place. I plan my day at the beach around the tide. I like to arrive just as high tide hits and walk the length of the peninsula as the tide recedes. The sights are breathtaking and the sounds are soothing to the soul. I pack the sunscreen, plenty of water to drink, a bag for treasures and get lost for hours. The public beach access can get a bit too crowded for me so I will be investing in the 4WD pass to drive beyond the public access with the family. Also a fabulous location for wave watching during storms. I've captured amazing footage and shots of water crashing over the wall. *Tip ~ always be prepared for a difference in temperature, winds and quick change in the weather if you're heading out to the peninsula. See more..
4.0 First Parish Church (46 reviews)
- See this and get a guide!
Churches & Cathedrals

This was the first place we visited in Plymouth and it kind of set the tone for the rest of our history tour. We hired a guide who took us through the church and told us the history and explained the many plaques and windows. It is beautiful inside - Arts and Crafts interior, Norman exterior. Lots of beautiful Tiffany glass and beautiful wood. A must see and our guide really helped me understand the history of the place we would be for the next week. See more..
3.5 Plymouth Rock (2.367 reviews)
- REVISIT TO THE FAMOUS SITE
Sunday: 12:00 AM - 11:59 PM Spent < 1 hour Historic Sites • Points of Interest & Landmarks • Monuments & Statues

This American icon is encased in a Greek-inspired granite canopy and housed within the Pilgrim Memorial State Park. Many travelers make the journey from Boston to see this famous rock, which remains as a tribute to the Mayflower passengers who first step foot into the country. Free to visit year-round, the park also offers picturesque views of Plymouth Harbor and Mayflower II, a full-scale replica of the ship. While you’re in Plymouth, don’t miss the Pilgrim Hall Museum and Plimoth Plantation—a fascinating recreation of the original Plymouth Colony established in the 17th century. You can even embark on a historical tour which brings you to all the top sights. – Tripadvisor See more..