Despite its reputation as a somewhat backward country, my home town of Plymouth has a lot to offer visitors. No matter how long you stay with us, take a real insider's look at some of the best things you can do in Plymouth, England, regardless of age, gender, race, ethnicity, religion or nationality.
In addition to the attractions of a modern city, Plymouth is home to a number of other notable areas, including the enchanting landscapes of the South Devon and Cornwall coastlines and the beautiful beaches of Plymouth Bay. Plymouth is also a good base for exploring Devon beach in neighbouring Cornwall.
Tourist attractions near Plymouth include many of the nearby towns and villages in Cornwall, with the beaches of Looe and Newquay particularly popular, as well as Dartmoor National Park. Organised walks in and around Plymouth itself include the guided Devon and Cornwall tour, one of which is offered by the Plymouth Pilgrims Guide to the New World Tour and provides a deeper insight into the pilgrim's history, including one about the young pilgrim John Howland who was washed overboard and rescued by his fellow pilgrims.
Further south, discover Plymouth Hoe, home to many popular guest houses, and an attractive promenade with spectacular views of Plymouth Sound. Exploring the Hoes is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Plymouth and the grassy slopes provide a great opportunity to climb the former lighthouse and Smeaton Tower, or enjoy views over Plymouth Bay, the city's main waterway, as well as the harbor.
This idyllic place needs a ferry, but if you visit Plymouth for a short detour, it is worth a trip. Remember that it is a two-hour train ride from Plymouth and a short walk from the city centre.
In Plymouth, you can even take Cornwall's Cawsand Ferry, which departs from the Barbican. The boat will take you from Barbicans to Plymouth and then on to the town centre for a short walk or ferry ride to Cornwall.
Plymouth Hoe is essentially a six-mile long rocky bay that begins at the south-west corner of Penlee Point in Cornwall and ends at a south-east point, Wembury Point in Devon. The Plymouth Sound, popularly known simply as The Sounda, is the natural harbour where the river flows in front of the city and ends in Plymouth Bay, the southernmost point of Cornwall, and ends in Plymouth, Cornwall. It is located between Plymouth city centre and Plymouth city centre itself, south of St Johnas Bay.
It is home to the University of Plymouth and has a number of universities, including the University of Plymouth, the Plymouth Institute of Technology and Plymouth City College. It has the highest population of any city in the UK and the second highest in England.
It is also one of the UK's largest cities with a population of more than 1.5 million. Plymouth has a number of beautiful beaches, some of which are just a short drive from the city centre. When you go out on the water, you can take a fresh look at your city and Plymouth Sound, and the bay offers plenty of opportunities to explore with a SUP. If the weather is good, this is one of the best activities in Plymouth.
Plymouth has all the usual fast food you could wish for or not, and there are plenty of takeaways and fast food retailers. There are some tempting shops and cafes, but overall you won't expect many big surprises. Plymouth has a huge number of attractions to offer, some of which are tempting, such as the Plymouth Museum, Plymouth Art Gallery, Museum of Natural History and Royal Academy of Arts.
Plan a visit to the annual Plymouth Seafood Festival in September and see how the catch comes from Plymouth's fishing industry, or plan your visit to the award-winning Plymouth Art Gallery and Natural History Museum in August.
Take the bus to Wembury, walk into the city centre or enjoy the stunning Devonshire coastline from Plymouth Sound, the mouth of the Yealm.
If you drive west and east along Plymouth Sound, you will be surprised by the geological changes. There are quarries at West Hoe, Cattedown and Radford, which were mined from the same rock as the original Plymouth Rock, and even more recently the Yealm Quarry.
The oldest church in the city is Plymouth Minster, also known as St Andrew's Church (Anglican), which is located at the top of the Royal Parade. It is the largest parish church in Devon and has been a meeting place since 800 AD and is one of the oldest churches in the UK. An early port settlement in Plymouth called Sutton resembles what we now call the Barbican, but has no listed buildings and cobbled streets. Separatist congregations that founded the Plymouth Colony of New England originally originated in the town of Scrooby in Nottinghamshire, England.