Plymouth is a city shaped by the sea. Its harbour has witnessed exploration, naval conflict, migration and trade for centuries, while its waterfront now brings together historic streets, museums, restaurants, public spaces and some of the finest coastal views in southern England.
The city’s strongest attractions are spread across several distinct areas. Plymouth Hoe offers open views across the Sound, the Barbican preserves narrow historic streets, Royal William Yard reflects the city’s naval past and The Box brings its art, archaeology and natural history collections together under one roof.
This guide brings together the best things to do in Plymouth, focusing on the places that genuinely reveal its maritime history, architecture, culture and connection with the wider coast and Dartmoor.
Essential things to do in Plymouth
1. Walk across Plymouth Hoe
Business details
Address
Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth PL1
Operating hours:
- Open at all times
Price: Free
Plymouth Hoe is the city’s defining public space. The broad lawns rise above Plymouth Sound and provide views towards Drake’s Island, Mount Edgcumbe, the breakwater and the open Channel.
The Hoe is closely associated with Sir Francis Drake, who is said to have played bowls here before the Spanish Armada. Today, it contains monuments, gardens, viewpoints and some of Plymouth’s most recognisable landmarks.
The area is especially attractive in clear evening light, when the sea, headlands and lighthouse create a dramatic coastal panorama.
Pro tip:
Walk the full length from the Barbican side towards West Hoe rather than stopping only at the lighthouse.
2. Climb Smeaton’s Tower
Business details
Address
Plymouth Hoe, Plymouth PL1 2NZ
Operating hours:
- Opening days and hours vary seasonally
- Check before travelling
Price: £
Smeaton’s Tower is one of Plymouth’s best-known landmarks. The red-and-white lighthouse originally stood on the Eddystone Reef before being dismantled and rebuilt on the Hoe during the 19th century.
Visitors can climb the narrow interior to see reconstructed rooms and reach the lantern level, where views stretch across Plymouth Sound and the city.
The lighthouse is compact and involves steep steps, but the elevated perspective is worth the effort.
Pro tip:
Visit on a clear day and avoid carrying large bags, as the internal staircase is narrow.
3. Explore the Barbican and Sutton Harbour
Business details
Address
Southside Street, New Street and Sutton Harbour, Plymouth PL1
Operating hours:
- Public streets and harbour areas are accessible at all times
- Individual businesses keep separate hours
Price: Free to explore
The Barbican is Plymouth’s most atmospheric historic district. Cobbled lanes, old warehouses, merchants’ houses and waterfront buildings surround Sutton Harbour.
Southside Street and New Street contain independent shops, galleries, cafés and pubs, while the harbour remains active with fishing boats, yachts and excursion vessels.
The area is best explored slowly, with time to look above modern shopfronts and into the smaller side streets.
Pro tip:
Visit in the morning for a quieter walk, then return in the evening when the harbour and restaurants become livelier.
4. See the Mayflower Steps
Business details
Address
The Barbican, Plymouth PL1 2LR
Operating hours:
- Accessible at all times
Price: Free
The Mayflower Steps commemorate the departure of the Pilgrims from Plymouth in 1620 before their voyage across the Atlantic.
The present monument is symbolic rather than the exact point from which passengers boarded, but it marks one of the most internationally recognised events in the city’s history.
Nearby interpretation explores the voyage, its passengers and the complicated legacy of colonisation.
Pro tip:
Treat the steps as part of a wider Barbican walk rather than a standalone attraction. The surrounding harbour and historic streets provide the real context.
5. Visit The Box
Business details
Address
Tavistock Place, Plymouth PL4 8AX
Operating hours:
- Tuesday to Sunday: 10 am to 5 pm
- Open on selected bank holidays
- Monday: Closed
Price: Free
The Box is Plymouth’s principal museum, art gallery and archive. Its collections explore the city’s archaeology, natural history, maritime heritage, art and social history.
One of the most memorable displays is the suspended group of large ship figureheads in the entrance space. Other galleries cover prehistoric Devon, naval history, local art and Plymouth’s changing communities.
Temporary exhibitions bring national and international work to the city.
Pro tip:
Allow at least two hours and check the temporary exhibition programme before visiting.
6. Spend time at the National Marine Aquarium
Business details
Address
Rope Walk, Coxside, Plymouth PL4 0LF
Operating hours:
- Open daily
- Opening and last-entry times vary seasonally
Price: £££
The National Marine Aquarium is the largest aquarium in the United Kingdom and one of Plymouth’s strongest family attractions.
Its tanks focus on marine environments from Plymouth Sound to the Atlantic and tropical seas. Sharks, rays, jellyfish, seahorses and reef species appear across several themed zones.
The aquarium is operated by the Ocean Conservation Trust, so conservation, education and marine research are central to the experience.
Pro tip:
Check the daily talk and feeding schedule on arrival, then plan the route around the sessions that interest you most.
7. Tour Plymouth Gin Distillery
Business details
Address
60 Southside Street, Plymouth PL1 2LQ
Operating hours:
- Tour and bar hours vary
- Advance booking is recommended
Price: £££
Plymouth Gin has been produced at the Black Friars Distillery since the 18th century. The building itself is older and forms an important part of the Barbican’s historic fabric.
Guided tours explain the ingredients, distillation process and development of the Plymouth Gin style. Tastings and cocktail experiences are available depending on the tour selected.
The distillery’s long connection with the Royal Navy and maritime trade makes it especially relevant to the city.
Pro tip:
Book in advance for weekend visits and allow extra time to explore the Barbican before or after the tour.
Maritime and architectural experiences
8. Explore Royal William Yard
Business details
Address
Royal William Yard, Plymouth PL1 3RP
Operating hours:
- Public waterfront areas are accessible throughout the day
- Individual businesses keep separate hours
Price: Free to explore
Royal William Yard is one of the finest groups of former naval victualling buildings in Britain.
The grand 19th-century warehouses and courtyards once supplied the Royal Navy with food and equipment. Today, the site contains restaurants, galleries, homes, offices and waterfront spaces.
Its architecture is monumental, while the views across the Tamar and towards Mount Edgcumbe add to the appeal.
Pro tip:
Visit in the late afternoon and stay for dinner, when the waterfront and stone buildings are at their most atmospheric.
9. Take a guided tour of the Royal Citadel
Business details
Address
The Hoe, Plymouth PL1 2PD
Operating hours:
- Guided tours only
- Booking is essential
- Dates are limited because the site remains in military use
Price: ££
The Royal Citadel is a vast 17th-century fortress built to defend Plymouth Sound and control the strategically important harbour.
The site remains in active military use, so public access is available only through organised guided tours. Visitors can learn about the fortress walls, bastions, military history and its continuing role.
The elevated position provides excellent views across the Sound.
Pro tip:
Book well in advance and carry the identification requested by the operator. Casual walk-in access is not available.
10. Visit the Elizabethan House
Business details
Address
32 New Street, Plymouth PL1 2NA
Operating hours:
- Opening days and timed sessions vary
- Check The Box website before travelling
Price: ££
The Elizabethan House is one of the oldest surviving domestic buildings in Plymouth’s Barbican.
Immersive interpretation follows the lives of people connected with the house across several centuries. Sound, projection and reconstructed rooms bring the narrow timber-framed building to life.
The attraction is small but atmospheric and offers a useful contrast with Plymouth’s larger maritime museums.
Pro tip:
Book a timed entry and be prepared for narrow stairs and uneven historic floors.
11. Take a boat trip around Plymouth Sound
Business details
Address
Departures from the Barbican and Royal William Yard
Operating hours:
- Seasonal
- Sailings depend on weather and sea conditions
Price: ££ to £££
A boat trip provides the clearest view of Plymouth’s maritime setting.
Routes may pass the Hoe, Drake’s Island, naval dockyards, Mount Edgcumbe, the breakwater and parts of Plymouth Sound National Marine Park. Longer trips may continue up the River Tamar or towards nearby coastal villages.
The experience reveals the scale of the harbour and the relationship between the city, navy and open sea.
Pro tip:
Check the exact route before booking. Harbour cruises, naval dockyard trips and coastal excursions offer very different experiences.
Outdoor things to do in Plymouth
12. Swim at Tinside Lido
Business details
Address
Hoe Road, Plymouth PL1 3DE
Operating hours:
- Seasonal opening, usually during the warmer months
- Session times vary
Price: £
Tinside Lido is a restored Art Deco seawater swimming pool set directly into the foreshore below Plymouth Hoe.
Its curved terraces, striped decoration and views across the Sound make it one of Britain’s most distinctive outdoor pools.
The pool is unheated, so even summer swimming can feel cold.
Pro tip:
Book popular sessions in advance and bring warm clothing for after the swim.
13. Walk the South West Coast Path
Business details
Address
Access from Plymouth Hoe, Jennycliff and surrounding coastal areas
Operating hours:
- Public rights of way are generally accessible throughout the year
- Weather and path conditions can affect sections
Price: Free
Plymouth sits directly on the South West Coast Path, providing access to coastal scenery in both directions.
Shorter options include the waterfront between the Barbican, Hoe and Royal William Yard. More ambitious walkers can travel towards Jennycliff, Wembury or the Rame Peninsula using ferries and connecting paths.
The changing mix of urban waterfront, cliffs, beaches and estuary landscapes makes the route unusually varied.
Pro tip:
Check ferry times before planning a one-way walk, especially around Mount Edgcumbe and the Rame Peninsula.
14. Relax in Central Park
Business details
Address
Outland Road, Plymouth PL2
Operating hours:
- Open daily
Price: Free
Central Park is Plymouth’s largest urban green space and sits north of the city centre.
The park contains broad lawns, sports areas, walking and cycling paths, play facilities and woodland. Home Park, the stadium of Plymouth Argyle, occupies part of the wider site.
It provides a quieter alternative to the busy waterfront and works particularly well for families or local visitors.
Pro tip:
Combine the park with a football match or event at Home Park when fixtures align with your visit.
Strong nearby experiences
15. Visit Mount Edgcumbe House and Country Park
Business details
Address
Cremyll, Torpoint, Cornwall PL10 1HZ
Operating hours:
- Country park open throughout the year
- House, garden and facility hours vary seasonally
Price: Free park access, with charges for the house and selected areas
Mount Edgcumbe sits across the Tamar from Plymouth and is reached most memorably by passenger ferry from Stonehouse.
The estate contains landscaped parkland, coastal paths, formal gardens, historic buildings and views back towards Plymouth Sound.
The combination of ferry journey, country estate and coast makes this one of the strongest half-day or full-day trips from the city.
Pro tip:
Use the Cremyll Ferry and check the final return sailing before setting out on a longer walk.
16. Explore Saltram
Business details
Address
Saltram, Plymouth PL7 1UH
Operating hours:
- House, garden and estate hours vary by date and season
- Check the National Trust calendar before travelling
Price: £££ for house and garden, free for National Trust members; parkland access may be free with parking charges
Saltram is an elegant Georgian house set within parkland beside the River Plym.
The interiors contain paintings, furniture and decorative collections assembled by the Parker family. Outside, formal gardens, woodland and estate paths provide views across the estuary.
The parkland is popular with local walkers and can be enjoyed independently of the house on many days.
Pro tip:
Check whether the house is open on your chosen date. Estate access and interior opening do not always follow the same schedule.
17. Take a day trip to Dartmoor
Business details
Address
Dartmoor National Park, Devon
Operating hours:
- Open countryside is accessible throughout the year
- Visitor centres and car parks have separate hours
Price: Free to explore, with charges for parking and selected attractions
Dartmoor begins within easy reach of Plymouth and offers granite tors, wooded valleys, reservoirs, archaeological sites and open moorland.
Popular options from Plymouth include Burrator Reservoir, Yelverton, Princetown and the Upper Plym Valley. The latter contains hundreds of prehistoric, medieval and later archaeological sites across a dramatic moorland landscape.
Public transport reaches selected locations, but a car or organised tour provides greater flexibility.
Pro tip:
Carry waterproof clothing, food, water and a reliable map. Dartmoor weather can change quickly even when Plymouth is clear.
How to make the most of a visit to Plymouth
Plymouth’s central waterfront is easy to explore on foot. A strong first-day route begins at the Barbican and Mayflower Steps, continues through Sutton Harbour and up to the Hoe, then finishes at Smeaton’s Tower or Tinside Lido.
The Box and National Marine Aquarium each deserve separate time. The aquarium works naturally with the Barbican, while The Box is closer to the city centre and railway station.
Royal William Yard is best treated as a separate late-afternoon or evening destination. Mount Edgcumbe can be reached by ferry from nearby Stonehouse, creating an easy extension to the waterfront.
Plymouth’s maritime attractions are weather dependent. Boat trips, lido sessions and coastal walks should be checked on the day, while indoor options such as The Box and the aquarium provide reliable alternatives.
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George Davies
Regional and city guide writer
George covers location led guides, city roundups, regional comparisons, attractions, markets, museums and practical local recommendations.