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Massachusetts > State > Where to Visit > See Plymouth County

See Plymouth County, MA

America's Hometown for over 400 years!

Step into the country's past in America's Hometown of Plymouth, MA on your New England trip! Visit Plimoth Patuxet Museums and the tall ship Mayflower II, where the stories of New England's first European settlers comes to life. Experience the recreated English Village, the Native Wampanoag Homesite, and board the reproduction 17th-century merchant ship that brought these hearty souls to the "New World".

As you'll discover, the history is just the beginning in Plymouth, MA area. You'll also find great places to get outdoors to explore, have some family fun, enjoy a great meal or live entertainment. The ocean is always present, offering the chance for a fishing trip, sunset cruise, or day at the beach, There's great shopping in the area too, from outlets to boutiques to farm shops & markets. And when the day's done, there's lovely inns and resorts in the area to choose for a good rest.

Plymouth Quick Links:
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Mayflower II - Photo Credit Plimoth Patuxet Museums- Plymouth County, MA

The Mayflower II

Around Plymouth County & The South Shore

Life along the Massachusetts South Shore is lovely any time of year. These typical New England towns with church steeples and town greens will make your drive a comfy, relaxing experience especially when you find the perfect place to rest. Amble along the downtown streets where unique one-of-a-kind shops offer treasures, gifts and memorabilia.

  • John & Priscilla Alden made their home in the Town of Duxbury, MA where visitors are always welcome and encouraged to explore this historic site.
  • The Metrosouth region of Plymouth County has one of the finest craft museums in the country, the Fuller Craft Museum in Brockton, MA.
  • While there, head downtown to see the incredible Civil War era architecture of City Hall or take in the history of the city's shoemaking claim to fame at the Brockton Historical Society.
View of Inn at Scituate Harbor from the Water - Scituate, MA

Inn at Scituate Harbor, Scituate, MA

Cranberry Country

A colorful outdoor experience awaits in Cranberry Country where area farms in the towns of Plymouth, Carver, Acushnet, Freetown and Wareham, MA provide visitors with a view of fall harvesting of this truly American berry.

  • Log on to Cranberries.org to see what Massachusetts Cranberries has in store at our local cranberry bogs and harvest tours.
  • Also in the area is Miles Standish State Forest, an expansive area with trails for hiking, biking and wildlife peeking, lakes with beaches for swimming or fishing, and a few campsites to complete the experience.
  • Families return regularly to enjoy Edaville Family Theme Park in Carver, MA, which open year-round and quite affordable!
Cranberry Growers in the Bog - Plymouth County, MA

Eat and Drink

Plymouth, MA restaurants are a treat for hungry visitors as well as locals.

  • While on your stroll along Plymouth Harbor, head to lunch at an outdoor picnic table or open-deck seating at one of the many restaurants on Town Wharf. It's here that you'll find the Lobster Hut and Wood's Seafood - some of the most basic and best New England seafood dining experiences.
  • Near the wharf on Water Street is where you can find the Shops at Village Landing - a collection of boutiques, restaurants and eateries. This is where you'll find Salt Restaurant, which features an extensive raw+sushi bar. Also nearby is Local Roots, an eatery with a water view, great food and a selection of smoothies and cocktails.
  • Head up to Court Street and find cozy corners, full-out formal dining, or outdoor patios. A great spot to check out is the Food Court Craft Kitchen, which has a widely varied menu that changes seasonally. And a craft bar, too. If you're looking for something more formal, Martini's Bar and Grill is the spot.

Whether fresh seafood, a variety of ethnic choices, casual dining, or a formal experience, your culinary curiosity will be satisfied in this historic town.

Lobster for Everybody at the Lobster Hut - Plymouth, MA - See Plymouth County, MA

Historic Museums

Plymouth County's museums bring the history of the area and its people to present time for you to experience.

Plymouth County has been welcoming visitors since the Mayflower Pilgrims arrived in 1620. If you haven't made it here, you owe it to yourself to experience a piece of Americana that has long held the heart and history of New England. Treat yourself and See Plymouth!

Fuller Craft Museum


See Plymouth County, Mass.!

Sponsored by the Massachusetts Office of Tourism

Featured in Plymouth

Inn at Scituate Harbor

Inn at Scituate Harbor

All the comforts of a New England Inn – Take in the colorful sunrise over picturesque Scituate harbor while viewing Scituate Lighthouse and the Keepers Cottage.

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Town of Plymouth

Town of Plymouth

Visit America’s Hometown where the Mayflower landed this summer, and enjoy the historic Thanksgiving Parade, over 400 years after the First Thanksgiving.

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Exploring
Outdoors in Plymouth

Outdoors

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Monuments of Plymouth

Monuments

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Golfing in Plymouth

Golf

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Visiting
Places to Stay in Plymouth

Stay

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Where to Play in Plymouth

Play

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Beer, Wine, Spirits and more in Plymouth

Drinks

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Historic USS Salem Photo - Discover Quincy - Quincy, MA
Discover Quincy

City of Quincy Welcome Center - 1259 Hancock Street Quincy, MA, 02169 Phone: 617-471-1700

History buffs, hikers, beach-lovers, foodies: Everyone loves the activities, attractions, dining in Quincy

From history buffs to hikers, everyone finds something fun to do in Quincy. Visit the Adams homesteads, the first presidential library or the Abigail Adams Cairn where Abigail and her son, John Quincy, watched the Battle of Bunker Hill. Go aboard the USS Salem to visit the U.S. Naval Shipbuilding Museum. Hike or bike the beautiful Blue Hills Reservation, with astonishing views of the Boston skyline, or the Presidents Trail, an urban walking trail that goes by historic landmarks, shops and eateries. Take a harbor cruise or launch your kayak or canoe. In winter, go skiing or ice skating. In summer, soak up the sun at the Quincy Shores Reservation. Dine on international cuisine from Mexican and Italian to Japanese and Vietnamese.
Salem Witch Museum with Roger Conant - Photo Credit North of Boston CVB
Salem Witch Museum

19 1/2 Washington Square North Salem, MA, 01970 Phone: 978-744-1692

Salem, too, has a dramatic 17th-century history, as witch trials museum demonstrates

Plymouth is not the only town with a dramatic 17th-century history. When you are done exploring this South Shore town’s history, take a drive up to the North Shore, where the Salem Witch Museum is one of many sites that focus on the dark time that fell upon that town during the 1692 witch trials. Through 13 life-size stage sets, figures, dramatic lighting and narration, visitors will become familiar with the stories of the 20 individuals executed for witchcraft and the hysteria that led to the trials. Another exhibit, “Witches: Evolving Perceptions,” examines the meaning behind the word “witch” and discusses the kind of scapegoating and injustice, and witch-hunting, that endure today. There is a museum store with spell books, tarot cards and apparel. Parking garages are nearby.
The Steamship Authority - Woods Hole and Hyannis to Martha's Vineyard & Nantucket, MA
The Steamship Authority

Your classic island vacation is just a few miles and a scenic ferry journey away

If you’re ready for some island life, head south to Cape Cod and the vessels of the Steamship Authority. Ferries to Martha’s Vineyard, MA leave from Woods Hole, MA; Nantucket, MA ferries, including the seasonal high-speed passenger ferry, leave from Hyannis, MA. Traveling by ferry is a comfortable, convenient and scenic way to visit these beautiful islands. Pets are welcome, as are bikes and surfboards! Both islands have gorgeous beaches, great dining and shopping along cobblestone streets, vibrant arts scenes and activities from kayaking and sailing to golf and sightseeing tours. Don’t miss the Oak Bluffs, MA gingerbread houses, Flying Horses carousel (the nation’s oldest) and the red clay Aquinnah Cliffs on the Vineyard and the Nantucket Whaling Museum, Loines Observatory and movies on Children’s Beach on Nantucket. For more information visit SteamshipAuthority.com.
Whale 500x250 - Captain John Whale Watch & Fishing Tours - Plymouth, MA
Captain John Boats

10 Town Wharf Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-2643

Plymouth shines from the decks of these comfortable charter and cruise vessels

See Plymouth from a unique perspective when you board one of the vessels at Captain John Boats. Take a harbor cruise on the Pilgrim Belle paddlewheel boat, soaking up the sun on deck or relaxing inside the climate-controlled cabin with galley service and a full bar. You’ll see the Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock and other sites as you cruise by. Or, head out onto sparkling Cape Cod Bay on a whale watch or deep-sea fishing excursion. Whale-watch cruises aim to get you up close and personal to humpbacks, minkes, dolphins and other ocean denizens. Fishing cruises get you up close and personal to haddock, cod and flounder! You can also take a fast ferry to Provincetown, getting you to the Cape's furthest point in 90 minutes.

Fast Ferry to Provincetown available from June thru September
1620 Winery at Cordage Park - Plymouth, MA - Where Rustic Marries Elegance. Click here to plan your wedding or event.
Plimoth Patuxet - A Living American History Museum in Plymouth, MA
Captain John Whale Watching and Fishing Tours
Summer Shopping 500x250 - Destination Plymouth - Plymouth, MA
See Plymouth

4 North Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-0100 Toll-Free: 800-872-1620

In walkable Plymouth, you can enjoy several activities, fun attractions, every day

History tops the list of attractions in Plymouth, of course! There’s the magnificent Mayflower II, Plymouth Rock, the Pilgrim Hall Museum, and the replica English village and Wampanoag Homesite at the Plimoth Patuxet Museums. But that’s just the beginning: There’s also whale-watching, pirate and harbor cruises, ghost tours, great beaches, parks with extensive hiking and biking trails, sea kayaking and lots of special events, from arts festivals to Thanksgiving and Fourth of July celebrations. Lodging is plentiful (many hotels have pools; one has a water park), and there is every kind of dining you can imagine. In the winter, there’s ice skating, cross-country skiing in nearby parks. So many fun activities are within walking distance of each other, you can enjoy several in a single day.
Olde English Villagers - Plimoth Patuxet - Plymouth, MA
Plimoth Patuxet Museums

137 Warren Avenue Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-1622

Experience Plymouth life in the 17th century at this hands-on, engaging museum

See history in a new light at Plimoth Patuxet Museums, where contemporary interpreters and hands-on experiences take visitors back in time to the 17th century. The Museum includes the Historic Patuxet Homesite, where you can sit on fur-lined benches inside a wetu while learning about Wampanoag culture and lifeways; and the 17th-Century English Village, with timber-framed houses, aromatic kitchen gardens and heritage-breed livestock will immerse you in early Plymouth Colony. Kids can play a role in a muster drill, learn colonial games, or help scoop out the insides of a dugout canoe with a clam shell. In the harbor, step aboard the magnificent Mayflower II, then walk along the path beside Town Brook to the Plimoth Grist Mill to see cornmeal being ground.
Sunset View from the Water - Inn at Scituate Harbor - Scituate, MA
Inn at Scituate Harbor

7 Beaver Dam Road Scituate Harbor, MA, 02066 Phone: 781-545-5550 Toll-Free: 877-477-5550

Scituate inn, right on the harbor, shows off another charming seaside town

Right up the coast from Plymouth is another charming New England town, with harbor views not to be missed, great shops and restaurants. And right in the heart of Scituate is the Inn at Scituate Harbor, the perfect seaside respite. Since all 28 rooms and one suite face the water, you’re guaranteed to wake to a magnificent sunrise and amazing views over the harbor, with the famous lighthouse in the distance. Enjoy your continental breakfast on the deck while you plan your day. Stroll down Front Street, with its eclectic shops, choose from a variety of restaurants, many with water views. Walk a nature trail, golf the public course, go kayaking, head to one of five beaches, or swim in the inn’s heated indoor pool.
Spring Entrance View - Pilgrim Hall Museum - Plymouth, MA
Pilgrim Hall Museum

75 Court Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-746-1620

Museum in the heart of downtown Plymouth displays everyday objects of the Pilgrims

In the heart of historic downtown Plymouth, Pilgrim Hall Museum houses an extraordinary variety of everyday objects from the 17th century, including William Bradford’s Bible; the cradle brought by expectant mother Susanna White on the Mayflower, where her son was born; and the earliest sampler made in America, embroidered by Myles Standish’s daughter, Loara. Objects and exhibits also reflect the experiences of the Wampanoag, the indigenous people who inhabited the area. The nation’s oldest continuously operating public museum, the Pilgrim Hall Museum features mini-films on Plymouth County history as well as 17th century furniture and a gallery of original artworks, including Edward Moran’s “The Signing of the Compact in the Cabin of the Mayflower.” Check the website for changing, temporary exhibits and special events.
The Inn at Scituate Harbor - All the Comforts of a New England Inn!
King & Sofa Sleeper - Hotel 1620 - Plymouth, MA
Hotel 1620 at Plymouth Harbor

180 Water Street Plymouth, MA, 02360 Phone: 508-747-4900 Toll-Free: 866-719-8185

Hotel is a short walk to historic sites, great dining, fun shopping and gorgeous water views

See all that Plymouth has to offer – much of it a short walk away – when you stay at the Hotel 1620 Plymouth Harbor. Just across the street from the bay, the hotel has a sparkling indoor pool, refreshing after a day visiting Plymouth Rock, the Mayflower II, the Pilgrim Hall Museum and other historic sites. Go on a whale watch right out of the harbor. Or take a short walk along Town Brook, through lovely Brewster Gardens, to the Plimoth Grist Mill with its giant waterwheel. And it’s a short drive to the Plimoth Patuxet Museums, where you will be immersed into the lives of the Pilgrims and the Wampanoag people. The hotel, with spacious rooms and suites, is surrounded by great restaurants and fun shops.

Discovery Quincy, MA - The City of Presidents! Click here to visit or learn more Pilgrim Hall Museum - America's Museum of Pilgrim Possessions - Plymouth, MASunset Cruise & Harbor Views! - See Plymouth, MA!