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The Mayflower II in Plymouth Harbor

Plymouth "America's Home Town", is in Massachusetts on the South Shore. Plymouth includes the villages of Cedarville, Manomet, North Plymouth and West Plymouth. It has the largest area of any town in Massachusetts -- about 100 mi² (259 km²). As the landing place of the Mayflower and its Pilgrims arriving from England in 1620, it was among the earliest settlements of Europeans in North America. Half the original colonists died during the first winter. A picturesque harbor is the backdrop for a trip into colonial history. In winter you'll want to dress warmly.

Understand

Once a largely blue-collar town supporting the fishing, shipbuilding and rope-making industries, in more recent years Plymouth has become more mixed. Advancements in transportation and large housing developments have brought many young parents who commute to Boston and retirees who appreciate the area's charms. Because of its history, tourism has always been a part of Plymouth. It is a favorite day-trip destination for many nearby New England residents, some of whom just come for a pleasant day walking around town. Others spend a day fishing or enjoying the bike trails or ponds of Myles Standish State Forest. It is also a great place to hire a fishing charter or whale watch, or, if staying, to explore Cape Cod or Boston.

September and October can be excellent times to visit. It is less crowded and is less hot and humid than the summer. September brings excellent fishing as the bluefish have fattened in more northern waters and are migrating back southward. In October the trees put on their colorful show and the air becomes crisp and cool. If you haven't seen a wet cranberry harvest, try to catch that at one of the many bogs in Plymouth or Carver. This area used to be the largest producer of cranberries until surpassed by Wisconsin in the late 1900s. Harvesting starts in late September. Plimoth Plantation, a "must see", is open daily until after Thanksgiving in late November.

The Pilgrim Mother

Of course, Thanksgiving is Plymouth's big day. The Pilgrims celebrated the first Thanksgiving dinner here in 1621 with their friend Massasoit, Sachem of the Wampanoags. However, it was first officially observed in 1637 upon return of members of Plymouth Colony who had gone to participate in a massacre of the Pequots at Mystic. A tenuous relationship between the colonists and the natives ensued until erupting in war for fourteen months of bitter bloodshed in King Philip's War in 1675. For several decades, Native American groups and their supporters have held their own "Day of Mourning" -- an attempt to reveal the darker side of colonial history often masked in the idyllic telling of the Thanksgiving story.

If you will be staying for a week, you'll want to make a day trip or two to Cape Cod for the charms it has to offer. Before Memorial Day or after Labor Day you may avoid the Cape's weekend traffic congestion which can be maddening at peak times.

Colonial and Pilgrim Genealogy

Plymouth receives many visitors year-round who are researching their ancestry. Whether seeking a tie to Mayflower colonists or not, a trip to Plymouth Public Library is worthwhile. The library (at 132 South St.) maintains a large room dedicated to genealogy. Of course, for those seeking information about the Mayflower Pilgrims, the General Society of Mayflower Descendants (4 Winslow St.) is the recognized authority and has plenty of resources. There are also plenty of graveyards to wander through (real genealogists enjoy that). As one cemetery superintendent was heard to say, "People have been dying here for a long time."

  • Plymouth runs a staffed Visitor Information Center, 130 Water St., +1 508-747-7525 or +1-800-USA-1620. Maps, postcards, cameras, rest rooms. They also sell tickets to tours and cruises.
  • Town Wharf, a location for many harbor excursions and restaurants is across Water Street from the Visitor Info Center. The wharf area extends north from there.
  • The major local newspaper (published W,Sa) is the Old Colony Memorial, Memorial Press Group, 9 Long Pond Rd, +1 508-746-5555.

Plymouth vs. Plimoth - No you are not seeing things on Water Street if you notice a sign giving directions to Plimoth Rock and Plymouth Town Hall. "Plimoth", the old English spelling, is sometimes used to denote a historic site (e.g. Plimoth Plantation). Town sites will be spelled Plymouth Town Hall, Plymouth Courthouse, etc. Thus, you may notice an exit sign from Pilgrims Highway that reads "Plymouth / Plimoth Plantation."

Get in

By car

Plymouth is not quite an hour south of Boston via Interstate Rt. 93 and Rt. 3 (exit 6A). It is also possible to exit off Rt. 3 anywhere and head east to Rt. 3a south for a more scenic (and slower) trip. It is also about an hour and a quarter drive from Providence, RI which makes that a reasonable regional airport access to Southeastern Massachusetts.

Parking -- Plymouth has a new system at town lots. You buy a ticket from machines at the yellow pay stations and place it on your dashboard. Try to have dollar bills and quarters available if you plan on parking at Town Wharf or elsewhere downtown. Be sure to add time to the extent you want before putting your money in the machine. Change is not always given by the machines.

By plane

Plymouth Municipal Airport (PYM IATA), 246 South Meadow Road, +1 508-746-8003, [1]. Small, regional airport. Most travelers would fly into Boston's Logan International Airport (BOS IATA) or Warwick, Rhode Island's T.F. Greene Airport (PVD IATA).

By train

Take the Plymouth/Kingston line from Boston's South Station on the MBTA Commuter Rail, until terminal at Plymouth station. Trains alternate on this line, ending either at Kingston or Plymouth. The Plymouth terminal is at Cordage Park, about a mile away from the main tourist area. From there you can take a GATRA bus [2] or call a taxi.

By bus

Plymouth and Brockton Street Railway Co., 8 Industrial Park Rd., +1 508-746-0378, [3]. Connects Boston and the southeastern Massachusetts seaboard including Cape Cod. There is an express bus connecting to Logan airport in Boston.

By boat

  • Harbormaster, Town Wharf, +1 508-830-4182, (VHF Channel 16),[4]. Some great aerial pictures of the harbor at this web page--scroll down.
  • Plymouth Brewer Marine, Union Street, +1 508-746-4500, [5]. Full service boat yard.

Get around

  • The main tourism areas of downtown and "waterfront" are very walkable. Pick up the pamphlet, Pilgrim Path, A Walk Through History at the Visitor Center on Water St. near Al's Restaurant.
  • The GATRA Busses Phone:+1 508-801-2300,[6]. M-F 6:20AM-6:10PM, Sa,Su 8:20AM-6:10PM. Runs several routes from downtown. Wheelchair accessible.
  • Plymouth Rock Trolley, 51 Liberty St, +1 508 747-4161. M-F 6:20AM-6:10PM;SaSu 8:20AM-6:10PM, has an all day fare and offers a one hour narrated historical tour loop in Plymouth departing from Plymouth Rock.
  • Bettyann's Tours of Plymouth, departs from the Visitor Center on Water St. or will pick you up, +1 508-224-6469, E-mail: bettyanns.tours@verizon.net, [7]. Personalized tours. Offers a rare on-site look at the inside workings of the cranberry harvest starting late September.

Driving itineraries

Outside the downtown area, Plymouth is a collection of villages.

  • TO THE SOUTH - Coastline

Driving on Route 3A south from downtown you'll drive past some grand houses with a direct view of the harbor; over the "Pine Hills"; then down past Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant into Manomet. Grab an ice cream at Gellars (a long-time institution) then follow the sign left off 3A to White Horse Beach. You'll bend to the right (south) along the beach and drive past the packed-in patchwork of cottages. Be sure to notice the white horse in someone's yard on the right. When you reach the end go left and park behind the Lobster Pound (live lobsters and other seafood goodies available inside) at Manomet Point. The point is a nice place to stop and view the coastline. When leaving go left on Point Rd, following it back to a left back onto Rt. 3A. Continue heading south past Marshland Restaurant, then past Indian Brook School. To get some nice views of the coast take lefts at Center Hill Road (across from Belleview Dr.) and Ellisville Road (look for Ellisville Harbor State Park -- stop there to stretch your legs if you like) to enjoy some nice views of the coast. Both roads rejoin Rt 3A. Ellisville Road skirts a wonderful salt tidal marsh, home to various birds including Great Blue Herons. Further on a couple of swans float serenely in a pond.

View from Ellisville Harbor State Park

Go left and soon you are in the small village of Cedarville. On a hot summer day the temperature is usually about 10°F (6°C) cooler here than downtown due to the nice sea breeze. The British Beer Company is the local watering hole and family restaurant. For a hearty breakfast and /or nice pastries try The Blueberry Muffin. The Cape Cod Canal is now just two miles further south (see Wikivoyage's article on Bourne). If you decide to go there, take Herring Pond Road to your right and go under the highway (Rt. 3). The road bends by Great Herring Pond and ends in Bourndale village at the Herring Run rest area adjacent to the Canal. (The herring run during April and early May.) There are you can park your car at the recreation area and stroll along the canal or visit the Corps of Engineers' facility (with rest rooms). If it's a cool fall day you might just spot a harbor seal.

  • TO THE WEST - Forests and ponds

From the south end of downtown take Summer Street (Main St. to Market St.) past the John Carver Inn on your right and Sparrow House and Jenny Pond on your left. Proceed up the hill past the old houses that crowd the street. When you see Amos Hill Road on your right, prepare to take the next left onto Billington Street. The road winds alongside Town Brook on its left. The freshwater availability of Town Brook was an important reason for the Pilgrim's selection of this site.

Pass under the old concrete underpass of Rt. 3 and you will see Morton Park Road straight ahead. This is a dirt road that circles Little Pond and skirts one side of Billington Sea (bear right at the split after the little cranberry bog on your left) leading to the paved parking area. Get oriented here so that you can find the way back out the way you came in.

Leaving Morton Park the way you came in, take a right back onto Billington Street. The forests here are among Plymouth's oldest and best and soon you pass Lout Pond, for years a drinking water source, on your right. Several stately homes have been built in here to take advantage of the relative seclusion. Soon you will have an expanse of cranberry bogs on both sides. They are often flooded in cold weather to protect the plants, or to float the berries if they are wet harvested. Billington Street becomes Watercourse Road and later Rocky Pond Road, but chances are that you won't notice either. Little South Pond soon appears on the left at the intersection with Drew Road, and then you see Watercourse Place on your right. This begins a long drive through the scrub pines into the Myles Standish State Forest. Eventually you will see a 25MPH speed sign followed by a sharp curve.

That's Curlew Pond on the right and Widgeon Pond on the left. Up ahead Rocky Pond Rd goes off to the right and you continue on Bare Hill Road, a long winding road through the scrub pines. Around dawn or dusk it wouldn't be unusual to see deer along here. Still, the unchanging landscape, broken only by the occasional high power line, can be mindnumbing even though it's only for a couple miles.

After all this you will be ready for the sharp left onto Lower College Pond Road. Immediately you are rewarded with New Long Pond lapping up to the road on your right like an old friend. There is usually someone fishing from the roadside here. This area exhibits many "kettle ponds" common to southeastern Massachusetts and Cape Cod. They were formed when the glaciers retreated, leaving ice chunks in the sand. The road becomes a fun rollercoaster, but be cautious in here as there are often pedestrians or bicyclists. Further on you will see the low brown fence surrounding the parking area ($5) at College Pond. The parking fee will be worth it if you brought your swimsuit or a picnic lunch, or just need a place to get out after your trip through the scrub pines.

Continuing on (right out of the parking lot) you come to a stop and then go straight ahead on Alden Road. At the end, go left on Long Pond Road which gradually gets you back to civilization as we now know it, just south of downtown. Or, for more scenic viewing, at the sharp curve take a right onto Jordan Road (which later becomes Clifford Rd). At the end of this go left on Warren Av., north along the coast to return to downtown.

See

Portico over Plymouth Rock from Cole's Hill
  • Plymouth Harbor and Plymouth Rock, Water St. Always available. The famous rock commemorates the landing of the Pilgrims. Please note, locals will roll their eyes if you express disappointment with the small size of the rock. Understand that in New England kids aren't taught that "the pilgrims landed at Plymouth Rock", they're taught that the Mayflower passengers eventually landed in the harbor of what they soon named the Plymouth Colony, in what is today Plymouth, Massachusetts. The rock is nothing more than a crude memorial marker to the landing, it has no verifiable historical significance, not to mention ships don't generally land on rocks if they can help it. Being disappointed that Plymouth rock is a small and largely unremarkable rock (or that "[you] got rocks bigger'n that in your backyard") will not endear you to the townsfolk. Think of it as visiting the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem and getting bent out of shape that the silver star in the grotto wasn't shiny enough.
  • Pilgrim Hall Museum, 75 Court St. (Rt. 3A) (at Chison St.), +1 508 746-1620, fax: +1 508-747-4228, . Daily except Christmas and January 9:30AM-4:30PM. Free parking. A gallery museum displaying the actual possessions of the Pilgrims as well as temporary exhibits related to Plymouth history. $7 for adults, $6 for senior citizens (62+) and AAA members, $4 for children 5-17, families (2 adults with their children aged 5-17) are $20. Adult and family residents of Plymouth, Massachusetts, are admitted free.
  • 1749 Court House & Museum, Town Square, +1 508 830-4075. The oldest wooden courthouse in America. Vintage firetruck inside.
Burial Hill
  • Burial Hill, Behind First Church at the top of Leyden St (Climb steps to right of First Church.). One of the oldest cemeteries in America containing many early settlers and some interesting epitaphs. Nice high spot with a view of the harbor. Some old cannons there, too. Free admission.
  • Jabez Howland House, 33 Sandwich Av., +1 508 746-9590. The only existing house in which it is known that the Pilgrims lived.
  • Jenny Grist Mill, 6 Spring Ln (off Summer St., a short walk away from the waterfront), +1 508 747-4544. An authentic working mill rebuilt on the site of the original 1636 mill. Tours and exhibits.
  • 1640 Richard Sparrow House, 42 Summer St, +1 508 747-1240. Th-Tu 10AM-5PM. Right near the Jenny Grist mill. One of the oldest houses. Displays and sells work of local artisan jewelry, pottery and more.
  • Mayflower II and dockside exhibits, State Pier, Water St. 9AM-5PM. A reproduction of the Mayflower of Pilgrim fame. Affiliated with Plimoth Plantation. Tickets are sold packaged with Plimoth Plantation admission. Adults $28; Children (6-12) $18; Senior Citizens (62 and over) $25; Plimoth Pass - 2 adults and up to 4 children ages 6-17 $110..
  • Mayflower Society House, 4 Winslow St, +1 508 746-3188. M-F 10AM-3:30PM. Run by the Society of Mayflower Descendents, a beautiful 1750s house and the authoratative library on Pilgrim genealogy.
  • National Monument to the Forefathers, Allerton St (off Court Street). An intricately carved granite monument standing over 80 ft (24 m) tall. Within walking distance of downtown.
  • 1670 Harlow Old Fort House Museum, 117 Sandwich St, +1 508 746-0012. A working museum and craft center.
  • Hedge House Museum, 126 Water St, +1 508 746-0012. Needlework and clothing exhibits.
  • Plymouth Colony Winery, 56 Pinewood Rd (Three miles west of Rt 3, Exit 6), +1 508 747-3334. May-Dec M-Sa 10AM-5PM, Su noon-5PM; Feb-Apr Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. Picturesque winery features working cranberry bogs and vineyards in West Plymouth. Sample cranberry, blended and other wines at a free tour and tasting.

Art Galleries

Do

  • Plimoth Plantation, 137 Warren Av., +1 508 746-1622. Mar 22-Nov 30 9AM-5:30PM. A historical farm and educational site renowned among academic historians and history-recreation buffs alike. Includes a 1627 living history reenactment of early colonial life where one can interact with colonists who stay in character. You may ask them questions if you can get their attention away from that log they are notching or the garden they are tending. Enter their small, smokey homes and feel a bit of what it was really like. Also a recreation of a Wampanoag homesite of the period and a 17th century craft center. Gardeners will love Plimoth Plantation. This is a place worth a daytrip or even overnight, and has a lot of education and amusement to offer. Tickets are sold packaged with Mayflower II admission. Adults $28; Children (6-12) $18; Senior Citizens (62 and over) $25; Plimoth Pass - 2 adults and up to 4 children ages 6-17 $110..
  • Dead of Night Ghost Tours, +1 508-866-7171. Twilight lantern tour through cemeteries and haunted historical areas. Scavenger hunt for the young and young at heart.
  • Pirate Cruise, Town Wharf, +1 508 746-5342. Aye, maties, it's the pirate cruise--something for the kiddies: Pirate hat, face paint, and water cannons!!! Ages 4-11. Sorry, dad.
  • Myles Standish State Forest, Off Long Pond Rd, +1 508 866-2526. With 15 mi (24 km) of bicycle trails, 35 mi (56 km) of equestrian trails and 13 mi (21 km) of hiking trails, and several ponds to swim or canoe in, this park can exercise anyone. Trails go deep into the forest, which includes one of the largest pitch pine - scrub oak forests in New England and several "kettle" ponds. Hunting is allowed during the season, and two Wildlife Management Areas within the forest are stocked with game birds in October and November. In the summer, the staff runs interpretive programs, such as pondshore walks and cranberry bog explorations. No off-road vehicles allowed. No motorized boats.
  • Pinewoods Camp, 80 Cornish Field Rd, +1 508 224-4858. Attend or participate in a folk music and folk dance workshop camp session. (Advance registration required)
  • Pilgrim Belle Cruises, Mayflower II State Pier, Plymouth, +1 508-747-3434. Cruise Plymouth Harbor aboard the Pilgrim Belle, a Mississippi-style paddlewheeler. Get a narrated account of this historic town and seaport and a mariner’s view of Plymouth Rock, Mayflower II, Plymouth Beach, Clarks Island and Gurnet Lighthouse. Pilgrim history, maritime lore and fascinating information about commercial fishing & lobstering await you on this 1-hour-and-15-minute cruise.

Events

A calendar of events is maintained Destination Plymouth County at: http://www.seeplymouth.com/events/all

Annual events:

  • Free Concerts on the Waterfront, by various bands are given Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights outdoors during the summer near Plymouth Rock.
  • July 4th Celebration, Plymouth Waterfront, The Plymouth Philharmonic Orchestra plays patriotic music followed by fireworks.
  • Blessing of the Fleet, Plymouth Harbor. Sunday, July 14 (2013), 11AM-3PM. "Blessing of the Fleet" at 1PM is a tradition asking for safety of mariners, good harvest from the sea, clean waters and good will and peace among peoples of the world. Activities throughout the day will include the. Also features a boat parade, a memorial service at the waterfront monument dedicated to "In Memory of Those Who Chose the Sea," refreshments, food, entertainment, nautical theme booths, displays, crab races, and rowing contests. Local bands provide entertainment. All boats, commercial or pleasure, are invited to decorate their boats and take part in this celebration.
  • Plymouth Antiquarian Society's Summer Fair. Hedge House, 126 Water Street, Saturday August 24, 2013, 10AM-3PM.
  • Waterfront Festival. Mid-late August (Saturday, Aug 24 in 2013). Live shows, crafts, children's activities and vendors.

Golf

  • Jones Course, 36 hole, 7175 yds, Par 72.
  • Nicklaus Course, 36 hole, 7243 yds, Par 72.
  • Championship Course, 27 hole, 7114 yds, Par 72.
  • Challenger Course, 27 hole, 2264 yds, Par 33.

Fishing

Saltwater fishing for bluefish and striped bass is excellent just off the coast of Plymouth in late summer and early fall. Many people simply surfcast off the jette in the harbor or from local beaches. Cod, haddock, pollock, tuna, mackerel, flounder, tautog and smelt are also caught in the area. There's a very busy concrete boat ramp next to Town Wharf. Several charterboat operations are available. Boat rentals and bait are available at Town Wharf for fishing in the harbor area. The nearby Cape Cod Canal in Bourne is another popular fishing spot.

It is said there are 365 ponds in Plymouth -- one for each day of the year. They range in size from "seasonal" to Great Herring Pond's 376 acres. Most have limited or no public access. A concrete boat ramp is maintained at Long Pond (on West Long Pond Road, about three quarters of a mile from Route 3's Exit 3). Long Pond is deepwater and is stocked with trout. Smallmouth and Largemouth Bass can also be caught there. Some boats can also be launched at the very shallow south end of Great Herring Pond. Fishing there is mainly for bass and pickerel. Herring run from the Cape Cod Canal to Great Herring Pond. Fishing is also possible throughout the Myles Standish State Forest in West Plymouth.

Fishing licenses are required for freshwater fishing and there are various fees for freshwater licenses according to age or resident status. Saltwater fishing does not require a license (shellfishing usually does), but there are regulations.

Beaches

SALTWATER

  • Plymouth Long Beach, Warren Av. (Route 3A) (south of downtown about 2.5 miles on left just before Bert's Stone Forge restaurant). Parking: $10; $15 weekends. Lifeguards, restrooms, food. A beach ferry is available for transportion to and from the limited access beach; inquiries can be made at Plymouth Watersport, 24 Town Wharf, +1 508-747-1577.
  • Whitehorse Beach, Take Rt. 3A south, go left at Rocky Hill Road. Follow to end, take a left onto White Horse Road look for parking on right. Parking: varies $2-$5 Occasional ice cream truck, no restrooms or lifeguards.
  • Scusset Beach, End of Meetinghouse Rd./Scusset Beach Rd. (Exit 1a off Rt 3), Sagamore Beach village in Bourne, +1 508-888-0859. State-run beach just north of the east end of the Canal and just south of Plymouth. Picnic tables, food, playground, rest rooms, lifeguard, camping area. Parking: $7 April–November or season pass $25.
  • Ellisville Harbor State Park, on Route 3A about 12 mi (19 km) south of downtown. Free parking, no facilities or lifeguards. Travel lightly - it's a walk to the water. A wonderful natural area to stroll. Many types of birds can be seen in the nearby marsh and along the beach dunes.

FRESHWATER

  • Morton Park, From downtown take Summer Street west, go about 1.5 miles first street on left. Parking fee: $5. $8 on weekends. Picnic tables, food, playground, lifeguards in summer.
  • College Pond, Take South Street and Long Pond Road (Rt. 3, Exit 5) for about 7 miles to Myles Standish State Forest. Enter state forest and follow signs to the pond. Parking: $5. Restrooms and lifeguard.
  • Fresh Pond, Take Route 3A south to Bartlett Rd, Manomet. Free parking, restrooms, lifeguards in summer.

Buy

  • Fried seafood or lobster someplace on Town Wharf.
  • Cranberry wine from Plymouth Winery, 170 Water St., +1 508-746-3532.
  • Salt water taffy from Miller's Country Store, Water St., +1 508-830-0824.
  • A souvenir from Village Landing Marketplace, 170 Water St., +1 508-747-5335.
  • Cranberry chocolates from Old North Street Tea & Curiosity Shop, 31 North St., +1 508-746-1014.
  • A glimpse of the future from Crystal Chambers, 66 Samoset St., +1 508-746-5532. Psychic palm and tarot card readings.
  • Step into the Magical World of Ishtar's Avalon, 65 Main St., +1 508-746-1092, [8]. Tarot and Rune readings, crystals, candles, wands, and more - Plymouth's Witch Shoppe.

Eat

Expect all listings to be year round. Smoking is not permitted in restaurants unless outdoors.

Casual Dining

  • Winslow Cafe, 65 Main St, +1 508 746-7773. Daily 8AM-3PM.. A quaint little cafe, nestled in an historic building downtown, serving breakfast and lunch, with full service catering available. The fine, weather-boarded gambrel house on the corner of Main and North Streets is one of the most significant houses in early American history. The house was originally constructed in 1726 by British General John Winslow (1703-1774). This cozy cafe offers an eclectic menu offering brie and tarragon omlettes, cranberry pecan pancakes, scones and crumpets.
  • Lobster Hut, 25 Town Wharf, +1 508 746-2270. Summer daily 11AM-9PM; winter daily 11AM-7PM.. Seafood at its best. Been doing it for years. Eat inside or out. If out, beware of hungry gulls. $5-$15.
  • Surfside Smokehouse, 14 Union St (at Brewer's Marine), +1 508 927-4111. Seasonal. Upstairs or more casual bar scene downstairs on the outside deck. American BBQ and seafood. Nice marina views. $15-$25.
  • East Bay Grille, 173 Water St (Right on the boat ramp adjacent to Plymouth's famous jetty), +1 508 746-9751. Spacious, nicely appointed seafood restaurant. Great for families during normal dinner hours, aforementioned spaciousness and enjoyable outdoor scenery make it ideal for parents with potentially fussy babies/children. The jetty is a perfect way to walk off your meal afterwards. $$.
  • All American Diner, 60 Court St, +1 508 747-4763. Lunch, Dinner daily 5:30AM to 2PM.. Breakfast served all day. 60s and 70s. Snowbird bluehead pit stop during the summer migration. Sides of tapioca pudding and tomato juice. Voted best breakfast in Plymouth!
  • Blue-Eyed Crab Grille and Raw Bar, 170 Water St (In Village Landing Marketplace), +1 508 747-6776. M 11:30AM-9PM; Tu,W 5PM-9PM; Th 5PM-10PM; F 11:30AM-10PM; Sa 12PM-10PM; Su 11:30AM-9PM (brunch from 11:30AM-3PM). Fresh seafood specials changing daily with a choice of toppings. Also miso salmon, rib eye steak, grilled jerk brick chicken, salads and burgers. Indoor and outdoor seating. Lunch and Dinner. $10-$21.
  • Cabbyshack Restaurant and Pub, 30 Town Wharf, +1 508 746-5354. Daily 11AM-1AM. Eat and or drink inside or out. Lively atmosphere on big outside decks (or eat inside in the A/C). Popular with the motorcycle crowd, but also good for kids. Raw bar. Entertainment most evenings.
  • Hearth 'n Kettle (at the John Carver Inn), 25 Summer St, +1 508 747-7405. Daily 7AM-10PM.
  • Isaac's on the Waterfront, 114 Water St, +1 508 830-0001. Lunch, dinner daily. Excellent view of the waterfront. Varied selection of steak, chicken, hamburg and seafood.
  • Sun Dynasty, 21 Memorial Dr, +1 508 746-7600. Your downtown Chinese option. . . not good.
  • Mama Mia's Restaurant, 122 Water St, +1 508 747-4670. Daily 11AM-11PM. Long time local Italian favorite. Probably the best pizza on the South Shore or Cape.
  • New Tokyo Japanese Restaurant, 4 Home Depot Dr, +1 508 830-3888. Grill seating available to watch the chef show. $15-$25.
  • Sam Diego's Mexican Cookery & Bar (51 Main Street), +1 508 747-0048. 11:30AM-1AM. Mexican and Tex-Mex specialties and Southwestern specialty dishes. Bar upstairs quite popular with college kids home for Thanksgiving/Christmas/Summer, open until 1AM (late by local standards).
  • Water Street Cafe, 25 Water St (south of the rock at Union St.), +1 508-746-2050. Daily 5AM-3:30PM; Dinner Th,F 5PM-9PM. Great breakfast or lunch with a large variety. Try the Rachel. Good value homestyle.
  • Waterfront Bar and Grille, 170 Water St (north of Town Wharf rotary), +1 508-591-8393. Daily 11AM-1AM; Lunch M-Sa 11PM-1AM Dinner 11AM-10PM. Lively, noisy upstairs bar scene with evening entertainment and quieter outside deck with harbor view. Downstairs is quieter or dine al fresco out front near the outside seafood bar. $6-$35.
  • Wood's Seafood Market and Restauarant (Town Pier), 15 Town Pier, +1 508 746-0261. Daily 11AM-9PM. Fresh seafood in the rough with a fish market as well. Has a back entrance right by the bathroom, which is nice to keep in mind after long days on the waterfront. Top notch clam chowder and fried whole clams made by Exec. Chef JMitch. $6-$15.

Bakeries

  • French Memories, 459 Washington St, Duxbury, +1 781 934-9020. Fabulous pastries (and coffee). Worth the trip to Duxbury.

Fine Dining (Splurges)

Reservations advised

  • Solstice, 63 Summer St, Kingston, +1 781 585-2221. Dinner M-Sa 5PM-10PM, Sundays 4PM-9PM.. Nice atmosphere and great cooking in this reclaimed train station in neighboring Kingston.
  • Cafe Strega, 16 Main Street Ext., +1 508 732-9996. Authentic Italian overlooking Brewster Gardens. a la carte, entrees $13-$28.
  • Rye Tavern, 517 OId Sandwich Rd (On an ancient woodland trail that connected Cape Cod to the mainland since before the Mayflower landed. Now on the periphery of the Pine Hills development.), +1 508 591-7515. 4-late evening. Rural restaurant in historic tavern building, in the spirit of the very trendy (for good reason) "farm to table" dining. Highly variable seasonal menu from evening to evening, featuring the somewhat cliche (again, for good reason) "inventive, international spin on timeless local favorites". Though it's now part of a recently built ticky-tacky planned community, you wouldn't know it while dining there, whether inside or on the patio. Definitely feels like you stepped back in time, as it's a shingled colonial cottage in a clearing in the woods, with gardens out back that give way to wildflower meadows, which fade into the treeline. Great place for a date, though families won't feel too out of place. Exceptional food quality, more reminiscent of Nantucket than Plymouth. $$$.

Drink

  • East Bay Grille, 173 Water St (Town Wharf), +1 508 746-9751. Lively piano bar Thursday through Saturday evenings and Sunday jazz. Summer evenings rock at this place with an outdoor tent and a younger crowd.
  • The Vine - European Style Wine Bar, 18 Main St, +1 508 830-1942. Ext. Open daily 4PM-11PM (F,Sa until 1AM) in Summer; Closed Monday from Labor Day to Memorial Day (early Sep-May). Indoors or out overlooking Brewster Gardens.
  • British Beer Company, 6 Middle St, +1 508 747-1776. Cozy English-style pub, sitting room upstairs with wood paneling, tufted leather armchairs, and darts. Wide selection of craft and international beers. Frequent live entertainment.
  • Sam Diego's, 51 Main St, +1 508 747-0048. Pool tables and darts upstairs. Young crowd.
  • T Bones's Roadhouse, 22 Main St. Casual. Frequently has live music. The crowd most nights is overwhelmingly young and single.
  • T K's Eating & Drinking Saloon, 38 Main St, +1 508 747-2373. Ext.
  • Pioppi's Package Store, 183 Court St, +1 508 746-1943. Liquor store with the best selection of wines. Just north of down town.
  • The Deck, 14 Union St (at Brewer Marine), +1 508 747-4503. Tucked behind Brewer Marine, this is a happening place with great food and drinks.
  • Lukes Liquors, 736 State Rd, +1 508 224-6766. Grab some beer or a bottle of wine to go with that lobster! Located on the Rte 3A (State Rd) end of Manomet Point Road in Manomet village's former Post Office.
  • Enoteca di Vino, 39 Court St, +1 508-746-1118. 5PM-10PM. entrees $14-$40.

Sleep

Hotels and Motels

  • Comfort Inn, 155 Samoset St, +1 508 746-2800. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 67 rooms on 3 floors. In a commercial area away from downtown.
  • Hilton Garden Inn, 4 Home Depot Dr (Exit 5 off Rt. 3), +1 508 830-0200, fax: +1 508-830-0855. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Plymouth's latest addition with 130 rooms, heated indoor pool. Away from the tourist areas (outside walking distance). Indoor pool.

Bed & Breakfasts

Camping

  • Ellis Haven Family Camping, 531 Federal Furnace Rd, West Plymouth, +1 508 746-0803, . Private beach on freshwater lake, paddleboats, recreation center, minigolf, ball fields. Hot showers, Laundry, 24 hour security, Grocery store, Restaurant, Snack bar, Sports Bar.Your choice of sunny or shady sites. Full hookups, including Cable TV. Furnished cabin rentals. Safari fields for group camping.
  • Indian Head Family Camping, 1929 State Rd (Rt 3A), Cedarville, +1 508 888-3688. Quiet site about two miles from Cape Cod.
  • Pinewood Lodge Campground, 190 Pinewood Rd., West Plymouth, +1 508 746-3548. From tents to cabins and over 250 sites. Swimming, boating, fishing on freshwater pond great for bass fishing, boating and swimming. RV service on site, Store, laundry, lounge, function hall.

Go next

  • If traveling to Boston by car, the best time to leave during workdays is before 6:30AM or between 9:30AM to 2PM to avoid traffic.
  • Take ferry trip to Provincetown from State Pier (where the Mayflower II is docked). The ferry (508-747-2400) leaves at 10AM and returns at 6PM.
Routes through Plymouth
BostonKingston  N  S  BourneEnds at
ProvidenceKingston  W  E  END
BostonKingston  N  S  END
BostonHalifax  NW  SE  END



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