Plymouth Things to Do

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Nelson beach is a public ocean front. Recently renovated, it features a great playground for kids, a walking trail and free parking. The beach is spotless and provides a great opportunity to collect rocks and view the Plymouth Harbor. There can be quite a few rocks, especially during low tide so some type of water shoes are recommended.

We have found many people allow their dogs to run off leash here, so keep that in mind if your dog has issues with other dogs. Week days late in the day is a great time to visit and enjoy the sounds of the surf and the sunset.

Our trip through New England was wonderful. Just great for us history buffs. Capping it off was Plymouth. Very nice, seafood restaurants galore..Just one bad choice , that was to listen to a presentation for a free dinner at Only Way To Go Travel club. What a scam! Don't waste your time. Go see the rock again.

Everyone who arrives in Plymouth seems to want to see the Plymouth Rock. So did I. I must admit I was disappointed by the size of the rock. I guess when you talk monuments, you think large, not small , even if they do say "rock", but the Plymouth Rock can't be more than ten feet across. Okay, so it is bigger than a rock I would pick up and skip across the water. Maybe they should have called it "Plymouth Boulder".

The famous Plymouth Rock is set inside a large Greek columned structure with a fence around it, but still a disappointment. I think the whole idea of a rock that the pilgrims stepped on to reach land is a great story, and that's probably what it is.

One of my favorite places in Plymouth is the old Plimouth Plantation, a re-creation of 1600's Plimouth{old spelling}. It is about a mile or so south of the town center, on rt 3a. It does a good job of explaining what life was like for the early settlers, and {this they didn't have when I 1st came here 30 yrs ago, as a kid} the native americans. There are actors in period clothing, inter-active activities, and multimedia presentations. It may seem a little corny, but it is very interesting.
Also, the Pilgrim Museum downtown is being expanded, should open this summer.
Try the clams at Wood's or the Cabby Shack, both on the town wharf

This is the view of Plymouth Harbor and an outlying
peninsula. This sheltered harbor has a strip of
sand so as to protect from turbulent weather
This is from the hill above the cemetery.
William Bradford and many of the other
first settlers are buried near the place
of this view. This is Gurnet Point with the
lighthouse on a peninsula that comes out
from Duxbury Village

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The Mayflower II is a full scale replica of the original Mayflower. Extensive research resulted in this ship. It is as close to the original as available knowledge permits.

Tours are available. It is interesting just to see the ship docked. One of the most amazing aspects of the ship is its size. It is astounding that the original 102 Pilgrims and the ships crew made the Atlantic voyage in this small vessel.

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It seems as if one of the symbols of American Freedom is in jail! After hearing about Plymouth Rock for so long, I had assumed it was a humongous boulder or a cliff face. I was surprised to see it was far smaller than I imaged.

In 1741 Thomas Faunce, at age 94, pointed out Plymouth Rock to be where his father had told him was where the Pilgrams had landed. This is the first historical reference known about Phymouth Rock. At that time, it was further out in the bay, but was brought inland for a time, before being placed into the tidal zone. A structure was built to surround the rock in the early 20th Century.

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Built in 1749, it originally served as the courthouse for Plymouth County. The structure is the oldest wooden courthouse in the United States. It also had lengthy service as civil offices after its courthouse days ended.

In this building, John Adams defended the British soldiers charged with murder for their participation in the Boston Massacre. (The venue was changed since it was feared a fair trail might not be possible in Boston.) Mr. Adams was able to obtain an acquittal for the murder charges. Accepting this case brought Mr. Adams grief among his friends, but he held to his principal that the soldiers should receive representation. Walk through the building where a man, who was to become the Second President of the United States, had once walked, worked, and contemplated being torn between his convictions and his patriotism.

Admission is free. The first story is a museum, but the second story has a fully intact courtroom, so be sure to go up the stairs. The staff was friendly and informative.