This full-size reproduction of the Mayflower is newly restored and recently re-docked in Plymouth Harbor. You’ll find the Mayflower at the State Pier Pilgrim Memorial State Park in commemoration of the 400th anniversary of its arrival in New England. Step onboard this ship and experience firsthand what it was like to live in this confined space for weeks at sea
Captain John is an institution of Plymouth. For the last 60 years, he has been taking tourists on one of his boats to see majestic whales or to try their hand at catching fish in the deep waters off the Plymouth coast. His crew consists of experienced and knowledgeable naturalists who will take you to the Stellwagen Bank marine sanctuary or Cape Cod Bay and introduce you to the largest mammals in the sea (pilot whales, humpback whales, minke wales, and finback whales) in their native environment at their favorite feeding grounds. All boats leave Town Wharf in Plymouth. If you prefer to go fishing, the crew knows just where the fish bite in Cape Cod Bay or Stellwagen Bank. You will get a chance to catch some large cod, mackerel, flounder, and haddock.
The outdoor Patuxet Museum, located along the banks of the Eel River, is adjacent to Plimoth Plantation and portrays the life of the native Wampanoag people.
The Mayflower Brewing Company opened in 2007 and is dedicated to “celebrating the history and legacy of beer in America.” Founded by a descendant of John Alden, who was the beer barrel cooper on the Mayflower, this brewery makes traditional-style beers and serves them on the patio.
Myles Standish State Forest is located between Plymouth and Carver, 45 miles from Boston. Operated by the Department of Conservation and Recreation, Myles Standish is the largest public recreation area in this area of Massachusetts. The lush forest is an intrinsic part of the Atlantic Coastal Pine Barrens ecoregion. Covering 26 square miles, it consists mostly of scrub oak and pitch pine forests and is among the largest forest of this kind north of Long Island. There are six ponds and lakes within the forest and several ecologically important coastal Kettle Ponds. The forest is a popular place for family outings, and it offers swimming, especially in College Pond, camping, horseback riding, and hiking along the 13-mile long hiking trail.
Mills were essential to an economy that grew corn, and Plymouth had a beautiful one. Plymouth’s Grist Mill is recreated to look as it did in 1636.
Brewster Gardens, a large park in downtown Plymouth, Massachusetts, stretches along both banks of Town Brook. Just south of Plymouth Rock, it runs from the nature trail, past Jenney Grist Mill, and underneath the two bridges.
Jenney Museum is probably the best place to learn about the history of Plymouth, the pilgrims, and how they influenced the culture, government, and values of the United States. The museum features a range of revolving exhibits on pilgrim life and organizes interesting and informative tours of Plymouth. There are three exhibition rooms that focus on different aspects of the pilgrims’ lives, their Christian values, and the influence they had on the American way of life and government. Educational tours organized by the museum are very popular and highly educational and range from a walk through the Historic District, a visit to the Forefathers Monuments, American Heritage, and Conversation with a Pilgrim.