to add an item to your Itinerary basket.
Looking for ways to enjoy summer, for less? Check out our ten treats for a tenner for ways that you can have great value days out in Plymouth!
1. The Box - FREE
Plymouth’s museum and art gallery has been creating a stir since it opened in 2020.
Currently, as well as learning more about the city’s history and the people who made it, you can explore how textiles and clothing shaped Plymouth and its people with ‘Dress Code – Fashion Stories from the Box’ .There’s also the chance to re-live highlights of past nights out on Plymouth’s world-famous Union Street - and more - with ‘because the night belongs to us’. As well as works by Tracey Emin and Beryl Cook, there are films and sound installations to enjoy. Can you spot yourself or anyone you know?
Entry to Plymouth’s new museum, art gallery and archive is free – so you can keep your tenner for a treat in the café! It’s open Tuesday to Sunday and Bank Holidays from 10am to 5pm. Exhibitions are always changing so check the website to see what’s on.
2. Elizabethan House - £5 adults £2.50 children
(concessions are available)
Plymouth’s Elizabethan House has stood at 32 New Street on the Barbican since it was built in the late 1500s. It’s one of the city’s oldest buildings to survive re-development and the Blitz and recently underwent a £1.7 million-pound repair and renovation works; reopening as an immersive experience in the summer of 2021.
You’ll find out about some of those who lived there over the past 400 years through carefully selected props and scenes. As well as the hi-tech there are helpful guides who can let you in on some the house’s secrets.
It's open Tuesdays to Sunday and Bank Holidays until 31 December this year. Entry is £5 for adults and £2.50 for children (aged 5-17)
3. Tinside Lido - £5.20
(Concessions are available)
Often described as the ‘Jewel in Plymouth’s Crown’ on a sunny day the sapphire blue waters of Plymouth’s Art Deco gem shine like a big precious stone!
Tinside Lido was built in 1935 and is filled with sea water making it the perfect place for a refreshing dip on a hot day. As well as swimming you can lounge around poolside on the sun deck and there are often cinema screenings and other activities to enjoy. There’s also a café for refreshments.
Most days it’s open until 6pm and swims are available until the 18 September. It’s £5.20 a swim or £4.15 concessions.
For timings or to book visit the website or download the app.
4. Bridging the Tamar Visitor Centre - FREE
The Tamar Bridge was opened in 1961 and has provided an essential crossing into and out of Cornwall ever since. It replaced a congested ferry crossing and runs alongside Brunel’s famous Royal Albert Railway Bridge which was constructed just over 100 years earlier.
Over the years, as traffic and the weight it’s expected to carry has increased, the road bridge has been strengthened and widened. It’s the first suspension bridge in the world that has been widened with cantilevers and strengthened while remaining open to traffic.
The Bridging the Tamar Visitor Centre was opened in 2019 and you can find out how the bridges were constructed, are maintained and what working conditions were like for those who built them. There are also regular guided talks which are free of charge and can be booked on the website.
The centre is open daily from 10am to 4pm with guided talks taking place on Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays. There isn’t a café but the outside picnic areas have stunning views of the Royal Albert Bridge and the River Tamar.
Visit their website for more information and to book.
5. Mayflower Museum and Mayflower Steps – Museum - £5 adults £2.50 children
(concessions available)
Explore the 400 years of the Mayflower story at the Mayflower Museum on the Barbican. Created in partnership with the native Wampanoag American tribal nation, this refurbished exhibition explores their history and culture and looks at the impact of English colonialism on indigenous communities – as well as our ongoing relationship with America.
There’s lots to see and things to keep younger visitors entertained including the public premiere of the Turtle Island animated film as well as a special trail to follow.
Just across the road from the museum are the Mayflower Steps. The actual steps the pilgrims would have used to embark the Mayflower in 1620 are long gone (they are rumoured to have been where the Admiral MacBride now stands) but this impressive memorial is close to the site. You can also see plaques commemorating other historic events including the return of the exiled Tolpuddle Martyrs in 1839.
For tickets and more information head to the Visit Plymouth website.
6. Walking Trails – FREE
If you are feeling energetic, download the free Plymouth Trails walking app and discover miles of interesting trails – from easy to tough.
There are eleven trails to choose from each exploring different topics and parts of the city. Toilets and refreshments are marked on them and if you pack a picnic, it’s only the cost of your shoe leather!
Meet the people and see the buildings from the time of the Mayflower, learn about how the city was rebuilt after WW2 as well as our maritime history.
Find out how the creator of Sherlock Holmes is connected with the city, unlock the secret of code words carved into Stonehouse pavements and learn more about Plymouth’s powerful women.
Click here for more information and routes.
7. Co-operative Way - FREE
You can also take the 15-mile Co-operative Way which will take you on an extensive tour around Plymouth city centre and the green spaces surrounding the city. See the views from Drakes Hill in Ham Woods, explore estates mentioned in the Domesday Book, stroll through Bircham Valley and keep an eye out for deer who live there. Get your free map.
8. Smeaton’s Tower - £5 adults £2.50 children
(concessions are available)
This is probably Plymouth’s most famous landmark. Sitting proudly on the Hoe it seems almost impossible that this pioneering construction once faced the battering seas beyond the breakwater.
Built in 1759 on the infamous Eddystone reef it helped sailors navigate treacherous rocks until it was taken down in the 1880s, after the rock it stood on became unsafe.
Climb the 93 steps (and some steep ladders) and find out why it was so revolutionary for its time, how it influenced the building of lighthouses and see how the keeper and his workmates lived for months on end. Not forgetting the amazing views from the lantern room!
While it’s open for most of the year, the tower is occasionally closed for events and maintenance so check the website if you are planning to visit.
9. Cycling – FREE
If you bought a bike in lockdown, then Plymouth has miles of cycle lanes to enjoy on two wheels. Many are off road so you can get away from the traffic and enjoy a more leisurely pace of travel.
‘Drakes Trail’ takes a 21-mile route from the city centre to Tavistock in the heart of Dartmoor. But don’t worry if it sounds too much - this trail is mostly off road and can be tailored to suit different fitness levels.
For a less strenuous version, follow the South West Coast Path from the National Marine Aquarium, through Coxside and the working wharves and jetties. Continue across the old Laira rail bridge before passing through the tranquil parkland of the National Trusts’ Saltram Estate and on to the Plym Valley. Then it’s a gentle gradient up Brunel’s former railway line to the hamlet of Clearbrook.
If you are feeling energetic there’s a flat, off-road section to Yelverton and of course you can push on to Tavistock! There are a few short hills but there is no shame in getting in some steps and pushing up those (don’t forget they are downhill on the way home!).
You can fine more details and other routes on the Sustrans website.
10. Crownhill Fort – £5 adults £3 children (over 5)
This impressive fort was one of ten built in the 1860s to guard against attack from the French. Lord Palmerston led what was the biggest upgrade of Britain’s fixed defences in peacetime - but they were never needed - Napoleon was exiled in 1870 and the threat of an attack was then unlikely.
The fort remained in military use until 1987 when it was taken on by the Landmark Trust and restored to its late Victorian layout. A holiday let and small businesses are run from the buildings and the fort is also open regularly for events and tours.
See cannons fired, take guided walks and tours and explore 12 acres of grounds. Food and drink will be available during open days.
Plymouth is easily accessible by train with a wide range of services running from a variety of locations within England. Although some services may require a change or two.
Travelling from London takes around 3 hours with Great Western Railway, if you're coming from the north, the trip from Manchester can take 5 hours 15 minutes.
Alternatively, the recently renovated Night Riviera Sleeper service runs Monday – Friday and Sunday evenings. Visit gwr.com/sleeper for more details on times and how to book.
We recommend using GWR.com to search for the fastest and best route for your journey, and book in advance for the best price.
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