Day Trip To Plymouth, MA: My Exact One Day Itinerary
Plymouth, Massachusetts is the site of the first Pilgrim settlement in the early 1600’s.
Today, the small coastal town is a popular tourist destination for those interested in US history. With historic sites and popular attractions such as Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II, there’s a lot to learn about the early days of European colonization here.
Due to its central location near Boston, Providence, and Cape Cod, it’s very easy to plan a day trip to Plymouth.
Below is the exact itinerary I followed during my day trip, which was part of a 9 Day Southern New England Road Trip.
Note: Many Plymouth businesses close for the winter, following Thanksgiving. If visiting in the colder months, be sure to check for seasonal closures before heading out.
Day Trip To Plymouth, MA Itinerary
Walk The Shops & Restaurants
Upon arriving in Plymouth, we grabbed brunch at Will & Co. Cafe, which is centrally located on Court Street.
Downtown Plymouth has two main areas with a variety of restaurants, boutique shops, and art galleries. There’s Water Street, which overlooks Pilgrim Memorial State Park and the harbor, and Court Street.
The two streets run parallel and offer a number of tourist-friendly attractions, all within a small area.
Court Street is the quieter of the two and was the perfect place to start our day.
Jabez Howland House
Following brunch, we headed over to Jabez Howland House, which is the only pilgrim home remaining from the earliest days of settlement.
The home is nearly 400 years old and has traded hands many times. It was revamped in the 1940’s, bringing it back to its original appearance before being added to the National Register of Historic Places.
It’s now adorned with period-relevant furniture, artifacts discovered on the Howland property, and other letters and documents from the family’s history.
The history museum is small and can be easily explored within an hour.
Brewster Gardens
Located between Jabez Howland House and our next stop, Pilgrim Memorial State Park, is the lovely Brewster Gardens.
Town Brook Stream runs through the middle of this small park, decorated with beautiful flower beds and walking paths. The park is free and we enjoyed walking around for a bit to break from the crowds.
View The Historic Homes On Leyden Street
Bordering the Brewster Park’s north end is Leyden Street, which is one of the first roads built by the pilgrims as part of the original settlement.
It’s believed to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited streets in New England.
This is a great place for fun photos, and I enjoyed checking out these homes while imagining what life would’ve been like here hundreds of years ago.
Pilgrim Memorial State Park
Next we headed to Pilgrim Memorial Park, the focal point of Plymouth.
It’s a small park sitting between Water Street and Cape Cod Bay, and is where you’ll find the town’s main attractions: Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II.
Pilgrim Memorial is ran by the National Park Service so there are often park rangers on site to explain the historical significance of the park.
Plymouth Rock
Plymouth Rock is believed to be where the pilgrims first stepped foot when arriving in America in the 17th century — the rock itself was moved to this location from Provincetown, Massachusetts.
The rock is under a large veranda overlooking Cape Cod Harbor.
During our visit on a Saturday in summer there was a park ranger on site providing information about the rock, America’s original pilgrims, and other American history.
Mayflower II
Mayflower II is a full scale replica ship gifted to the United States from England following WWII.
Visitors are able to walk through the ship and imagine what life would’ve been like for the Mayflower passengers during the two month sail across the Atlantic.
The Mayflower was small and had very few amenities — it’s hard to imagine spending more than a few days living on this ship, let alone two months.
We skipped the self-guided ship tour due to time constraints, but this is something we would’ve explored further if time was available.
The Mayflower II is ran by the Plimoth Patuxet Museums and requires a small fee.
Plymouth, Massachusetts Day Trip Itinerary
This is the exact itinerary we followed during our day trip to Plymouth, we spent about 4 hours here.
- Brunch at Will & Co. Cafe.
- Walk the shops on Court Street.
- See Jabez Howland House.
- Walk Brewster Gardens & Leyden Street.
- Visit Pilgrim Memorial State Park, which included stops at Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II.
- Walk the shops along Water Street before circling back to Court Street.
Additional Things To Do In Plymouth
With more time in Plymouth, consider some of the following attractions:
- Visit Plimoth Patuxet Museums, formerly Plimoth Plantation (we would’ve gone here with more time).
- See the Plimoth Grist Mill.
- Go for a walking tour with Jenney Interpretive Centre.
- Visit Pilgrim Hall Museum.
- See National Monument to the Forefathers, the largest solid granite monument.
- See Burial Hill Cemetery or Coles Hill Burial Ground.
- Explore nearby Myles Standish State Forest.
For the most popular things to do in Plymouth, check out The Top Things To Do In Plymouth, Massachusetts.
Getting To Plymouth, MA
From Boston, MA
Plymouth is just a short drive from Boston. It’s located about 40 miles south of Massachusetts’ capital city, and driving here requires 45 minutes to an hour.
We drove in from Boston early Saturday morning, with little traffic, and arrived in 45 minutes.
If visiting without a car, take the bus from Boston – South Station to Plymouth Park & Ride, the bus takes an hour. From here you’ll need a taxi or Uber/Lyft to get to downtown Plymouth, located about 2 miles away.
From Providence, RI
Providence, Rhode Island is about 55 miles west of Plymouth, the drive usually takes about an hour.
There is no direct public transportation between Providence and Plymouth.
Where To Park In Plymouth, MA
There’s a large, free lot near Summer Street and Spring Lane, right by the Plimouth Grist Mill. The location is labeled as “Free Parking” in Google Maps. From the lot, it’s just a short walk to Plymouth’s main attractions.
Additionally, there’s paid lots along Water Street and paid meter spots throughout town. Meter spots offer the best rates but have time limits.
Water Street sees the most traffic, so we parked on Court Street to avoid delays.
Where To Stay In Plymouth, MA
Spending the night in Plymouth?
For hotels within walking distance of the town’s main attractions, check out:
As you can see, there’s tons of great things to with a day trip to Plymouth, MA. Enjoy your trip, I hope you have the best time in America’s hometown.
Any questions or additional ideas? Please leave a comment below or reach out on social media.
Looking for more ideas? Check out my additional Plymouth and Massachusetts guides below.
More Information For Your Plymouth Vacation:
More Information For Your Massachusetts Vacation:
- Boston, Massachusetts Guides
- Cape Cod & The Islands Guides
- Salem, Massachusetts Guides
- Southern New England Road Trip: 9-Day Itinerary
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