Places to Visit in New England: Plymouth MA

While on an 8-day vacation to New England we enjoyed some of the most beautiful and historic areas in the United States. A trip to Plymouth (or Plimoth as it is often spelled) was not in our original plans but with Plymouth just 40 miles south of Boston we decided to make a day trip. We are so glad we did!  Plymouth turned out to be one of our favorite places to visit.  With just 7 hours we couldn’t visit everything but enjoyed what we saw.

We visited Plimoth Tickets & Info to plan our day and purchased a combo ticket that included Plimoth Plantation, the Mayflower II, and the Jenney Grist Mill.  All three attractions are within driving but not walking distance from each other.  We parked near Plymouth Memorial Park where the Mayflower II is docked and were able to walk to Plymouth Rock and Burial Hill.  Then we drove over to Plimoth Plantation.

Pilgrim Memorial Park

Pilgrim Memorial State Park, one of the most visited national parks in the US, is home to Plymouth Rock and the Mayflower II replica. Other historical landmarks such as Burial Hill and Brewster Gardens can be found here, too.  A statue of the Native American Chief Massasoit overlooks Plymouth Harbor.

Plymouth Rock

When the Pilgrims arrived, they may or may not have stepped on Plymouth Rock. If they did, they never mention it in their letters and written accounts. Captain William Bradford’s journal states: “we landed in Plimoth”. See Plymouth Rock History.  However, it is an American icon and viewed by more than 1M visitors a year.  Look for the pillared monument on Plymouth Harbor. You can’t miss it.

Mayflower II

The Mayflower II is a full-scale replica of the tallship which brought 102 pilgrims across the ocean to Plymouth’s shores in 1620. The Mayflower II was definitely worth the visit and gave a glimpse into what the pilgrims had to endure for 66 days plus the 45 days they lived aboard before leaving England on September 6.  I have no idea how 102 people and their provisions fit in that ship and survived the ocean trip.

Burial Hill Cemetery

After visiting Plymouth Rock, walk up the hill to the old cemetery. This cemetery has been used for burials by Plymouth residents from the 1620s to 1950s. It is the site of the first pilgrim meeting house. Mayflower passengers are buried here including Governor William Bradford and William & Mary Brewster. The earliest grave markers have been replaced by stone markers. I was particularly interested in seeing the memorial to Governor Bradford since he is an ancestor.

If you have time take a walk through the Brewster Gardens where monuments (large and small) have been erected depicting human plights over the centuries.

Jenney Grist Mill

The Jenney Mill is a recreation of the first mill built in the United States. The mill is operational and runs as it did when it was originally built in 1636. The day we were there we saw a wonderful demonstration on how the mill grinds corn by an entertaining docent.  Downstairs is a kid-friendly, hands-on area and a small store that sells ground products. The mill is a quick walk from the waterfront.

Plimoth Plantation

Plimoth Plantation is a living history museum founded in 1947. It replicates the original colony established in the 1690s by English colonists who we call pilgrims. Entering Plimoth Plantation felt like we had just stepped back in time 300 years. The villages are based upon first-hand records, articles, and period paintings and artifacts.

Wampanoag Homestead shows the lifestyle of Native Americans living at this time — planting their crops, fishing, hunting, gathering wild herbs and berries for food, and reeds for making mats and baskets. You can walk through various wetus (homes) and get a feel for their lives. When we visited interpreters were making jerky and grinding corn with a rock bowl and pestle.

First-person interpreters are trained to speak, act, and dress appropriately for the period. These “Pilgrims” and “Native Americans” were on hand to demonstrate life as it may have been in colonial times. They interact with their “strange visitors” (us!) in the first person, answering questions, discussing their lives and viewpoints, and participating in tasks such as cooking, planting, blacksmithing, and animal husbandry.  Even when answering questions they didn’t break character for a second!

Plimoth Plantation’s Visitor Center, Plimoth Grist Mill, Craft Center and Waterfront Museum Shops are open 7 days a week. The gift shop was one of my favorite stores and where we got a couple sacks of ground meal and a book and stuffed cat named Felix for our granddaughter.  Felix has an interesting story!

Other things to see and do:

Pilgrim Hall Museum – America’s oldest public museum is dedicated to the preservation and presentation of both Native American and Pilgrim artifacts.

Jenney Museum & Walking Tours – Historic Educational Plymouth Tours and Educational Programs.

First Parish Church – The congregation has a long tradition of religious freedom and faith that dates back to the pilgrim landing and beyond. Walk the cemetery around the church, too.

National Monument to our Forefathers – a little out of the way but a monument to their faith and beliefs.

So that was our quick day-tour of Plymouth.  It’s definitely a place we’d like to visit again spending time in the museums, visiting old homes, and wandering Main Street.  If you’d like more info on our other sightseeing adventures in New England read:

Salem – Witches and So Much More

Maine Lighthouses & Quaint Seaside Towns

New Hampshire’s White Mountains