Getting There -- Plymouth Airport (tel. 01752/204090) lies 6.5km (4 miles) from the center of the city. Air Southwest (tel. 0870/241-8202) has direct service from the London airport, Gatwick, to Plymouth.

BY TRAIN -- MBTA commuter rail (tel. 800/392-6100 or tel. 617/222-3200) from Boston’s South Station serves Cordage Park, north of downtown Plymouth. The local bus (tel. 800/483-2500) finishes up the trip, although it doesn’t run on Sunday. 

National Express has frequent daily bus service between London's Victoria Coach Station and Plymouth. The trip takes 5 1/4 hours. Call tel. 0871/781-81-81 for schedules and information, or visit www.nationalexpress.com.

BY CAR -- Take I-93 south and merge onto Route 3 south. To go straight to Pilgrim Memorial State Park and Plymouth Rock, take Exit 6A (Route 44 east). To go directly to Plimoth Plantation, take Exit 4. If it isn’t rush hour, the trip from Boston takes about an hour.

Visitor Information -- There’s a seasonal visitor center at 130 Water St. (tel. 800/872-1620 or tel. 508/747-7525), across from Town Pier. Information is available year-round from Destination Plymouth (tel. 800/USA-1620 or tel. 508/747-7533).

GETTING AROUND

America’s Hometown Shuttle (tel. 508/746-0378) runs throughout the town in a loop from late June through late August, daily 10am to 5pm. The fare ($15 adults, $7.50 children 6–11) includes a narrated tour and unlimited reboarding. Its route includes Plimoth Plantation.

Tours with a Twist

The Pilgrims arrived Plymouth by sea, and you can too, on narrated ocean cruises run by Capt. John Boats (tel. 508/927-5587). Departing from State Pier or Town Wharf, these 60-minute cruises hit the water aboard the Pilgrim Belle paddleboat ($20 adults and kids 13 and over, $17 seniors, $13 kids 4–12; a few dollars more for the 7pm sunset ride). Cruises run from April or May through October or November. Capt. John’s also has whale watches ($53 adults and kids 13 and over, $42 seniors, $30 kids 4–12) and deep-sea fishing excursions (from 4 hours to 12 hours; check website for prices). 

For kids who are into pirates, Plymouth Cruises Aboard Lobster Tales (tel. 508/746-5342) offers pirate cruises ($19 per person), designed for kids ages 4 to 10. They don hats and face paint and “defend” the boat against marauding buccaneers. The company also offers lobster excursions ($18 adults and kids 12 and older, $17 seniors, $15 children 11 and younger), during which passengers help haul up traps and observe marine life (lobsters are catch-and-release). 

For a full list of available guided tours, go to www.seeplymouth.com/things-to-do/tours. 

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.