Located on the South Coast of Devon and bordered by Cornwall, its illustrious history goes as far back as the Bronze Age and in 1620 the Pilgrim Fathers departed Plymouth to establish the Plymouth Colony - the second English settlement in what is now the USA!
From arty adventures to wonderful watersports, Plymouth offers you everything to make your trip one of the most memorable it can be.
Keeper for a day with lunch for two at Dartmoor Zoo
Have you ever wondered what it’s like being a zookeeper? Wonder no more and join the Dartmoor Zoo team to get up and close to some of the most amazing animals. With our Keeper for the Day with Lunch for Two experience you can spend the day with experts and care for a wide variety of species. The day will be an eye-opener as you learn about the animal’s diet and nutrition, husbandry and see first-hand the training and enrichment programmes that keep the animals happy and healthy.
Make sure you bring your A-grade photography skills as you’ll get plenty of opportunities to take some snaps - and as part of the day you can round off your experience with lunch in the Jaguar Restaurant as well as receiving a certificate of your achievements.
Keeper for the Day with Lunch for Two at Dartmoor Zoo
Join the team at Dartmoor Zoo with this Keeper for the Day with Lunch for Two. You’ll spend the day with the experts, caring for a wide variety of species. Learn about animal diet and nutrition, husbandry, and the fascinating training and enrichment programmes that keep the animals healthy and happy.
Find out more
Treat your Taste Buds to a Gin Tasting Experience
If you enjoy a tipple of gin, then we have a tasty treat in store for you! Grab a friend and taste some of the finest gins with a Gin Flight Self-Guided Tasting at Barbican Botanics Gin Room for Two. With over 170 artisan gins to choose from, you certainly won’t run out of choice as your drinking experience reaches new levels.
Your host will guide you through the best gins to try as you get to choose four craft gins before Fever Tree mixers and suggested garnishes are added to them to ensure you get the very best taste possible. You’ll be given a fresh glass and ice between tasting gins so you can enjoy them to the max. Expert hosts will be on hand throughout if you have any questions - so now is the perfect time to get ginning - cheers!
Gin Flight Self-Guided Tasting at Barbican Botanics Gin Room for Two
Consider yourself a gin connoisseur? Grab a friend and put your tastebuds to the test with a Gin Flight Self-Guided Tasting at Barbican Botanics Gin Room for Two, Plymouth. The South West’s largest combined gin shop and tasting room boasts over 170 artisan gins to choose from, and now’s your chance to taste some of their finest.
Find out more
Fantastic foraging and creative cooking
Step out into the great outdoors and forage your food straight to the plate with this Foraging, Cookery and Lunch for one with Totally Wild. A professional forager will show you the ropes as you learn all there is to foraging before you cook up a storm in the kitchen by creating your own wild food lunch.
Foraging, Cookery and Lunch with Totally Wild
Head back to nature with this fantastic Foraging, Cookery and Lunch for one with Totally Wild. You will join a professional forager to learn the basics of foraging and wild food, before cooking up your very own wild food lunch.
Find out more
Not all treasure is silver and gold in this treasure hunt
Do you dream of being a detective and uncovering creative clues to uncover a mystery? Then this fun and challenging Outdoor Treasure Hunt for Two will test your knowledge! Across 50 areas of the UK including Plymouth, you’ll work as a team to overcome mental and physical tests, including strategy, logistics and lateral thinking to see if you have what it takes to crack the puzzles and win the treasure.
This treasure hunt is an ideal way to see the sights of Plymouth with your clues and instructions emailed to you beforehand - so get, set and go for gold!
Set sail to Drake’s Island
See Plymouth from a different perspective by taking a trip to Drake’s Island and learn more about its fascinating history and explore its marine and bird life. Situated between Plymouth and the Cornish Coast, the island started its life 400 million years ago and almost 300 million years ago experienced volcanic activity! Setting off from Mount Batten Pier, the two hour guided tour of the island gives you the opportunity to see the Marine Conservation Area, Wildlife Reserve and Heritage Centre.
Unleash your artistic side at The Arts Institute
A trip away isn’t complete without taking in some culture and The Arts Institute will provide just that. Playing a pivotal role in building culture and art in the region, The Arts Institute is a curated public arts programme of the University of Plymouth. Within it you can enjoy The Levinsky Gallery for your dose of contemporary artwork as well as the Jill Craigie Cinema which showcases classic films and creative cinematic masterpieces. That’s not all - the gallery also includes The House - a cutting-edge theatre and dance programme with musical performance, concerts and talks on art, literature and history, so you can become a true culture vulture.
Enjoy Plymouth’s newest attraction - The Box
Plymouth isn’t all about the historical landmarks, as its newest attraction will reveal. The Box is the city’s new £46 million landmark, which includes a major new museum, art gallery and archive - with a cafe, shop and bar to visit. With nine permanent galleries that showcase Plymouth’s collections, The Box also includes 14 magnificent ships’ figureheads, thousands of natural history specimens, a full-size woolly mammoth with replicas, paintings, drawings, prints, sculptures, ceramics, photographs, documents and maps.
Explore Dartmoor National Park
Grab your trainers and celebrate 70 years of Dartmoor National Park in the astounding and exhilarating 386 square miles of beautiful landscape. Whether you love a guided walk, seeing wildlife, want to test yourself cycling on its challenging hills or discover the castle ruins and learn about the myths and legends, the park offers plenty for you to do. It’s not just walking, running or cycling you can do - but you can take a dip and swim, test yourself kayaking and climbing, or have a peaceful time fishing - you could spend all day there!
Top tip
Make a break of it and immerse yourself in the best that Dartmoor has to offer, with a fully equipped glamping pod break at Langstone Manor.
Make magical moments at Mount Edgcumbe House & Country Park
You might not associate a country park by the sea, but that’s one of the many distinct features of Mount Edgcumbe House & Country Park. A former home to the Earl of Mount Edgcumbe first built in the 1500s, this Grade I listed Cornish Gardens is 865 acres of sublime splendour.
Take a stroll along 7km of coastline or discover the House’s forest trails. If you’re feeling particularly adventurous, hop on a segway and zoom around the estate. After enjoying the incredible views of the coast, garden and house, why not stop off in the shopping village or relax in the Orangery or Stables Café? If you don’t want to worry about going home or you’re having that much fun, you can also stay in one of Mount Edgcumbe’s unique cute cottages or even go glamping in their shepherds' huts.
Sun, sea and sand at Wembury Beach
No trip to the coast is complete without actually visiting a beach. Wembury Beach offers you stunning sand to sunbathe or play on, with plenty of rock pools to uncover creatures and critters in. The Beaches’ water is clean and crisp, and has even won an award from the Marine Conservation Society and because it’s shallow, kids can have fun splashing around in it. A short walk from Wembury Beach will take you to the cliff paths where you can bask in lovely scenery and which takes you to Bovisand and Newton Ferrers.
Take it easy at Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall
If all the excitement of exploring Plymouth is too much for you, then take a moment to chill out and relax at the Gaia Spa at Boringdon Hall for some much needed TLC. Featuring swimming pools, treatment rooms, a gym, relaxation room, heat experiences, steam rooms, beauty salon, hot tubs, steam room and much much more. Plus you can enjoy the outdoor facilities if you want to reach your zen with yoga and meditation - and after all that you can visit the Spatisserie restaurant, which offers afternoon, hot and cold drinks as well as champagne while overlooking Dartmoor from its outside terraces.
Shop-till-you-drop at Plymouth Market and West End
When you explore a city on holiday, you wouldn’t want to miss out on a shopping trip to grab the touristy essentials! Established in 1959, Plymouth Market includes over 140 stalls with everything from collectibles and crafts to fashion and flowers, you’ll find something to buy to remember your adventures to the South West. All that shopping might make you peckish, so there are plenty of eateries to treat your tastebuds to with cakes to vegan dishes.
Marvel in the Mayflower Steps
One of the most historical parts of Plymouth can be found in the Barbican area where you can see first-hand where the Pilgrims are believed to have left England aboard the Mayflower, before crossing the Atlantic Ocean to North America on the 6th September 1620. The Mayflower Steps are flanked by the British and American flags and mark the point where 102 passengers set sail in 1620 on the Mayflower. The actual steps are no longer there, but a granite block signifies the voyage as well as a commemorative portico with a Doric column of Portland stone.
Spend the Day at Drake Circus The Barcode
If you experience a typical British day and the weather is wet and windy, then a day spent at Drake Circus The Barcode is the perfect way to spend your time. Opened in October 2019, Drake Circus The Barcode is over 100,000sq ft of leisure and entertainment. The name ‘barcode’ derives from a nickname given by the local residents as a result of its striking monochrome design. Whether you want to watch a movie at Cineworld, get a hole-in-one in the crazy golf or dine out at Zizzi’s or Nando’s, you won’t be short of places to enjoy.
Head out onto the waters at Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre
Grab the wetsuit and unleash your inner sporty side as you hit the waters at Mount Batten Watersports and Activities Centre. With breathtaking views looking out towards Plymouth’s historic Barbican area, it has a reputation of excellence and the highest standards. Offering family fun days, multi-activity courses, RYA instructor courses and BCU personal proficiency awards, you’ll find something to cater for your watery needs.
