Real, curated ideas for Plymouth — the Barbican, the Hoe, the aquarium and where to eat, filtered by who's actually with you.
Plymouth is a city built around one of the great natural harbours in Europe, and everything worth doing here is on the water. The Barbican — the surviving old town of cobbled streets, galleries and eateries — sits beside Sutton Harbour with the Mayflower Steps at one end and the UK's largest aquarium at the other.
Two of the best things are free. The Box, the city's museum and gallery, costs nothing and is genuinely excellent — a mammoth, a 4D history film and enough to hold children for a couple of hours. Royal William Yard, a vast neoclassical former naval victualling depot, has been converted into restaurants, bars, a cinema and independent shops, with a ferry across to Cornwall.
Parking and public toilets both cost money here and both draw complaints, so factor that in. The Hoe, the great lawn above the sound, is the other free asset — Smeaton's Tower, the view out to the breakwater, and space to sit.
Listings last checked: September 2026
A headland at Stonehouse with wide views across the Sound, good sea swimming access with places to change, benches and shelters along accessible paths, and a friendly café. You will often see Royal Navy vessels coming and going. Free parking for three hours — take a ticket from the machine.
A rocky bathing spot below the Hoe, once a men-only nudist lido with a glass roof, now open and popular for drinking and sitting by the water in good weather. It is heavily graffitied and reviewers are split on it. A good vantage point for the fireworks.
The old town that survived the war — cobbled streets, galleries, independent shops and a working harbour, with the Mayflower Steps and the Beryl Cook sailor statue outside the Dolphin. Boat trips leave from here. Parking is expensive and the public toilets charge 50p.
The city museum and gallery, free to enter, with a mammoth, a 4D history film, well-judged exhibits that hold children's attention, a children's reading and craft area and a big café. Two hours easily. Closed Mondays.
The UK's largest aquarium, on Sutton Harbour — deep-water tanks, glass tunnels, sharks, rays and turtles, with interactive zones for children. Your ticket gives free re-entry for a year, which makes it far better value than it first looks. Book ahead. Closed Wednesdays.
A vast 1830s naval victualling yard by Sir John Rennie, converted into restaurants, bars, a cinema, a pop-up market and independent shops, with coastal walks and harbour views. Good parking. A half-hourly ferry runs across to Cremyll in Cornwall.
A compact museum on the Barbican telling the Mayflower story, with interactive elements for younger children and wall panels for adults. Notably even-handed on the effect of colonisation on Native Americans. Short on original artefacts but good on storytelling. Dogs in buggies welcome.
The charity-run zoo the film was based on, fifteen minutes out of the city — big cats, endangered species and volunteers who clearly love it. An annual pass currently costs the same as a single visit. They will let you drive up the hill if walking is difficult.
A busy, vibrant seafood restaurant on Southside Street with a good-value two- and three-course lunch menu. Mussels and chips are what to order. Book — locals and visitors both fill it. It gets loud and the tables are close together.
Inside the Black Friars gin distillery, doing an ever-changing seasonal menu with excellent fish of the day and a sticky toffee pudding people single out. Good vegan options. Closed Mondays and Sundays; lunch Friday and Saturday only.
A small Spanish bistro at Stonehouse with a flawless rating — tapas, risotto, bruschetta, all made to order at reasonable prices, and an owner who makes the room. Six tables, so book. Free parking outside for an hour. Closed Mondays and Sundays.
The best brunch on the Barbican — beautifully presented, reasonably priced and in a lovely room. It is a victim of its own success: arrive at opening or expect a long wait for food. Evening service Fridays and Saturdays.
In the Custom House on the Barbican, with several dining rooms, large portions, good cocktails and a decked area out the back. Very good with allergies. Loud and busy at weekends — come at lunch or midweek if you want a quiet table.
A big pub right on the water below the Hoe, open from nine, with live music some nights and limited free parking. The setting is the draw. Careful on allergies and generally reliable, though the roast divides opinion.
Harbourside on Commercial Wharf, doing seafood linguine, mussels and langoustine scampi with good Cornish coffee and breakfasts. Views over the water. Reviews are mixed — the seafood is the strong suit, other dishes less so.
On the Hoe seafront, open from seven every day, with a log burner in the middle of the room and big windows over the sound — good in bad weather, when the sea is the show. Popular with dog walkers. Generous portions; the place could do with a clean.
The Dome on the Hoe, with the best window seats in Plymouth and a well-regarded afternoon tea. Breakfast is buy-one-get-one-free, which is where the value is. The decor is tired and the food is average — you are here for the view. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays.