There’s nothing like a fun-filled day with the family combined with a history lesson! A visit to Plymouth, Massachusetts, is perfect for a step back in time!
Plimouth Patuxet, originally known as Plymouth Plantation, is a living history museum located in the town of Plymouth. Visitors are taken back to the 17th century life of the English Colonists known as the Pilgrims. The authentic village is complete with timber cabins, livestock, gardens, and reenactment Pilgrims! These friendly settlers, dressed in 17th century costumes, share their unique stories about the Pilgrims’ lifestyle, religion, and struggles.
Visitors can check out the Visitor Center and the Museum shop or stop by The Plentiful Cafe for a taste of the 17th Century, featuring a variety of time-period dishes such as Mayflower Beer, Indian Pudding, and 17th Century cheesecake. The journey through the half mile Plimouth Patuxet will take visitors about 2.5 hours to complete.
Located within a short driving distance of Plimouth Patuxet, the Mayflower II is a 64-year old reproduction of the ship that brought the Pilgrims to the shores of historic Patuxet in 1620. The ship is 106 feet long, 25 feet wide, and displaces 236 tons of water! This majestic ship recently returned to Plymouth Harbor after three years of renovations.
A ticket aboard the Mayflower II includes vintage photographs, an exhibit of passenger history, and the chance to interact with costumed role-players on the ship. After traveling through the dockside exhibit, visitors can climb aboard the Mayflower II to get a sense of what the journey to Plymouth was really like! The characters on the ship, Pilgrims and members of Master Jones's crew, are delighted to interact with visitors, telling the stories of the passengers who once made the journey to Plymouth. This interactive excursion is not one to miss!
Plymouth Rock
Visitors can stop by Plymouth Rock, just steps away from the Mayflower II! Safely enclosed in Pilgrim Memorial State Park, the rock represents the passengers of the original Mayflower voyage.
Legend claims that William Bradford, the original governor of Plymouth, marked Plymouth Rock as the first landing ground in 1620. However, it wasn’t until 100 years later that relatives of the first Pilgrims claimed this as the original landing location of their ancestors. As locals were set to rebuild over the rock in 1741, a son of one of the original Mayflower passengers expressed concern about the importance of the rock. From that moment on, Plymouth Rock was known as the original landing location of the Pilgrims, a patriotic moment in history. This iconic rock is viewed by over 1 million visitors a year.
Just a short walking distance from the Mayflower II is the Plimouth Grist Mill, a reproduction of the original grist mill used by the Pilgrims to grind corn into cornmeal. Inside the mill, visitors can watch the grinding process as well as grind corn in a mortar and pestle, sift corn, operate a water wheel, and learn how to tie a miller’s knot.